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Have you seen the ads for the ROM cross trainer, that crazy looking contraption that looks like a mixture between Santa's sleigh and a Harley Davidson motorcycle? The one that costs $14, 615? But perhaps the most surprising part of the ad is the claim that the ROM machine gives you a complete workout in only four minutes a day. How is that possible? Sounds a little too good to be true. Is it scientifically possible to get a four minute aerobic workout on the ROM cross trainer? According to the ROM cross trainer manufacturer, the time required for an aerobic workout depends on the degree of oxygen consumption during the workout: "The greater the amount of oxygen consumption during the workout, the shorter the required duration of a cardio workout. In other words, the quality of the workout determines the time required". But this goes against the mantra one hears of an aerobic workout consisting of at least 25 to 45 minutes of activity. Where does this idea come from, and how do the ROM machine's claims fit in with aerobic theory? To answer that question, we need to go back to the roots of aerobic theory and that lands on the steps of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, TX. In 1968 Kenneth Cooper, a former Air Force Colonel published a book, Aerobics, which emphasized a point system for improving the cardiovascular system. Over forty years later that point system is still the foundation for calculating the aerobic value of an exercise. A list of different exercises at different intensities (walking, running, cycling, swimming, etc. The Cooper Aerobics Center recommends accumulating 120 aerobic points each month to maintain good health. Looking at the first table on the Point System, we can see that if one runs 1 mile in less than 5:43 minutes, that 7 aerobic points are accumulated. So if you were able to run a mile in that time or less, you would only need to run that 17 times a month to achieve the 120 aerobic points. Which translates into a total of a little less than 100 minutes of aerobics a month. If you were able to run 1.5 miles in less than 8:34 minutes, you would accumulate 11 points, and you would only have to do that 11 times a month to achieve an aerobic workout, which translates into about 94 minutes a month. So if it is possible to get an aerobic workout in mere minutes, why do we always hear that you need to exercise at least 25 to 45 minutes a day? Well, because most people can't run that fast. The speed that the majority of people run at is significantly lower and thus less intense and consumes less oxygen per minute, requiring a longer duration to produce cardio benefits. To achieve the higher oxygen consumption per minute, one would have to reach sprinting speeds, whereas most people feel more comfortable just jogging. So most people jog for a distance of about 2.5 miles in 50 minutes (3 mph) or in 30 minutes (5 mph), which gives them between 4 and 6.5 aerobic points. In order to get the monthly 120 aerobic points, a person would have to jog every day for 50 minutes at 3mph, or 19 days of the month at a speed of 5mph. So getting back to the ROM machine: how does it enable a user to get the same aerobic results as a sprint run? According to the ROM cross trainer's website, because the machine requires you to use your muscles through a larger range of motion than other exercises, thus engaging a higher percentage of muscles, resulting in increased oxygen consumption. The higher the rate of oxygen consumption, the less time needed to get an aerobic workout. The ROM cross trainer is the embodiment of high-intensity training, also called HIT, which is getting increased recognition in the scientific community over the past years. Burst training, or high-intensity interval training, is becoming more and more popular in health circuits. However, overall, the ROM machine still requires less time than that these alternatives, unless you are one of the lucky few who can run a mile in under 4 minutes!
Article Source: http://www.neuro-vision.us/ad
Sarfaraz Khan study of Rom Crosstrainer Machine & Cardio Exercise. Rom Crosstrainer also known as Rom 4 minute Crosstrainer Machine.
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