What Is Peripheral Heart Action Training?
There are always new fads in the fitness industry, but some of them, like Peripheral Heart Action Training (PHA) and circuit training, have become permanent fixtures. Both of these activities get your blood pumping and your muscles working, making them excellent choices for runners seeking a variety of cross-training routines. However, peripheral heart action (PHA) training, which has been around for decades but is causing a resurgence, is even more beneficial for building strength and speed over longer distances.
Circuit Training vs. Peripheral Heart Action Training
While traditional circuit training keeps your client moving from one exercise to the next with little to no rest in between, so too does Peripheral Heart Action Training. Alternating between upper- and lower-body exercises is a key component of PHA training.
How do we get our “cardio” and “muscle building” consumers to see the value in both cardiovascular exercise and weight training when we already know that both are necessary to achieve the best possible physical form? In PHA training, you switch between upper- and lower-body exercises on purpose, just like you would in circuit training.
Your upper and lower body muscles benefit from increased blood flow, strength, and endurance as a result of your increased exertion levels; you don’t overwork any one set of muscles for too long.
PHA workouts are not flexible, but the upper-to-lower-body order is flexible. You have the option of working out to the clock (for instance, performing 1–3 sets of 30 seconds or 1 minute every exercise with 0–2 minutes pause between sets) or by sets and reps (for example, 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps with 0 to 2 mins rest between sets).
Depending on your stamina and preference, you may tailor your workout to last anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. A great option for long-distance runners, Peripheral Heart Action Training workouts should be demanding, but they’ll err on the side of moderately difficult, as opposed to, say, a high-intensity interval training session.
The goal of Peripheral Heart Action Training, in contrast to traditional HIIT exercises, is to keep your heart rate up throughout the duration of the workout by increasing blood flow to various parts of your body. When compared to standard circuits, the exercises used in this variation are different. When you do circuit training, you may choose exercises that mimic those in a bodybuilding circuit, allowing you to work your complete upper body in a single session. On the other hand, PHA training alternates between working the upper and lower body.
What Are the Advantages of PHA Training?
Peripheral Heart Action Training activities provide a “big bang for your workout dollars” because they blend strength training and aerobic conditioning, keeping you on the move and keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time.
If you have any muscle imbalances or physical restrictions, PHA training is a great way to remedy them.
You can focus the lower-body portion on hip-dominant activities if you lack strength in the glutes or hamstrings. To strengthen your shoulders, you can target those muscles specifically during the upper body portion of the exercise.
It’s a great choice for runners since it forces you to work on your upper body strength, an area that often gets neglected in favor of the legs (the major movers of running) but which contributes much to arm strength and running efficiency.
Who Can Practice Peripheral Heart Action Training?
All healthy adults can benefit from this type of training. Your customer can lose weight or gain muscle with this routine. In other words, if you’re able to move about more, you’ll burn more calories.
Customers looking to lose weight may get “more bang for their buck” with this form of training, while bodybuilders and casual exercisers can use it to boost muscular building (hypertrophy). This meets the parameters for hypertrophy, which may be achieved despite significantly reduced (or non-existent) rest intervals between exercises.
The fact is that most individuals who aim to build muscle do both of these things incorrectly. Keep in mind that there are other components involved in achieving hypertrophy (high levels of volume with minimal rest periods force cellular changes that result in an overall increase in muscle size) intensity (75-85 percent of 1 RM), rest (60 seconds or less), frequency (3-6 times per week), volume (3-5 sets of 6-12 repetitions), and diet.
As can be seen, the Peripheral Heart Action Training method is effective for hypertrophic customers, giving them the time and space they need to recover and gain volume.
Potentially benefiting the most from PHA training are athletes. Circuit training (which includes PHA training) increases maximal oxygen consumption by 4 to 8%, but endurance athletes (such as adolescent runners) must continue to engage in aerobic activity that dramatically boosts maximum oxygen consumption. (far less than aerobic conditioning, yet crucial for building regional muscle endurance)
So, how exactly can you work PHA practice into your already busy schedule?
Decisions on how and when to exercise are ultimately up to the individual, but you should always keep in mind the information you have about your own body, your training plan, and your recovery requirements.
If you want to avoid injuries and keep your muscles in peak condition, you must allow for sufficient rest periods in between sessions. Overtraining is bad for you. Performing Peripheral Heart Action Training exercises is only recommended after at least 48 hours of rest following a strenuous run or other physical activity.
For added safety, before beginning your PHA exercise, ensure that you have warmed up sufficiently and that you are completing each action in excellent form. The following are examples of PHA-recommended warm-up exercises:
Squat variations include cat-cow, bird-dog, spider-man, inchworm, and toe-touching positions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to maximize the effectiveness of your program design, you may combine cardio and weight training using a method called Peripheral Heart Action Training (PHA).
For those who want to be able to run many quick kilometers, PHA training is ideal. You may incorporate it into your routine twice or thrice weekly if you give yourself plenty of rest days in between sessions. A thorough warm-up is also essential before beginning to further lessen the likelihood of damage during PHA exercises.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Is it advisable to practice peripheral heart action?
Physical activity in the form of peripheral cardiac activity training may be beneficial and effective for its practitioners. As part of peripheral heart activity training, you’ll alternate between working your upper and lower body as one unit. This is a great way to improve your fitness for many reasons.
Does peripheral heart action training help you lose weight fat?
Among the many weight loss exercise programs available, peripheral cardiac activity training is among the most efficient. Not only does this workout help you shed pounds, but it also boosts your cardiac health and strengthens your muscles.