Orienteering and Fitness Building
Orienteering and Fitness Level
Orienteering is a competitive sport, which combines outdoor adventure with map reading and navigational skills. Participants find their way to several checkpoints with the aid of a map and compass. If set up as a competition, the winner is the one with the fastest time and the most controls found.
Orienteering is characterised by its aerobic components, however, it is not a sport that requires all steady state work, which is when the supply of oxygen meets the demand of the body. Orienteers require a heightened anaerobic capacity, which is necessary especially running in difficult terrain, ascending slopes and crossing obstacles. (Creagh & Reilly 1997) Therefore for an individual to increase their VO2 max and overall fitness level in order to participate in an orienteering course, aerobic and anaerobic training is required.
Aerobic training is exercise that is for a longer duration, where you get your heart rate up moderately, but you keep it there for a relatively long period of time (such as when you jog and run during an orienteering course), and stay there at a steady pace while you perform your activity. (Bateman.L 2007) Aerobic exercise is beneficial to your body because it provides overall toning and strengthens your cardiovascular system. This can lower blood pressure and improve circulation. It can also make your heart stronger and larger, which increases the heart’s stroke volume and lowers your resting heart rate. This exercise also increases your red blood cell count, which means that oxygen is transported much more efficiently throughout your body and you also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Anaerobic exercise such as sprinting does not require large amounts of oxygen because the activity itself is very brief and intense. Because of this, instead of using oxygen, the muscles use glycogen. (Bateman.L 2007) Anaerobic exercise will increase my body’s anaerobic threshold, and will allow me to exercise
Orienteering is a competitive sport, which combines outdoor adventure with map reading and navigational skills. Participants find their way to several checkpoints with the aid of a map and compass. If set up as a competition, the winner is the one with the fastest time and the most controls found.
Orienteering is characterised by its aerobic components, however, it is not a sport that requires all steady state work, which is when the supply of oxygen meets the demand of the body. Orienteers require a heightened anaerobic capacity, which is necessary especially running in difficult terrain, ascending slopes and crossing obstacles. (Creagh & Reilly 1997) Therefore for an individual to increase their VO2 max and overall fitness level in order to participate in an orienteering course, aerobic and anaerobic training is required.
Aerobic training is exercise that is for a longer duration, where you get your heart rate up moderately, but you keep it there for a relatively long period of time (such as when you jog and run during an orienteering course), and stay there at a steady pace while you perform your activity. (Bateman.L 2007) Aerobic exercise is beneficial to your body because it provides overall toning and strengthens your cardiovascular system. This can lower blood pressure and improve circulation. It can also make your heart stronger and larger, which increases the heart’s stroke volume and lowers your resting heart rate. This exercise also increases your red blood cell count, which means that oxygen is transported much more efficiently throughout your body and you also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Anaerobic exercise such as sprinting does not require large amounts of oxygen because the activity itself is very brief and intense. Because of this, instead of using oxygen, the muscles use glycogen. (Bateman.L 2007) Anaerobic exercise will increase my body’s anaerobic threshold, and will allow me to exercise