Aerobics

Mention the word aerobics and some people’s eyes will start to glaze over. Some might instantly think of the old days of leotard and leg warmer clad women bouncing to techno music in a mirrored gym. The muscle bound guys will groan and think that it’s not for them- after all, only girls need aerobics, right? Wrong, fellows! Not only does everybody need aerobic exercise for good health, they need it for improved physical and athletic ability, not matter what their goals are or sport that they play.

What Counts as Aerobic Exercise?

Aerobic exercise is any exercise that increases your breathing and therefore your oxygen. Yes, walking counts as an aerobic exercise and for some people, it is a valuable tool in their goal to get back to better health. For some people, the thought of trying to jog or to join an aerobic dance class is frightening and painful and for some of those people, those things might be too much. For them, walking is the best suggestion.

Anything that gets your heart pumping, your breathing a little heavier and yes, even makes you sweat a little bit counts as an aerobic exercise. Walk the dog or go work in the garden. You can chase the kids or the grandkids around the yard and count it as part of your exercise.

How Much Aerobic Exercise Do I Need?

The recommendation for aerobic exercise is for thirty minutes of moderate activity, three to five days per week. Moderate activity is the key however. At this level, you can talk but not carry on full conversations. If you can sing the first two lines of a favorite song, you are definitely not working hard enough.

The goal is to raise your heart rate above your regular level so that you are burning fat and calories. If you can afford one, a heart rate monitor is a valuable exercise tool that will allow you to know when you are in your target heart rate zone and when you need to pick it up a little bit.

The Levels of Aerobic Exercise: Getting Better All the Time

If you are a new exerciser, you should stick with beginner level exercises. Don’t sign up for a one hour kickboxing class if you are winded from walking into the gym from the parking lot. It is important to increase your exercise and activity gradually, allowing your heart and lungs to get in better condition before taking it to the next level.

Start with a walk, whether you are working on a treadmill or just walking your dog through the neighborhood. Set a reasonable distance in your head and then set off to conquer it. Once you can handle that distance without discomfort or it starts to feel too easy for you, go further on your walks. Once you are handling walks fairly well, you can try some light jogging if you would like.

On a treadmill, you can either increase your time, your speed or add some resistance by increasing the incline.

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

Your heart and lungs will thank you for any aerobic exercise that you give them because you are making them work more and better which in turn keeps them healthier. Your cardiovascular system will work more efficiently once you start doing regular aerobic exercise, but there is more to consider as well.

Some of the other benefits include:

• Weight loss and better overall tone as the body burns fat and builds lean muscle mass.
• Better mental health including a reduction in the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Better mood. Aerobic exercise can prompt the release of endorphins which make you feel happy.
• It may improve your ability to sleep at night which also plays a key role in weight loss.
• It may improve your immune system making you less susceptible to illness.
• It may improve your sex life because of improved blood flow.

Before You Get Started with Aerobic Exercise

Because it increases the heart rate and the pace of breathing, it is important to make sure that you are healthy enough to handle it. As with any kind of exercise program, the first step should be to be checked out by a doctor for a basic health examination and some basic lab work. This is especially important if you have high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease.

If you have been sedentary for a very long time, it is also a good idea to see a doctor to make sure that you do not have any joint or muscle problems that might cause injury further down the road.

The Very Best Advice You Could Get About Aerobic Exercise

Do what you like and you will keep doing it! If you hate running, then don’t plan on running a marathon because you will be miserable and not likely to stick with it. If you really hate the thought of exercise, consider swimming. You get the full advantage of aerobic exercise with no stress on your joints and you never notice how hard you are working because you do not see the sweat. It is often suggested as a workout for people who are obese, have known joint problems and even for those who have problems with arthritis.

There are countless choices and you can make changes as you improve, subbing in harder exercise for the easier ones or change for the different seasons if you need. You can play tennis during the spring and summer and then switch to an indoor volleyball league. You can run on the nice days and then hit a treadmill on the yucky weather days. You can use DVDs any time of the day or night, no matter what the weather is like. You can switch it up, as well. Here are a few uncommon choices that might interest you if you are very adventurous:

• Belly dancing
• Hula hooping or hula hoop dancing
• Sword fighting