Aerobic Exercise and Types of Aerobics
Aerobics is a type of exercise that helps you improve your flexibility, muscular strength, and cardiovascular endurance. When you participate in aerobics, your overall health and well-being will benefit. Aerobic exercise has many benefits, including:
- Strengthens the heart and lung muscles
- Burns calories and decreases body fat
- Eases stress by releasing endorphins
- Improves muscle tone
Aerobic exercises can include a variety of activities, such as running, bicycling, roller blading, and dancing. You know you are exercising aerobically when you are out of breath, but can maintain your intensity for a prolonged period of time. If you are so out of breath that you cannot talk and can only maintain your intensity for a short period of time, you are exercising too vigorously. The goal is to exercise at an intensity that allows you to maintain your target heart rate.
Think of it like this: You may be able to jog at a pace of ten minutes per mile for twenty minutes, but you may only be able to sprint at a pace of six minutes per mile for two minutes.
Most exercises can become aerobic by changing how fast and how long you perform them. For instance, weightlifting can become aerobic if you reduce the weight, increase the repetitions, and decrease the amount of rest between sets of exercises.
Types of Aerobic Exercise
There are many types of aerobic exercises you can participate in as you strive toward your fitness goals. Some types of aerobic exercise challenge the most physically fit. Other types are suited for people who are just beginning an exercise routine, or those who are recovering from an injury. It is important that you find the type of exercise that you enjoy, so you will continually want to work out. In this interactivity, explore several different examples of aerobic exercise. Click the player button to begin.
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Precautions
You should always consult a physician prior to starting an aerobic exercise program. Some health conditions may prevent individuals from participating in specific aerobic exercises, or any at all. If you are able to aerobically exercise, you should warm up for at least five to ten minutes at an easy pace, stretch, then perform your aerobic workout. Maintain your target heart rate for at least thirty minutes, then cool down at an easy pace for five to ten minutes.
You should aim to engage in sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each day, which should include a variety of exercises that work your heart, muscles, bones, and flexibility.
Review some examples of moderate aerobic activity and vigorous aerobic activities. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and study the chart. Write down at least three aerobic activities that interest you. You could consider using these activities in your fitness log for this topic.
Aerobic Exercise and Types of Aerobics Review
Now that you have investigated aerobic exercise and types of aerobics, check your knowledge by completing this non-graded interactivity. Click the player button to get started.