Also known as cardiovascular exercise it is any sustained, rhythmic activity that involves large muscle groups. Aerobic exercise makes the lungs work harder as the body’s need for oxygen is increased. Aerobic exercise is good for your heart. Aerobics can be any activity that gets your heart rate going and keeps it at a sustained rate over a period of time. There are a number of exercises that fit the bill as aerobic exercises. Along with traditional aerobics classes, any exercise that gets you into the target heart rate zone and keeps you there count. This can include walking, hiking, jogging, bicycling, swimming and rowing just to name a few, along with the gym standbys like the elliptical trainer, exercise bike and treadmill. Many activities can be made into aerobics activities if you put enough effort into them.
Basic Aerobic Exercises
Walking-Walking for 30 minutes a day at moderate intensity is great. Walking for a longer period of time is better still. As you get fitter, you will be able to walk more briskly. Walking up and down hills will also help to boost stamina and leg strength.
Running
Running is an inexpensive exercise you can do anywhere at a time that suits you. It is beneficial in helping to improve heart and bone health. Its advantage over walking is that it improves heart fitness.
Cycling
If you suffer from joint problems, cycling can be a great activity due to a reduced pressure on your joints and muscles. In outdoor cycling you must overcome the resistance of the bike, along with propelling your body weight.
Swimming Activities
Swimming is an excellent aerobic exercise. It’s a low-cost workout for the whole body especially the muscles of the back, shoulder and arms and improves flexibility as well. Water aerobics and water walking are good alternatives for those with joint pain.
Jogging, Aerobic Dance
These can be safe and beneficial exercise for the highly fit person. Both can be done indoors, which makes them year-round activities. Anyone with orthopedic problems or who experiences symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath should not engage in these activities.
Importance of Aerobics
Aerobic exercise is any extended activity that makes you breathe hard while using the large muscle groups at a regular, even pace. Aerobic activities help make your heart stronger and more efficient.
Doing aerobics increases cardiorespiratory fitness, which is one of the five essential components of physical fitness. Cardiorespiratory fitness is the ability of the body's circulatory systems to maintain oxygen levels and supply fuel during sustained physical activity.
The importance of aerobics goes beyond your body's internal processes, however. If you are not aerobically fit, you're going to feel it as you go about your day. Maintaining aerobics fitness can help you to experience a better quality of life, because life's daily activities become that much easier when you can perform daily tasks - like walking up the stairs without getting winded or chasing down a toddler who saw his chance to make a break for it and took it.
Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
Besides strengthening your heart and lungs, aerobic exercise can help lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, improve your immune function, and lower your blood pressure.
Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase your confidence, emotional stability, memory. It is widely accepted that aerobic exercise improves the symptoms of depression.
It can increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) - which is the good cholesterol that your body wants and uses.
It can help to alleviate muscle pain and soreness. Regular aerobic activity may be effective at lowering your risks of certain types of cancers.
Getting regular aerobic exercise increases bone density, which helps to prevent the loss in bone mineralization that leads to osteoporosis.
In addition to looking better and being healthier, aerobic exercise increases your stamina, giving you more energy for both work and play. You will sleep better and handle stress better, and you’ll feel better about yourself.
Without a doubt, aerobics are particularly helpful for weight control.
