 | What is aerobic exercise?
 | The blood that your heart pumps around your body carries oxygen to your muscles. You are
engaging in aerobic exercise when the amount of oxygen being carried to your muscles keeps
pace with the rate at which the muscles are using it. |
| Sudden, strenuous activity such as weight lifting, requires energy to be
"borrowed" from stores within the muscle, and "paid back" by a resting
period. Such activities are known as anaerobic. Aerobic activity can be kept up for a long
time, so is much better for building up fitness and endurance. |
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| Why is aerobic exercise important?
| Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and circulation and improves muscle tone. The
more fit you are, the better your body can function and the more stresses it can
withstand. This is especially important as you get older. You will also look and feel
better. |
|
| Do I have to go to special classes to learn aerobic exercise?
| Aerobic classes are lots of fun and a good way to get started if you've never done much
exercise before. Aerobic classes usually start you out slowly and then gradually increase
the intensity and duration of your workout. They teach you how to stretch your muscles
before and after exercising and how to warm up before your workout and cool down
afterwards. For people who prefer to work out in a group, aerobic classes are an excellent
way to exercise. |
| However, walking, swimming, biking, dancing, jumping rope, playing tennis, and other
sports provide aerobic exercise, too. Any form of repetitive, rhythmic exercise that uses
your large muscles, makes you breathe faster, and gets your heart going is aerobic
exercise. |
|
| How much and how often?
| For purposes of health and fitness, regular exercise is much more important than
strenuous exercise. Choose an exercise routine that you know you will be able to keep up
in the foreseeable future. |
| Aim for daily moderate exercise, rather than occasional intensive exercise. If you
normally walk daily and miss a day occasionally, you haven't seriously interrupted your
program. If you plan on three classes a week and miss one, you've missed one third of your
weekly program. |
|
| What about target heart rates?
| Your target heart rate is the range at which the most benefit is gained from aerobic
exercise. To find your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220 to get your maximum
heart rate, then multiply that number by 0.6 and then by 0.8, which gives you the number
of times your heart should beat per minute at the lower and upper limits of your target
heart rate. |
| Target heart rates are useful for exercise groups and classes. They are a way to set
individual exercise goals for people with different levels of fitness. |
| If you exercise moderately every day and feel good doing it, there's no need to be
overly concerned with your target heart rate. |
|
| Walking for health
| Daily walking is the most practical exercise for many people. You don't need a special
place to do it or special equipment or clothes. You don't need an instructor or group
leader. Aim to walk at least a mile a day. Walk as fast as is comfortable for you, and
walk as far as you have the time and inclination to. The more fit you become, the more you
will enjoy your exercise. |
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