What is aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercise provides cardiovascular conditioning. The term aerobic actually means "with oxygen," which
means that breathing controls the amount of oxygen that can make it to the muscles to help them burn fuel and
move.

Benefits of aerobic exercise

 Improves cardiovascular conditioning.

 Decreases risk of heart disease.
 Lowers blood pressure.
 Increases HDL or "good" cholesterol.
 Helps to better control blood sugar.
 Assists in weight management and/or weight loss.
 Improves lung function.
 Decreases resting heart rate.

Exercise safety

 It is recommended that you talk with your physician before you start an exercise program. Ask what, if any,
limitations you may have. People who suffer from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis,
pulmonary conditions, or other health conditions may need additional safety guidelines for exercise.
 Note: If you develop symptoms during exercise including, but not limited to, unusual shortness of breath;
tightness in the chest; chest, shoulder, or jaw pain; lightheadedness; dizziness; confusion; or joint pain,
you should stop exercising immediately and contact your physician.

What are some examples of aerobic exercise?

Lower impact aerobic exercise includes:

 Swimming.
 Cycling.
 Using an elliptical trainer.
 Walking.
 Rowing.
 Using an upper body ergometer (a piece of equipment that provides a cardiovascular workout that targets
the upper body only).

Higher impact aerobic exercise includes:

 Running.
 Jumping rope.
 Performing high impact routines or step aerobics.

How often and for how long should I do these exercises?

The American Heart Association recommends that everyone reach a minimum of 30 minutes of some form of
cardiovascular exercise 5 to 7 days per week. This can be broken up into 10-minute time periods. This means that
taking 3 walks of 10 minutes each would let you reach the recommended minimum guideline for reducing the risk
of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. You would also burn the same number of calories
as you would if you walked for the full 30 minutes at 1 time.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 3 sessions of 30 minutes of the total should
be made up of moderate to vigorous exercise to improve cardio-respiratory fitness and help manage weight.
It is appropriate to do aerobic exercise every day. There is no need to rest in between sessions unless you are at an
extreme level of training, such as preparing for a marathon, or if you experience reoccurring joint pain. If joint pain
is a limiting factor, it would be appropriate to alternate less painful exercises with those that may cause joint pain
or discontinue the painful exercise altogether.

Explanation of intensity

The intensity is determined by how hard you are working. The intensity of the exercise is determined by what your
goals are, what limitations you have, and your current fitness level.

Heart rate and exercise

Your heart rate increases in direct correlation with the intensity of the exercise. Heart rate levels can vary
significantly from one person to another based on fitness level, genetics, environment, and exercise tolerance. If
you wish to train based on heart rate, contact your health care provider to determine what the appropriate range
is for you. Some medications, most often blood pressure drugs, control heart rate, making it impossible to
determine exercise intensity in this way. Ask your physician to determine if you are on any of these medications.

Warming up and cooling down

Every session of aerobic exercise should include a warm-up and cool-down. The warm-up period should not
include static stretching, but should instead be a gradual increase in pace and intensity of the exercise. This allows
the body to increase blood flow to the muscles and decreases the likelihood of a muscle or joint injury. The warm-
up should last between 5 and 10 minutes. The cool-down session should last a similar amount of time as the
warm-up, with the pace gradually decreasing. Stretching exercises would be appropriate after aerobic exercise.

Progression of aerobic exercise

Progression to higher intensities of exercise should be based on individual exercise tolerance. There are 3
methods for challenging aerobic fitness:

 Increase speed.
 Increase the resistance.
 Increase the duration.

Any of these methods, or a combination of these methods, will improve aerobic fitness. Increasing intensity
should be done very gradually. You should challenge yourself for only a few minutes at a time.

1. Walking

Why it's a winner: You can walk anywhere, anytime. Use a treadmill or hit the streets.
How to: If you're just starting to walk for fitness, begin with five to 10 minutes at a time. Add a few minutes

to each walk until you get to at least 30 minutes per walk. Then, quicken your pace or add hills.

2. Interval Training

Why it's a winner: Interval training boosts your fitness levels and burns more calories to help you lose

weight. The basic idea is to vary the intensity within your workout, instead of going at a steady pace.

How to: Whether you walk, run, dance, or do another cardio exercise, push up the pace for a minute or two.

Then back off for 2 to 4 minutes. How long your interval should last depends on the length of your workout

and how much recovery time you need. A trainer can fine-tune the pacing. Repeat the intervals throughout

your workout.

3. Squats

Why it's a winner: Squats work several muscle groups -- your quadriceps ("quads"), hamstrings, and

gluteals ("glutes") -- at the same time.

How to: Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Bend your knees and lower your rear

as if you were sitting down in a chair. Keep your knees right over your ankles. Add dumbbells once you can

do at least 12 reps with good form.

Squats Done Right

Practice with a real chair to master this move. First, sit all the way down in the chair and stand back up.

Next, barely touch the chair's seat before standing back up. Work up to doing the squats without a chair,

keeping the same form.

4. Lunges

Why it's a winner: Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of your lower body. They can also

improve your balance.

How to: Take a big step forward, keeping your back straight. Bend your front knee to about 90 degrees.

Keep weight on your back toes and drop the back knee toward the floor. Don't let the back knee touch the

floor.

Lunges: Extra Challenge

Try stepping not just forward, but also back and out to each side, with each lunge. Add dumbbells to lunges

once your form is down pat.

5. Push-Ups

Why it's a winner: Push-ups strengthen your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles.

How to: Facing down, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your toes on the

floor. If that's too hard, start with your knees on the floor. Your body should make a straight line from

shoulders to knees or feet. Keep your rear-end muscles and abs engaged. Bend your elbows to lower

down until you almost touch the floor. Lift back up by pushing through your elbows, Keep your torso in a

straight line throughout the move.

Push-Ups: Too Hard? Too Easy?

If you're new to push-ups you can start doing them by leaning into a kitchen counter. As you get stronger,

go lower, using a desk or chair. Then you can move onto the floor, starting with your knees bent. For a

challenge, put your feet on a stair, bench, or couch while keeping good form.

6. Crunches -- Method A

Start by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your head resting in the palm of one hand and

the other hand reaching toward your knees. Press your lower back down. Contract your abdominal muscles

(abs) and in one smooth move, raise your head, then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor.

Tuck in your chin slightly. Lower back down and repeat.

Crunches -- Method B

You can also do crunches with your feet off the floor and knees bent. This technique may keep you from

arching your back. It also uses your hip flexors (muscles on your upper thighs below your hip bones).

Mastering Crunches
Keep your neck in line with your spine. Tuck in your chin so it doesn't stick out. Breathe normally. To keep

chest and shoulders open, keep your elbows out of your line of vision.

7. Bent-Over Row

Why it's a winner: You work all the major muscles of your upper back, as well as your biceps.

How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and bend forward at the hips. Engage

your abs without hunching your back. Hold weights beneath your shoulders, keeping your hands shoulder-

width apart. Bend your elbows and lift both hands toward the sides of your body. Pause, then slowly lower

your hands to the starting position. Can perform with a bar or dumbbells.

Mastering Bent-Over Rows