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Staying Fit With Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises are those that involve improving the amount of oxygen your body consumes. The word aerobic actually means "with oxygen". Aerobic exercises involve large muscle groups like those in your arms, legs and hips. There are many benefits to doing aerobic exercises such as strengthening the muscles that allow you to breath, or by strengthening the heart muscle. Aerobics tones your body's muscles and improves your blood circulation as well as reduces your blood pressure. It improves your mental health by reducing stress and lowering the occurrence of depression. Aerobic exercises can reduce your risk of cardiac disease, depression and osteoporosis.

Aerobic exercising has become popular because of its weight loss and physical fitness benefits. Tennis and jogging are two popular forms of aerobics. Other popular aerobics are aerobic dance, bicycling, cross country skiing, in-line skating, fitness walking, jumping rope, running, stair climbing, and also swimming.

The recommended guidelines from the American College of sports medicine is that aerobics should be done 3 to 5 days a week from 20 to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity. The intensity can vary depending on your ability and health. There is low intensity, moderate intensity and high intensity. Low intensity is 35 to 60% of Heart Rate Max or 50 to 50% of Heart Rate Reserve. Moderate intensity is 60 to 80 % of Heart Rate Max or 60 to 70% of heart Rate Reserve. High Intensity is 80 to 90% of Heart Rate Max or 70 - 85% of Heart Rate Reserve.

Your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) is found by the following Karvonen formula:

Heart Rate Reserve: The Karvonen Formula

Count your Resting Heart Rate (RHR)

Find your Predicted Maximal Heart Rate (HR max)

HR max = 220 - age

Discover your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)

HRR = HR max - RHR

Percent of Heart Rate Max:

The formula to find your Predicted Maximum Heart Rate (HR max)

HR max = 220 - age

Find the lower limit of your Heart Rate Training Range

Low Target Heart Rate = HR max X .50

Find the upper limit of your Heart Rate Training Range

High Target Heart Rate = HR max X .90

If you are doing aerobics in combination with strength training then you should do a minimum of 8 to 10 aerobic exercises, involve all of your major muscle groups, and do aerobics for a minimum of 2 times each week. Do a minimum of 1 set of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise with a resistance that results in "near fatigue".