Health Tips BLÓG

Aerobic training is a basic staple of most any fitness plan. No longer simply for women wearing leg warmers and headbands while “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” with Richard Simmons, aerobic training is used by top athletes, mothers, men, teens and even young children because it is good for them. Aerobic activity has been recognized by the American Heart Association, and the AMA as being beneficial to your entire body. While other training programs center upon building certain muscles or skills, adding aerobic training to your regimen will increase the benefits seen by these types of fitness plans as well as improving your health in general.

Aerobic Training for the Heart

Aerobic training gets your heart rate up, which also improves your circulation and will speed up your metabolism. Aerobic exercise can also help lower blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends moderate aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes five times a week, for everyone, athletes should integrate vigorous aerobic activity for 30 minutes 5 times a week.

Aerobic Training for Endurance

Training aerobically will help build up your stamina and regulate your breathing helping you to perform for longer periods of time. Because aerobic activity consists of continuous movement for a period of time, training your body in this manner can increase the time you are able to continue playing your sport, leaving you less winded when you finish.

Aerobic Exercise for Muscles

Sure weight lifting will give you bulky muscles in the areas that you work on, but aerobic training works all the muscles in your body, leaving them toned and strong. This is not to say that you should stop lifting, or other body building activities, but that you should incorporate aerobic activity into your fitness plan.

What Aerobic Exercise Should I Do?

Unless you are a fitness expert, or very experienced in knowing what exercises benefit what parts of your body you should consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. However the idea of aerobic exercise is to be moving, using as many muscle groups as possible and exerting energy in order to get your heart rate up.

What Activities Qualify as Aerobic Training?

Walking at a rapid pace while swinging your arms, also bicycling, jogging, dancing, doing jumping jacks, and even using the dreaded Stairmaster machine are aerobic activities. What you put into your aerobic training is what you will get out of it. In other words if you go outside and “mosey” down the street stopping to chat with the neighbors, then you aren’t training as effectively as you would if you were to strap on your iPod, and walk briskly without stopping for 30 minutes. Sure the slow walk is a good start but you must continually challenge yourself in order to build up stamina, and reap the overall benefits of aerobic training.

Sources: American Heart Association, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Association