Aerobic exercise is a type of physical conditioning. It improves cardiovascular fitness by enhancing the body's ability to consume oxygen. Aerobic exercise is characterized by its steady, continuous rhythmic movement. For best results, it should be maintained for a minimum of 20 minutes. The chosen aerobic activity should elevate your heart rate into its target zone, which is determined by subtracting your age from the number 220, and calculating 55 to 85 percent of that number. The American College of Sports Medicine updated its physical activity guidelines in 2007, now suggesting that people perform 30 minutes of aerobic activity on most days of the week. To avoid overuse injuries, consider cross-training with these different types of aerobic workouts.
Walking
Walking is a convenient, low-impact form of aerobic exercise. You can increase the intensity of a walking workout by walking up hills and increasing pace and stride length.
An article in the New England Journal of Medicine titled "Effects of Walking on Mortality Among Nonsmoking Retired Men" cited research performed at the Honolulu Heart Program, which involved 707 nonsmoking retired men aged 61 to 81. The researchers recorded the participants' daily walking mileage for 2 years, and performed a follow-up study 12 years later. There were 208 deaths during the follow-up period. The mortality rate of the men who walked less than 1 mile daily was twice the rate of those who walked over 2 miles.
Running
Running is a high-intensity aerobic workout. It can be performed indoors on a treadmill, or outdoors in a park, on the sidewalk, on trails or on an outdoor running track. Running shoes and running clothes are the only equipment required. Running can burn between 584 and 1,472 calories an hour, depending on your weight and running speed. It can also cause overuse injuries. Some people may also be sensitive to certain weather conditions. If choosing running as your primary aerobic activity, be sure to cross-train with another type of cardiovascular exercise.
Aerobic Dance Clsses
Aerobic dance classes became popular in the 1970s. These classes feature choreographed aerobic activity performed to music. Some classes involve stepping up and down on an 8-to 12-inch platform. High-impact classes--which involve jumping, hopping and running activities--will usually burn more calories than low-impact aerobics, but in some cases, they have a greater potential for injury. The calories burned in aerobic dance classes will vary according to the intensity of the movements. Overly complex choreography might impede the participants' ability to follow the movements, resulting in a less-intense workout.
Winter Sports
Many people claim that they gain weight during the winter. In some cases, this may be due to decreased activity, but a condition known as SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, may contribute to the problem. While the condition is sometimes treated with light therapy, participating in a winter sport might alleviate the symptoms. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing will burn the most calories, because they do not involve a chairlift. You can get some aerobic benefits from downhill skiing and snowboarding by choosing longer trails.
Cycling
Cycling is a low-impact activity that has an added benefit: it enables you to travel considerable distances and explore interesting territory. Mountain biking or bike racing can increase the intensity of a cycling workout.
Indoor Aerobic Exericse Equipment
Most fitness centers have a variety of cardiovascular machines, which may include ellipticals, stationary bicycles, treadmills and rowing machines. Some of these machines have mechanisms that allow you to work your upper- and lower-body simultaneously. Others can be intensified by increasing the incline. Personalized video screens are a new trend in indoor aerobic exercise equipment. They allow you to do your workout while watching your favorite television shows.
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