To maintain or improve your health, you should engage in 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, or a combination of the two, per week. Including hand weights is optional. In a study published in the 1997 issue of "Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research," researchers found that step aerobics had beneficial effects on cardio-respiratory fitness, muscle strength and body composition in college-age women, whether accompanied by weights or not.
Aerobics
The word aerobic means, "occurring in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic exercise boosts your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, increasing your blood flow and blood's oxygen level. Moderate exercise, such as a brisk walk, increases your breathing and heart rate somewhat. Vigorous exercise, such as jogging, makes talking difficult.
There are many different types of aerobics. Aquatic aerobics incorporates aerobic moves into water activity. Interval exercise pairs short bursts of vigorous activity with longer bursts of moderate activity for extra calorie burn. Country aerobics is akin to line dancing.
Muscle Strengthening
Strengthening exercises not only help build strong muscles; they foster endurance as well, so you may exercise longer without getting tired. Examples of strengthening equipment are weight machines, medicine balls, rubber tubing and free weights. Plastic bottles of water or sand, packs of flour and sugar, and canned foods are an economical alternative. Weight-train at least twice a week, completing about 12 to 20 repetitions per exercise as a beginner; eight to 12 repetitions as you get stronger and increase the weight.
Benefits of Aerobics With Weights
Weights intensify an aerobic workout by increasing the amount of weight you're required to move while exercising. Using light hand or wrist weights of one to three pounds as opposed to none can boost your heart rate by up to 10 beats per minute and calorie burn by up to 15 percent more. Hand weights are preferred over ankle weights for aerobic exercise because the former doesn't affect lower body movement as much.
Considerations
Gripping hand weights may elevate blood pressure. If this is a concern, try wrist weights instead. Swinging your arms without weights during aerobic activity may provide similar benefits to using weights. If you are new to exercise, consult your doctor before beginning. Then start slow and increase exercise as you become stronger.
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Does Step Exercise With Handweights Enhance Training Effects?; National Strength and Conditioning Association; August 1997
- Merriam-Webster.com: Aerobic
- MayoClinic.com: Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons to Get Physical
- Womenshealth.gov: How to Be Active for Health; Staying Active and Eating Healthy
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