It is a good idea to start slowly and build up to a full program. Walking is the easiest way to begin a program. Start with a stroll for a mile or so and build up to walking 3-4 miles per hour. As you become proficient at walking, you might want to try another activity such as jogging, running or even aerobic or step classes. The best aerobic program is the one you enjoy and will stick to. Remember, the journey of 1000 miles begins with but a single step.
The word aerobic literally means "with oxygen" or "in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature. Aerobic activity trains the heart, lungs and cardiovascular system to process and deliver oxygen more quickly and efficiently to every part of the body. As the heart muscle becomes stronger and more efficient, a larger amount of blood can be pumped with each stroke. Fewer strokes are then required to rapidly transport oxygen to all parts of the body. An aerobically fit individual can work longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of the aerobic session
Frequency, duration and intensity. Frequency refers to how often you perform aerobic activity, duration refers to the time spent at each session, and intensity refers to the percentage of your maximum heartrate or heartate reserve at which you work.
Most experts believe that 3-5 times per week for a duration of 20-60 minutes at 60-90% of age-specific maximal heartrate or 50-85% of VO2max (heart rate reserve).
The general formula for the average person is 220-age times 60% and times
90% of HRmax. For example, a 30-year old would
calculate his target zone using the above formula: 220-30=190. 190x.60=114 and
190x.90=171. This individual would try to keep his heartrate
between 114 (low end) and 171 (high end) beats per minute.
from Evelyn Mitchell [email protected]
The Karvonen Formula calculates your heartrate reserve range. To calculate it, take your pulse for one minute on three successive mornings upon waking up. (We will be using the case of a 30-year old male whose resting pulse was 69,70 and 71 for an average of 70 over the 3 days.)
Calculate target heartrate by subtracting your age from 220 (220-30=190).
Subtract your average resting heart rate from target heartrate (190-70=120).
The lower boundary of the percentage range is 50% of this plus your resting heart rate [(120 x .5) + 70 = 130]. The higher boundary is 85% plus your RHR [(120 x .85) + 70 =178]. Using the Karvonen Formula for percentage of heartrate reserve, this 30-year old man should be working between 130 and 178 BPM.
Like the maximum heartrate formula, the Karvonen formula can vary from individual to individual. Not every individual is "average", and there can be large differences among people. Therefore heartrate alone may not be the best indicator of how hard or how well you are working.
It is important to note that the deviation in both the age-specific formula and the Karvonen formula is due to the estimation of HRmax. If you have an actual HRmax from a graded exercise test, it will be more accurate. ACSM lists two formulas for estimating HRmax, each one with a standard deviation of +/- 10-12 BPM:
HRmax = 220 - age (low estimate) HRmax = 210 - (0.5 * age) (high estimate)
HR = exercise intensity * HRmax * 1.15
Source: ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 5th Edition, p. 274, Williams and Wilkins
The Borg scale of perceived exertion is another way of determining how hard you are working. Using your own subjective Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a scale of 6-20 or a scale of O-10, you determine how hard you *feel* you are working. A rating of 12-16 ("somewhat hard" to "hard" on the 12-20 scale) or a rating of 4-6 ("somewhat strong" to "very strong") on the 0-10 scale reflects a heartrate of 60-90% of maximum and should be the target area for which to strive.
Original Scale Revised Scale
6 0 Nothing at all
7 Very, very light 0.5 Very, very weak
8 1 Very weak
9 Very light 2 Weak
10 3 Moderate
11 Fairly light 4 Somewhat strong
12 5 Strong
13 Somewhat hard 6
14 7 Very strong
15 Hard 8
16 9
17 Very hard 10 Very, very strong
18 * Maximal
19 Very, very hard
20
Source: ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 5th Edition, p. 68, Williams and Wilkins
The talk test is another measure of intensity. You should be able to talk without gasping for air while working at optimal intensity. If you cannot, you should scale down. On the other hand, if you can sing an aria from Madame Butterfly, then you need to work harder.
No. When we're working a muscle or group of muscles to burn fat, we have no control over what part of the body we burn fat from. There is no such thing as "spot reducing". Fat generally is used up in pretty much the reverse order it was put on, (LIFO - Last In First Out). When you are exercising, the blood is carrying fat from all over the body to provide the energy. The muscles which are being worked will improve, of course, so when the layers of fat finally do get worked off, you'll have some nice lean tissue to show for all your efforts.
(from Michael G. Kurilla [email protected])
Another aspect to this question is the fact that muscle growth underneath a fat deposit can give the appearance of spot reduction. This is because the overlying fat is stretched over a greater surface and appears thinner, although the total amount of fat is the same. A good analogy is with a balloon. As the air is increased, the skin on the balloon gets thinner, but the amount of balloon material stays the same. I think that this may be how the spot reduction myth originated. By working the muscles below the fat, people think they are actually making the fat go away.
Actually, you're almost always burning fat at one rate or another, but you burn most when your body is in its aerobic range. A good rule of thumb is that after 20 minutes in your aerobic zone, you will be burning more fat than carbos. Covert Bailey, in Smart Exercise, states that you will be burning fat after only twelve minutes of aerobic exercise. If you can increase your aerobic activity to 30 minutes or longer, you will be burning a larger percentage of calories from fat. There is still some disagreement as to which is better - longer duration at lower intensity, or shorter duration at higher intensity. If you are limited in time, then the higher intensity will maximize your aerobic benefits in a shorter amount of time. If you can work for a longer duration at a lower intensity, you will decrease your chance of injury. The object is to burn more calories than you take in. 3,500 calories equals l pound of fat. Your muscles will continue to burn fat after both aerobic and anaerobic (muscle training) exercise.
(from Michael G. Kurilla [email protected])
This is perhaps the most common question raised by individuals exercising for the purpose of either weight loss or simply weight control. This stems from the recognition that aerobic exercise is a significant adjunct to any weight loss program, that is diet plus aerobic exercise produces more weight loss than diet alone. In addition, the weight lost with exercise tends to be a higher percentage of fat.
Exercise can be grouped into three broad levels of intensity, mild, moderate, and high. Mild intensity is a comfortable walking pace and can be sustained almost indefinitely, moderate intensity is equal to an average cardiovascular conditioning workout (able to talk, but not sing) and can be sustained (in a trained individual) for upwards of 3 - 4 hours, and high intensity is not able to talk and can only be sustained for 30 - 45 minutes.
Based on recent and very detailed research studies, in terms of absolute fat burning, a moderate intensity workout burns the most fat. At a heart rate equal to about 75% of max, fat burning will approach 0.5 grams - 1.0 grams of fat per minute. There is a weight dependence with the lower end referring to a 100 pound individual and the upper end to a 200 pound person. As the duration continues (greater than 1 hour), fat burning can increase slightly (another 10%).
At a mild intensity, the majority of calories expended (85 - 90%) are fat calories, but the absolute level is only about 60% of the moderate intensity. At high intensity levels, fat burning declines to a level of about 65% of the moderate pace, as sugar burning supplies the rest. The high rate of sugar burning exhausts the limited sugar supply in muscles and causes muscular failure.
The only caveats for the above burn rates are that these numbers are derived from individuals who were already aerobically trained and were conducted in the AM before breakfast. Less fit individuals are known to burn less fat and more sugar (part of aerobic conditioning is greater reliance on fat burning for energy). Exercising after a meal will tend to promote more sugar burning. Consumption of sugar during an exercise session will also tend to retard fat burning in favor of the sugar. These numbers were derived from cycling and so the absolute numbers can be increased if exercises that involve more muscle groups are utilized (running, rowing, etc.). From peak energy production rates for various exercises, rowers might reach about 40% higher.
(from Ken Raich [email protected])
There are TWO distinct thoughts on this issue: Both present fairly reasonable arguments.
The real bottom line is that if you exercise for 90 minutes a day, you're interested in more than just fitness(don't get me wrong, this is perfectly OK). To stay in reasonable cardiovascular shape, you need to perform aerobically for 20-30 minutes at least 3 times a week. If you wish to be in better than "the minimum acceptable" shape, remember that the returns are not geometric (you won't be in twice as good shape if you workout for twice as long). Therefore, if you're going to workout for 90 minutes a day, splitting the time between one or two sessions probably doesn't make a significant fitness-level difference.
What you weigh is not as important as the percentage of bodyfat to lean tissue. You can be overweight without being overfat and vice versa. Since muscle weighs more per volume than fat, and you want to have firm muscles throughout your body, you may weigh more than you thought was average for your height and build. There is still much controversy over what is "ideal" bodyweight. While some body fat is essential to sustain life, it is generally thought that a healthy bodyfat percentage for males is 8-20% and for females is 13-25%.
Source: ACE Instructor Manual, 1993, p.178
(from [email protected])
Weighing in water (hydrostatic) is generally considered the best method. But, the real answer is that a single measurement, no matter how accurate, doesn't tell you much. What's really important is, are you gaining or losing fat? The best way to answer this question is to take a reading every few weeks and graph the results. The absolute accuracy of these readings isn't really important as long as you use consistent technique so that the error is about the same every time.
The two methods that work best for at-home measurements are skin-fold calipers and biceps IR units. Treat the numbers not as "body fat percentage" but as a "body fat index." If, after several readings, your body fat index is clearly trending up, you may want to reconsider your diet and exercise programs. It's like the gas gauge in your car - it doesn't tell you how many gallons you have, but it gives you a relative indication.
Definitely. Muscle training is an integral part of any aerobic program. After muscle training, our bodies continue to burn fat for many hours. The combination of aerobic exercise, muscle training, proper diet and stretching is an excellent program for getting fit and staying healthy.
Which is better for muscle training: Weights or ExerTube (DynaBand)?
Neither is actually "better". All exercise accessories have their uses. Weights require more muscles in use to maintain proper form, while the bands and tubes are easier to use in targeting specific muscles. Bands and tubes also have the advantage of being somewhat adjustable in resistance just by changing length. To change weights in dumbbells, you either need another set of dumbbells, or extra plates for those which use plates. Dumbbells, however, do offer a much greater range of available weights, particularly at the high end, making them more useful in strength training. Bands and tubes are generally used in resistance training exercises.
A warm-up helps your body prepare itself for exercise and reduces the chance of injury. The warm-up should be a combination of rhythmic exercise which begins to raise the heartrate and raise muscle temperature, and static stretching through a full range of motion. The rhythmic exercise may be a slower version of the aerobic activity to come. For example, you might want to walk before you jog, or do some aerobic dance movements before an aerobic or step class. The stretches in the warm-up should be non-ballistic and cover all of the major muscle groups. Always stretch the lower back before doing any lateral movement of the upper torso such as side bends.
After any aerobic activity, the blood is pooled in the extremities, and the heartrate is elevated. The purpose of the cool-down is to bring the heartrate down to near-normal and to get the blood circulating freely back to the heart. Stopping abruptly could result in fainting or place undue stress on the heart. The cool-down should also include stretching to help relax the muscles which worked so hard during the activity. The cool-down stretches also increase flexibility, and might help to prevent DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) although this has not been proven.
Since the blood tends to pool in your extremities after a vigorous workout, and steams, saunas, hot tubs and even hot showers tend to dilate your blood vessels, it is really not the best thing to do as it will be more difficult for the blood to reach the heart and brain. However, if you've done a thorough aerobic cool-down, and you wait a reasonable amount of time to return to almost normal, you might go into one of these "fun" things. But if you feel any sign of weakness or dizziness, get out immediately.
Step aerobics is a form of aerobic activity which is performed on a platform that usually ranges from 4" to 10" in height. Step training was developed to provide a low-impact activity that is both challenging and interesting. People who may not like certain aspects of aerobic dance find that step is a very good alternative. Each participant works within his or her own space. There is no traveling across a room. When done properly, step training is an efficient means of improving aerobic fitness.
Your body should remain in good alignment. Your head should be up, shoulders down and back, chest up, abdominals and buttocks tight. When stepping up, lean from the ankles and not the waist to avoid placing excessive stress on the lumbar spine. Contact the platform with the entire foot. To avoid Achilles tendon injury, make sure your heel is down, and your foot is in the center of the platform. When stepping down, step close to the platform and allow the heels to contact the floor to help absorb the shock. (toe, ball, heel). When doing lunges or repeater steps, however, the heel should be up, and the weight should be on the forefoot of the working leg. You should not use hand or leg weights when you are stepping as the risk of injury outweighs any added benefit you might get from using weights. It is important to note, that anyone with a history of knee problems should consult a physician before beginning step training.
Step height depends on several things - fitness level, current stepping skill, and the degree of knee flexion when the knee is fully loaded while stepping up. At no time should the knee joint of the first leg to step up flex beyond a 90% angle. Reebok is now saying that 60% is even better. Deconditioned individuals or beginners should begin on a 4" platform. As you improve, you may add risers to increase the step height making sure not to exceed the 90 degrees of knee flexion. The most popular step heights are 6" and 8".
There are several ways to increase intensity. Increase your step height, use longer lever arms or add propulsion moves (where both feet are off the step at the same time). If you are going to add propulsion, or power as it is known today, make sure not to do these moves for more than one minute at a time as these moves result in higher vertical impact. All power moves should be done as you go up onto the platform. Always step down without power. Power moves are considered advanced, and should not be attempted by beginners.
According to Step Reebok guidelines, music should be played at a speed of 118-122 BPM. Technique and safety are seriously compromised when the music is too fast. It is also impossible to get the full range of motion that can be achieved at slower tempos.
The fitness industry changes all the time, and along with these changes come trends and fads in the types of exercise people prefer to do and the machines and equipment they use to do it. Some of these items are good, and some are junk.
As pointed out by Ken ([email protected]), nobody is able to test every piece of equipment on the market. Before you buy any new gadget, ask the experienced fitness folks in the misc.fitness.aerobic newsgroup for their opinions, and also ask yourself the following questions.
If you are still convinced that the device is for you, and you buy it, please write a review in misc.fitness.aerobic so others can learn from your experience.
If you ate something fairly light, you probably don't need to wait very long. However, since people are different, it is difficult to say what the optimum waiting period is for everyone.
Consider that you will probably burn between 300 and 450 kCal in an aerobics class. Keep the caloric content of the meal below that if you're intending to lose weight. That pretty much lets out any sort of "heavy" meal. The average American's diet is very high in protein, and relatively low in complex carbohydrates, so complex carbs before an aerobic workout are probably better. Keep the total calories from fat to 25% or lower, in general.
If you feel like eating immediately after a workout, be sure that it's high in carbohydrates, lower in protein, and either very low or no fat content. The carbs should be mostly complex. Durum or semolina pasta, fat-free granola bars, and some of the lower-sugar fig or other fruit bars are fine. Try to take in as few kCals as you can - just take the "edge" off. Munching out on broccoli or cauliflower florets with just a touch of fat-free Ranch is good.
If the workout was pretty intense, I'd recommend about an hour's wait afterward before eating a full meal. Most people aren't really ready to eat when they're majorly sweaty and still breathing heavily, anyhow. Cool down, then grab a nice refreshing shower, and mellow out with a big glass of ice water. Next, find some candles, and sit down to a nice plate of rigatoni with tomato sauce with basil, green peppers, and little bits of chopped mushroom. Brush your whole wheat toast with a film of olive oil, sprinkle on some freshly-chopped garlic, ...you get the picture.
As a general rule, if your habits are diurnal, exercise in the early evening, when your metabolism is at its peak, is more efficient. This varies widely, however, and you really need to exercise at the time which "feels" best for you. The best time to work out is when you want to, so pick a time of day at which you find exercise enjoyable.
Definition of Aerobics:
Using the same large muscle group, rhythmically, for a period of 15 to 20 minutes or longer while maintaining 60-80% of your maximum heart rate.
Think of aerobic activity as being long in duration yet low in intensity. Aerobic activities include: walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes and cross-country skiing. Anaerobic activity is short in duration and high in intensity. Anaerobic activities include: racquetball, downhill skiing, weight lifting, sprinting, softball, soccer and football.
Aerobic means with air or oxygen. You should be able to carry on a short conversation while doing aerobic exercise. If you are gasping for air while talking, you are probably working anaerobically. When you work anaerobically, you will tire faster and are more likely to experience sore muscles after exercise is over.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Aerobic exercise conditions the heart and lungs by increasing the oxygen available to the body and by enabling the heart to use oxygen more efficiently. Exercise alone cannot prevent or cure heart disease. It is only one factor in a total program of risk reduction; examples of other factors are high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and high cholesterol level.
Additional Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
In addition to cardiovascular benefits, other benefits of aerobic exercise include:
-
Control of body fat. (Aerobic exercise in conjunction with strength training
and a proper diet will reduce body fat.)
- Increased resistance to fatigue and eextra energy.
- Toned muscles and increased lean bodyy mass.
- Decreased tension and aid in sleepingg.
- Increased general stamina.
- Psychological benefits - exercise impproves mood, reduces depression and
anxiety.
Avoid the Aerobic Curve.
The
aerobic curve occurs when you begin exercising, increase your intensity level,
hit the
Aerobic Classes (step, hi/low, slide, interval etc...)
In an aerobic class, you can do moves in low intensity or high intensity. The level of intensity depends upon how high you bring your arms (not whether the class is low impact or high impact). Aerobic instructors should show class members how to do moves in high or low intensity. Participants should choose their own level of intensity dependent upon their level of fitness and how frequently they exercise.
If you are too tired to continue exercising in an aerobic class, march in place for a while until you can resume exercising. IT IS NOT OK to stop in the middle of an aerobic class because your body is sending extra blood to the muscles. Stopping suddenly can lead to muscle cramping and dizziness (this is why all aerobic classes have a cool down at the end of the aerobic section).
Exercise Frequency
Cardiovascular fitness is an ongoing process and requires consistent reinforcement. To maintain your current level of fitness you should do aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week. To increase your level of fitness, try exercising 4 to 5 times per week.