| You are at Aerobic - F.A.Q | |
- Why should i do it ?
- What is Aerobic Curve and how can Avoid
it ?
- Aerobic Classes (Step, Hi/Low, Slide,
Dance, Interval, etc) ?
- Exercise Frequency ?
- Why Warming up is important ?
- How Long should i warm up ?
- Why Cool Down ?
- Duration of cool downs ?
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
willreduce body fat.)
- Increased resistance to fatigue and extra
energy.
- Toned muscles and increased lean body mass.
- Decreased tension and aid in sleeping.
- Increased general stamina.
- Psychological benefits - exercise improves
mood, reduces depression and anxiety.
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The aerobic curve occurs when you begin exercising, increase
your intensity level, hit the high point and gradually decrease your
intensity level. The goal when exercising aerobically is to hit your
target heart rate and maintain it for the entire exercise session.
This works the heart muscle more effectively and burns more
calories. Think of riding a bike, running or swimming - you start,
hit your pace (or target zone), then you maintain your pace until
the cool down. As your heart becomes conditioned, you will have to
work harder to reach the target zone. Less conditioned athletes will
reach their target zones quickly because their heart muscle isn't
used to the workload.
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Aerobic Classes (step, hi/low, slide,
Dance, 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).
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Exercise Frequency! ?
Cardiovascular fitness is an ongoing process and requires
consistent reinforcement. We suggest a frequency of 3-5 aerobic
workouts each week. If you’re a beginner, start with 10-15 minute
workouts, then add 5 minutes every other workout until you reach 30
minutes; you can go as high as 60 minutes.
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Why warming up is important ?
To be safe, an aerobic program should begin with a warm up
period. The main purpose of warming up is to increase your heart
rate slightly. This has two benefits: 1) it raises your core body
temperature; and 2) it increases the blood (oxygen) flow to your
muscles to prepare your body for more vigorous physical activity.
Your muscles and tendons (which attach your muscles to your bones)
will be more flexible for stretching after mild movement has raised
your internal body temperature. This flexibility helps you increase
the range of motion of your joints and may help you avoid injuries
such as muscle tears and pulls.
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How Long should I warm up ?
It takes your body approximately 3 minutes to
realize it needs to pump more blood to your muscles. Warm ups should
last approximately 5 - 10 minutes and they should incorporate
stretching of large muscle groups (such as the quadriceps, calves,
hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders etc...)
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After you've reached and maintained your training
heart rate level in the aerobic portion of your class, it is
important to recover gently. The cool down serves two purposes:
1) it reduces your pulse; and
2) it returns the blood to your heart in sufficient quantities to
rid the muscles of lactic acid (a chemical result of muscular
fatigue).
If you stop suddenly, the blood will pool in your legs instead of
returning
to your heart. Dizziness, nausea and a "worn out" feeling
are common symptoms of an improper cool down.
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It takes your body approximately 3 minutes to
realize it does not need to pump all the additional
blood to your muscles. A safe cool down period is at least 3
minutes, preferably 4-5 minutes. All cool downs should be followed
by stretching of the muscles to avoid soreness and tightness.
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