Real Womens fitness tips
aerobics
What are aerobics and what do they do for you?
Aerobic...that term gets thrown around a lot but what does it mean?
With air!
To be in an aerobic state requires air. So doing activities that get you winded are aerobic activities.
Fuel
There are 3 kinds of fuels the body burns. Fat provides the most fuel. To access the “fat fuel” you need oxygen.
So...aerobics help you to burn fat!
What kinds of aerobics are there?
You have a lot to choose from. I’ll be going over several of them with you in more detail but just to get you started here are some aerobic activities:
running
fast walking
dancing
aerobic classes like step, zumba and cardio kick boxing
sports like soccer, basketball and swimming
hiking
snow skiing
walking your dog (if you walk fast)
rowing
bicycling
hiking
jump roping
on and on...
It’s a long list!
Varying your aerobics helps ward off boredom and gets you in better shape than sticking with just one type.
Be inventive. Be brave. Have fun!
How often can you do aerobics?
You can do aerobics every day!
Just make sure you don’t over do it. You can get too much exercise!
Having a few non consecutive tough aerobics days per week and then medium exertion days the rest of the week is best.
How long do I need to do aerobics?
Ideally you want to do aerobics for at least 30 minutes. You can do an hour but be careful. You can get too much exercise!
Getting 10 minutes in several times a day is helpful too if you’re limited for time.
If you’re really limited for time you can use a pedometer.
That’s a device that counts how many steps you take and or the milage you accumulate during your normal day. You want to get 10,000 steps or 5 miles in per day!
Here’s a site that tells you about pedometers
What does aerobics do for you?
Besides burning fat, (which is a real plus!) aerobics cause your body to produce more red blood cells and enzymes to get oxygen to your muscles quickly.
When your body has the crew to get more oxygen to your system you have more energy, think more clearly and just plain feel better.
Your heart rate increases so your blood flows faster through your circulatory system. That’s a great flush for your circulatory system. It keeps the system clean.
Aerobics increase your metabolism.
All the processes your body goes through during your workout burn calories and then your body needs to recovery after your workout which burns calories.
So you continue to burn calories after you workout too!
Aerobics also increase your endorphins, a chemical in your brain that makes you happy.
All that adds up to aerobics...
keeping pounds at bay
increasing your stamina
warding off illnesses
reducing health risks like heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some cancers
boosting your mood
keeping you independent as you age
living longer and better!
and more...
Sounds worth doing yes!
Types of aerobics
Walk
Walking is a great way to get your aerobics in!
Whether you walk on a treadmill or outside
it’s easy on the joints and pleasurable.
You can walk every day!
You do want to have 2 to 3 non consecutive days where you put a little push in your walk.
You can do that outside by walking hills or putting a little weight in a back pack to increase your effort if there aren’t hills in your area.
Be sure to get a back friendly back pack!
Inside you can increase the incline on your treadmill so you create hills and or go faster.
It’s good to vary your walk with spurts of “tough stuff” during your push days...fast walking and or walking hills to get you really breathy and then bringing it to a slower pace on a level surface while you recover is a good method.
The other days of the week a medium pace is best. You can over exercise!
A certain amount of stress builds strength too much stress tears your body down. There’s a balance to all things in life.
Walking about 30 to 60 minutes is a good goal.
If you don’t have that kind of time, 3 ten minutes sessions will bring benefits.
Make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes! You need to replace them around every 6 months to make sure they’re doing their job!
Here’s a good site to visit about walking shoes.
http://walking.about.com/cs/shoes/a/shoeguide.htm
As with all exercise make sure that you stay hydrated!
Drink a glass of water about half an hour before you start and 2 glasses after you finish.
Be sure to have something in your stomach too!
Don’t exercise on an empty stomach. That would be like trying to drive your car with no gas. It just doesn’t go!
A light snack about half an hour before and a snack after your walk gets you fueled and ready to go!
You also want to make sure to stretch afterwards. Go to the section on stretch to get great stretches for after your walk.
Run
Running is a popular aerobic activity.
It’s very effective and saves time.
The harder you exercise the “less long you gotta do it”.
Running is far more strenuous than walking.
Going for a 20 minute run is like taking a 40 minute walk.
It is tougher on your joints. Some people aren’t able to handle the impact.
Running for 20 to 60 minutes is plenty. I’m not a big supporter of doing marathons. They’re really tough on your body.
If you have a strong desire to run a marathon be sure to give yourself plenty of time to recover afterwards!
Combining running with walking is a good choice. You save time and the wear and tear on your joints.
A good thing to do is to sprint for a few minutes and then walk until you recover and sprint again. 30 minutes of that combo will get you in top shape!
Having good shoes is a must here!
It pays to go and have your feet checked to see if you pronate or supinate. There are shoes that can help with either condition.
You need to replace your shoes after about 6 months. They lose their support before they lose their good looks.
Hydrating well before and after your run is crucial! So is making sure you have a light snack before and a snack after your run.
You need to stretch after your run too!
Visit the stretch section to find effective stretches.
Aerobic classes
Aerobic classes have lots to offer!
First, you’re working with a group
so you can encourage each other to
“keep up the good work!”.
They’re tons of fun!
You work your body in more ways than when you walk or run.
You build coordination, work various muscle groups, improve fast twitch muscle development, on and on...
There are lots of different types.
Step classes are popular
Step aerobics can be tough on your knees and if you have two left feet, it may not be your best choice. Falling off the step can do some damage.
If you’re coordinated and have healthy knees step classes are lots of fun!
Dance aerobics are all the rage!
Classes like “Zumba” and “Hip Hop” are packing people in!
They’re fun and can get your heart pumping and your hips wiggling which is great for your abs. I love them!
“Boot camp” classes get the job done!
When you hear the term “Boot Camp” know that it’s a “no nonsense, get to work” class.
A lot of basic exercises like push ups and jump rope will be there to greet you.
The instructor may add a bit of “move it!” tough guy stuff just for effect. Take it with a grain of salt and go at your own pace.
You will get in great shape!
Cardio kickboxing
I love cardio kickboxing! It’s my favorite!
It works more muscles than you can imagine.
And ...”the more muscles you use at one time, the longer you can use them”.
If you use just one muscle group, like in biking, your body starts to use glycogen for it’s fuel source and the by product of that fuel is lactic acid which burns!
When you use several muscles at one time a lot of oxygen flows into your system so it can burn fat longer and the by product of burning fat is water so you can keep moving comfortably longer.
The longer you can go comfortably, the more calories you burn and the better time you have exercising.
Using more muscle groups causes your body to burn more calories and fat in a short amount of time too!
You don’t have to be young to do it either! I’m a senior citizen and love to kick box.
As with all of the other aerobics you need to drink water before and after class. Having a water bottle close by so you can take sips during class is a good plan too.
If you have problems with impact you can talk to your instructor and get some alternatives for the high impact moves he or she uses during their class.
Shoes!
You need to wear cross trainers or aerobic shoes.
Running shoes do not work for aerobic classes!
Running shoes are designed for front to back motion. Aerobic classes use side to side motion as well as back to front motion.
Be sure to replace your shoes about every 6 months!
If getting out of the house is tough
There are some great workout DVDs available that you can do in the privacy of your home.
I produce some. Check out my website for very effective aerobic workout DVDs for women.
swim
Swimming is very easy on the joints!
Water aerobic classes are available at gyms and community centers.
Swimming is great for getting the circulatory system going but not as good as “land” workouts for building muscle and losing weight.
When you do “land” aerobics you continue to burn more calories after your workout due to the changes your body goes through to recover from over heating.
The water keeps your temperature down while swimming so you don’t burn the extra calories after your workout like you do with “land” aerobics.
Your muscles are also supported by the water so you don’t get as much muscle development swimming as you do with “land” aerobics.
The added muscle “land” aerobics create increase your metabolism because muscle is active tissue. You burn more calories when you have more muscle mass.
Swimming is still a worthwhile activity. It does burn calories and gets your heart in great shape!
You need to swim for 20 to 30 minutes at a good clip to get an aerobic affect. Just playing in the water is not going to do it.
It’s good to blend swimming into your aerobic choices.
Then you’ll get the benefit of “land” aerobics and the calorie burn and stress relief of swimming. It’s a happy marriage!
Dance
Okay. Who doesn’t like to kick up
their heels and shake their boodie?
Well, I guess a few. You see a lot of girls dancing by themselves at the school dances.
“Dancing with the stars” is a huge hit TV show for a reason. Dancing is fun to do and fun to watch!
You can put on your favorite music and just go to town for 20 to 30 minutes and get a great workout.
You can join dance classes at your local community center or one of the dance studios in your area.
Getting up at work or during homework breaks and busting out a move is a great way to get more movement into your day!
Going to social events that are based around dancing is a good way to get support for your aerobic health and for your life. We are social beings after all.
Bike
Biking is a good aerobic choice.
You can bike outside or inside at a gym
or in your home if you have a stationary bike.
You need to ride for 30 to 60 minutes and make sure that 2 to 3 non consecutive days per week you get some really good huffing and puffing achieved.
Biking does focus on your lower body so you will begin to get a burn in your legs pretty quickly which slows you down.
The more muscles you use at one time the longer you can use them. That’s due to the type of fuel you’re using.
When you use lots of muscles your body brings in lots of oxygen so you burn fat. Fat is your largest fuel supply and its’ by product is water.
When fewer muscles are used your body has less oxygen so it starts to use glycogen for its fuel which has lactic acid as a by product which causes the burn you feel.
Your body stores less glycogen so you run out of fuel faster and the burn from lactic acid is uncomfortable.
You need to stop biking sooner than with aerobic activities that use lots of muscles.
If you’re on a stationary bike you can swing your arms to help get the oxygen flowing.
Biking can put stress on your knees and neck so be aware! Make sure you have a slight bend in your legs through out the move. You don’t want to hyper extend your knees. If you have neck issues be sure to check with your doctor before you start biking.
You can purchase a comfort seat if sitting on the bike hurts.
20 to 60 minutes of biking will get you in great shape.
Make sure you hydrate before and after your bike ride and have a light snack before your ride and a small meal after you finish.
Spin classes
are very popular. They have you using your arms, going up and down in your seat and all kinds of things to make the time pass quickly and to make the motion more effective.
Biking outside
Be sure to wear a helmet if you bike outside! Having “helmet hair” is better than getting a serious head injury if you fall down!
Watch for traffic and be aware that some dogs like to chase bikes. Learn the neighborhoods that have chasing dogs and avoid them.
Hiking
Getting out in the fresh air, seeing the sights
and smelling the trees. Ahhh it’s wonderful!
Hiking can be so much fun!
It’s a wonderful addition to your aerobic choices. Remember that variety is key to keeping you moving.
Going out with a group is the wisest here. I teach self defense classes and have been asked “ how do I train to be safe hiking alone?”
My answer is always “by training yourself to go with friends!”
As beautiful as the wilderness is it comes with dangers so you want to be aware of that.
You can find groups that hike if you don’t have friends or family members that enjoy hiking. Your local community center should be able to help you find a group.
Having the proper clothing is important as well as good shoes and equipment.
Here’s a site that gives you some great information about hiking
http://members.tripod.com/halbertri/tips.htm
Sports
This is big topic!
There are so many sports that I can’t possibly
go over them all. I’m not informed about all of them either.
If you have one that you’ve wanted to be involved in by all means do so.
You don’t have to be great at the sport. You only have to enjoy it.
Here’s a website that will tell you how many calories the different sport activities burn.
www.caloriecount.about.com/activities-sports-ac15
If you get involved in a sport you love then exercise will just be the by product of having fun!
In conclusion
As you can see there are lots of ways to get your aerobics in.
Even if you have special needs, are in a wheel chair or have health issues there is something out there for you.
Make sure you check with your doctor before you start your aerobics. Generally there’s no problem exercising but it’s very important to make sure before you begin!
So
Get your daily dose of aerobics!
You’ll be glad you did!
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