Aerobic exercise provides cardiovascular conditioning. The term
aerobic actually means "with oxygen," which means that breathing controls the
amount of oxygen that can make it to the muscles to help them burn fuel and move.
Benefits of aerobic exercise
- Improves cardiovascular conditioning
- Decreases risk of heart disease
- Lowers blood pressure
- Increases HDL or "good" cholesterol
- Helps to better control blood sugar
- Assists in weight management and/or weight loss®
- Improves lung function
- Decreases resting heart rate
Exercise safety
It is recommended that you talk with your physician before you start an exercise program. Ask what, if any, limitations you may have. People who suffer from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, pulmonary conditions, or other health conditions may need additional safety guidelines for exercise.
Note: If you develop symptoms during exercise including, but not limited to, unusual shortness of breath; tightness in the chest; chest, shoulder, or jaw pain; lightheadedness; dizziness; confusion; or joint pain, you should stop exercising immediately and contact your physician.
What are some examples of aerobic exercise?
Lower impact aerobic exercise includes:
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Using an elliptical trainer
- Walking
- Rowing
- Using an upper body ergometer (a piece of equipment that provides a cardiovascular workout that targets the upper body only)
Higher impact aerobic exercise includes:
- Running
- Jumping rope
- Performing high impact routines or step aerobics
How often and for how long should I do these exercises?
The American Heart Association recommends that everyone reach a
minimum of 30 minutes of some form of cardiovascular exercise 5 to 7 days per
week. This can be broken up into 10-minute time periods. This means that taking
three walks of 10 minutes each would let you reach the recommended minimum
guideline for reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and
high cholesterol. You would also burn the same number of calories as you would
if you walked for the full 30 minutes at one time.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of
three sessions of 30 minutes of the total should be made up of moderate to
vigorous exercise to improve cardio-respiratory fitness and help manage weight.
It is appropriate to do aerobic exercise every day. There is no
need to rest in between sessions unless you are at an extreme level of training,
such as preparing for a marathon, or if you experience reoccurring joint pain.
If joint pain is a limiting factor, it would be appropriate to alternate less
painful exercises with those that may cause joint pain or to discontinue the painful exercise altogether.