large muscles of the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Examples include walking, hiking, jogging, running, cycling,
Benefits of Aerobic Training
Health benefits of aerobic exercise include the following:
1.A stronger and healthier heart.
2.Increased HDL. This “good” cholesterol helps keep your arteries unplugged and healthy.
3.Decreased total cholesterol. This is the debris in your blood that can clog your arteries.
4.Reduced blood pressure. Even moderate exercise can help.
5.Reduced risk for heart attack and stroke.
6.Decreased body fat and an ability to help you reach your desirable weight. You’ll become a better
7.Decreased risk for diabetes.
8.Reduced feelings of anxiety, tension, and depression.
9.Improved sleep.
10.Higher levels of energy. Efficient delivery and use of blood and oxygen is the key to increased vigor and performance.
Warming Up And Cooling Down
Warming up and cooling down are essential to a balanced and safe exercise program. A proper
•Make your workouts safe and easier to do,
•Limit the risk of unnecessary stress on your heart,
•Get you ready for your activity,
•Improve your stamina and endurance (you won’t tire as quickly),
•Decrease your risk for injury,
•Increase enjoyment of your workouts, and
•Help you stick with your health and fitness program.
Warm-Up
To prevent injury and maximize performance, we recommend that each workout period should start with a
Keep your movements gentle, rhythmic and controlled.
Cool Down and Stretching
Your workout should be followed by a cool down. The cool down should consist of 5 to 10 minutes of slow walking followed by stretching. Refer to the stretches found on pages 11 and 12 of this manual. Never push yourself beyond a point of gentle tension or strain. Keep your movements gentle, rhythmic and controlled.
How Often, How Long, and How Hard
The choices you make about the frequency (how often), duration (how long), and intensity (how hard) at which you will train, will directly influence your training results.
How often. If you want to see serious improvements in your fitness, lose weight and develop a good training base, you need to do cardio workouts three to six times per week.
If you are just starting a program or out of shape, don’t let these recommendations discourage or mislead you. Realize that doing cardio training two to three times per week will still result in significant fitness improvement and health benefits. Your
How long. How long you work out depends on your current level of fitness. Again, if you’re just starting a program or out of shape, don’t follow strict textbook recommendations. Instead, start with 5 to 10 minutes once or twice per day. You will see significant fitness improvement. Your
How hard. Aerobic intensity guidelines for healthy adults are generally set at 40 to 85 percent of heart rate. But, if you’re out of shape, remember that moderate to low level and consistent cardiovascular training – well below the standard recommendations set forth – can result in substantial and beneficial effects to your health and can greatly improve cardiovascular endurance.
You can use the following calculation to determine what percentage of your heart rate you are working at:
% heart rate = (220 - age) x %.
Using this calculation, a 70% heart rate for a 40 year old would be (220 - 40) x 70% or 126. Thus, this individual would need to reach 126 beats per minute to equal a 70% heart rate.
Refer to the “Measuring Your Heart Rate” section on page 10 of this manual for information on how to measure your heart rate.
The above are guidelines, people with any medical limitations should discuss this formula with their physician.
