What is aerobic exercise?
Aerobic means ‘with oxygen’ and aerobic exercise is any fitness activity which increases the body′s intake of oxygen and sustains it at that level over a period of time without severe breathlessness. Such activities include walking briskly, jogging, skipping, swimming, and cycling.
When aerobic activity is practised regularly, it improves heart and lung performance, lowers blood pressure and fat levels in the blood, relieves tension and helps you slim.
Most sports centres run keep fit classes. A good class should include aerobic activity of at least 20 minutes duration, as well as exercises for muscle toning and flexibility.
How hard should I exercise?
One objective of regular aerobic exercise is to lower your heart rate at rest, a sign your heart is working more efficiently.
Aerobic exercise will increase your heart rate above the level achieved during everyday activities. Over time, this strengthens your heart muscle, which then performs more efficiently and so lowers your resting heart rate.
Joggers should aim for a pace and distance they are comfortable with. Over-exertion will just discourage them from continuing in the future.
To establish how hard you should exercise you need to calculate your training heart rate, which will ensure you are exercising at an aerobic level, but staying within safe limits.
To do this you should:
1. Calculate a theoretical maximum heartbeat by deducting your age from the figure 220. For example, if you are aged 40, deduct this from 220 (220-40=180) giving a theoretical maximum heart rate of 180.
2. Take your pulse while you are at rest (for example, it might be 80 beats per minute). Your pulse range is your theoretical maximum, minus your resting rate (in our example: 180-80=100).
3. Your training heart rate
should be 60 – 80% of this pulse level added to your resting pulse rate. (In our hypothetical example: 100×60%=60; 60+80=140. 100×80%=80; 80+80=160. This gives a training heart rate of 140 -160.)
For aerobic exercise you should maintain your heart rate above the lowest level of your training heart rate but, for safety, not exceeding the top level.
4. Take your pulse during your aerobic activity to establish whether you are achieving your training heart rate as you exercise.
5. Finally, take your pulse a minute after exercising to find your recovery rate. The fitter you get, the closer this rate is to your resting heart rate, because you are taking less time to recover.
How do I take my training pulse?
Place the palm of your right hand on the back of your left wrist and wrap your fingers around your wrist. The tip of your middle finger will come to rest on your pulse.
Count the beats for 6 seconds and multiply the number by 10 to find the rate per minute. Counting for longer is less accurate because your heart is slowing down. (Note: Your resting pulse should be taken first thing on waking in the morning.)
How much exercise should I do?
For best results from your exercise programme, you should aim to workout for at least three 20 minute sessions a week. However, you may not be able to start at this level. You
should begin gradually and build up to this ideal, particularly if you have been inactive for a while.
Regular, progressive, sustained exercise is vital. The benefits cannot be achieved by occasional, irregular sessions. The first month of any new activity is the toughest, but you will soon begin to experience a new sense of well-being, and even start to enjoy yourself.
Aerobic exercise should be timed to start at least 2-3 hours after eating a main meal. Make sure you keep hydrated by drinking a glass of water before and during the session.
Should I consult my doctor first?
Most people are fit enough to benefit from aerobic exercise, and even those with health problems may be encouraged to start by their doctor.
Consult your doctor first if:
- You are over 35 and have been inactive for a long period, are overweight, smoke or have a near relative under 60 years who developed heart disease.
- You are receiving medical treatment, or have a history of ill health or injury.
- You are pregnant.
How can I avoid injury?
If you are receiving medical treatment, or have a persistent medical problem, your doctor may suggest adapting or scaling down your exercises.
Sudden exercise is unwise for unfit people, not only because of the risk of injuries, such as muscle strains, and pulled tendons and ligaments, but also because the resultant pain and exhaustion will put you off doing any more exercise.
A warming-up routine avoids the dangers of sudden exertion by warming up muscles and other soft tissues and making the joints more flexible, and ready to move on to more strenuous activity.
A warm-up routine should include large rhythmic movements for major muscle groups and simple stretches. Muscles also tighten up when the body is cold, so do not leave any time between your warm-up routine and starting your activity.
At the end of a session, do not just stop and slump into inactivity. Continue to move around, slowing down your activity, and then stretch the muscles you have worked for at least 30 seconds.
During exercise, there is an increase of blood circulating to the muscles, and as these contract, they pump blood back to the heart. A cooling-down routine keeps the blood moving through the muscle veins, back to the heart, allowing the system to return to normal.
This prevents a fainting attack brought on by pooling of blood in the muscles. It also reduces soreness and stiffness in the muscles over the next few days by minimizing the level of lactic acid (a by-product of muscle activity) that is left behind.
WARNING
Seek advice if you experience any of the following symptoms during aerobic exercise:
Chest pain, which may spread into the arms,neck or jaw.
Severe breathlessness.
Palpitations.
Dizziness or feeling faint.
Nausea and vomiting.
Exhaustion.
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