Post by Chelle Belle on Jun 6, 2004 20:35:37 GMT -5
Aerobic activities that promote cardiovascular fitness.
There are many types of training activities that can be utilized to develop cardiovascular endurance; however, those activities that are most effective in developing cardiovascular endurance are aerobic in nature. Aerobic forms of exercise utilize oxygen as the major fuel for sustaining activity for relatively long periods of time. In general, aerobic exercise are those activities that require large muscle work, elevate the heart rate to between 60 percent and 80 percent of maximal heart rate, are continuous in nature, and are of 15 to 60 minutes in duration. The activities can however, be of a longer duration or of a greater intensity, but do not have to be in order to be effective. Following is a list of common aerobic activities which can easily be implemented easily:
Walking
Walking, an often underrated form of aerobic exercise. is fast becoming a popular form of exercise by many adults because it requires little in the way of equipment or facilities. A major benefit of walking is that it can be performed by people of all ages and does not require a great deal of ability or technique in order to be effective. A second benefit is that walking is a great calorie burner that can be of great help in maintaining optimal body fat levels. Because walking is a low impact activity it is often an effective alternative for individuals who have trouble with high impact activities such as running or jogging.
Walking does, however, need to be performed at a brisk pace so that an aerobic training effect will occur. Individuals who embark on a walking program should monitor their heart rate and elevate it to at least a moderate level of intensity which has been described as approximately 40 percent of maximum heart rate reserve. When walking at a lower intensity level, individuals need to exercise for a longer period of time, approximately 40 to ~O minutes and more frequently during a week. Walkers should attempt to burn a minimum of 2,000 calories per week in order to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Jogging/Running
Jogging and running are two activities that are growing in popularity in the United States. Currently, it is estimated that over 15 million Americans jog or run to develop cardiovascular endurance. One advantage jogging or running has over walking however, is that an individual is able to cover greater distances in a shorter period of time which allows for greater numbers of calories to be burned. It is also relatively easy to maintain a training heart rate of sufficient intensity to develop cardiovascular endurance while participating in a jogging or running program.
Jogging is usually defined as slow running at a comfortable pace of between 8 to 12 minutes per mile while running is defined as a faster pace lower than 8 minutes per mile. Jogging and running technique differs most when considering that joggers tend to have a shorter stride and land on their heels while runners tend to have longer strides and land on the balls of their feet.
Choreographed Aerobic Exercise
Choreographed aerobic dance, currently participated in by millions of people, is a very popular form of exercise throughout the world. While originally aerobic dance was in fact very dance oriented, most aerobic routines today utilize fewer dance steps and more athletic movements. There are some organizations that are still dance oriented such as Jazzercise; but most groups have found more success in developing routines that are less complicated and more along the lines of movements that are athletic in nature. For this reason more men are participating than ever before, even at the professional level where many professional teams in football and baseball now employ aerobic instructors to teach aerobics on a regular basis just for the team.
One of the key reasons why choreographed aerobic dance is so popular is that it uses motivating music to create an exciting atmosphere. Instructors also blend music of the appropriate tempo with the various segments of a routine as a guide for the participants. What is created is a fun workout that seems to fly by. There are three distinct types of choreographed aerobic dance currently being taught: low impact, high impact, or a combination of the two.
Low impact aerobics strives to lessen the number of injuries associated with the continuous pounding that feet, legs, and joints take in a normal high impact workout. Low impact aerobic steps never allow for both feet to be off the ground at the same time. By keeping one foot down on the floor at all times high impact injuries such as shin splints are less likely to be experienced. The down side to low impact aerobics is that it is less intense and for some highly trained individuals it may be difficult for them to reach a training heart rate. Knowledgeable instructors will know to greatly increase the use of arm movements and kick steps to challenge the advanced pupil in a low impact aerobics class.
High impact aerobics routines utilize few if any movements that allow one foot to stay on the ground at all times. These workouts are high in intensity and allow individuals to reach and maintain their training heart rates easily. However, participants and instructors may run the risk of developing injuries. Participants can protect themselves to some degree by' using good aerobic shoes that provide both support and cushion and by patronizing facilities that provide a specially designed aerobic floor. The worst floors are those that are concrete or that are concrete with carpet covering them.
A combination aerobic dance class incorporates both high and low impact movements. These types of classes are currently the most popular aerobics classes. Typically the low impact moves are used during the warm up and the cool down phases of the routine. In all three types of aerobics classes individual students can vary the intensity of the workout to best meet their fitness needs by increasing, decreasing or dropping out the arm movements. Also if the routine becomes too complicated or too intense the student can simply in place until they feel comfortable and can return to the prescribed exercises.
Step Aerobics
Currently, the hottest aerobic activity in the United States is called step aerobics. Step aerobics as it is currently taught is relatively new, however, climbing stairs and the Harvard Step Test have een around for a long time as a fitness activity and as a form of fitness testing.
Who would have thought something as mundane as stepping up on a platform for an extended period of time could be so much fun and so popular? Step aerobics incorporates the use of a step or bench typically about one foot wide and three feet long and about six inches high. Although a number of companies manufacture sleek looking, hi-tech style step benches many organizations simply build their own from wood.
The best steps are light and can be easily stored. These steps are durable and provide a solid non-slip platform. The best steps can also be adjusted to increase or decrease the height of the step to accommodate individuals of different heights and to increase or decrease the intensity of the workout.
Instructors use many moves that require participants to step up and down from the platform. Good instructors will have students move from one end of the step to the other and will incorporate the use of the arms to maintain intensity and keep students interested. Once again instructors use music that is appropriate in tempo for each of the segments. Step aerobics is a great aerobic activity that is low impact and fun.
There are many types of training activities that can be utilized to develop cardiovascular endurance; however, those activities that are most effective in developing cardiovascular endurance are aerobic in nature. Aerobic forms of exercise utilize oxygen as the major fuel for sustaining activity for relatively long periods of time. In general, aerobic exercise are those activities that require large muscle work, elevate the heart rate to between 60 percent and 80 percent of maximal heart rate, are continuous in nature, and are of 15 to 60 minutes in duration. The activities can however, be of a longer duration or of a greater intensity, but do not have to be in order to be effective. Following is a list of common aerobic activities which can easily be implemented easily:
Walking
Walking, an often underrated form of aerobic exercise. is fast becoming a popular form of exercise by many adults because it requires little in the way of equipment or facilities. A major benefit of walking is that it can be performed by people of all ages and does not require a great deal of ability or technique in order to be effective. A second benefit is that walking is a great calorie burner that can be of great help in maintaining optimal body fat levels. Because walking is a low impact activity it is often an effective alternative for individuals who have trouble with high impact activities such as running or jogging.
Walking does, however, need to be performed at a brisk pace so that an aerobic training effect will occur. Individuals who embark on a walking program should monitor their heart rate and elevate it to at least a moderate level of intensity which has been described as approximately 40 percent of maximum heart rate reserve. When walking at a lower intensity level, individuals need to exercise for a longer period of time, approximately 40 to ~O minutes and more frequently during a week. Walkers should attempt to burn a minimum of 2,000 calories per week in order to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Jogging/Running
Jogging and running are two activities that are growing in popularity in the United States. Currently, it is estimated that over 15 million Americans jog or run to develop cardiovascular endurance. One advantage jogging or running has over walking however, is that an individual is able to cover greater distances in a shorter period of time which allows for greater numbers of calories to be burned. It is also relatively easy to maintain a training heart rate of sufficient intensity to develop cardiovascular endurance while participating in a jogging or running program.
Jogging is usually defined as slow running at a comfortable pace of between 8 to 12 minutes per mile while running is defined as a faster pace lower than 8 minutes per mile. Jogging and running technique differs most when considering that joggers tend to have a shorter stride and land on their heels while runners tend to have longer strides and land on the balls of their feet.
Choreographed Aerobic Exercise
Choreographed aerobic dance, currently participated in by millions of people, is a very popular form of exercise throughout the world. While originally aerobic dance was in fact very dance oriented, most aerobic routines today utilize fewer dance steps and more athletic movements. There are some organizations that are still dance oriented such as Jazzercise; but most groups have found more success in developing routines that are less complicated and more along the lines of movements that are athletic in nature. For this reason more men are participating than ever before, even at the professional level where many professional teams in football and baseball now employ aerobic instructors to teach aerobics on a regular basis just for the team.
One of the key reasons why choreographed aerobic dance is so popular is that it uses motivating music to create an exciting atmosphere. Instructors also blend music of the appropriate tempo with the various segments of a routine as a guide for the participants. What is created is a fun workout that seems to fly by. There are three distinct types of choreographed aerobic dance currently being taught: low impact, high impact, or a combination of the two.
Low impact aerobics strives to lessen the number of injuries associated with the continuous pounding that feet, legs, and joints take in a normal high impact workout. Low impact aerobic steps never allow for both feet to be off the ground at the same time. By keeping one foot down on the floor at all times high impact injuries such as shin splints are less likely to be experienced. The down side to low impact aerobics is that it is less intense and for some highly trained individuals it may be difficult for them to reach a training heart rate. Knowledgeable instructors will know to greatly increase the use of arm movements and kick steps to challenge the advanced pupil in a low impact aerobics class.
High impact aerobics routines utilize few if any movements that allow one foot to stay on the ground at all times. These workouts are high in intensity and allow individuals to reach and maintain their training heart rates easily. However, participants and instructors may run the risk of developing injuries. Participants can protect themselves to some degree by' using good aerobic shoes that provide both support and cushion and by patronizing facilities that provide a specially designed aerobic floor. The worst floors are those that are concrete or that are concrete with carpet covering them.
A combination aerobic dance class incorporates both high and low impact movements. These types of classes are currently the most popular aerobics classes. Typically the low impact moves are used during the warm up and the cool down phases of the routine. In all three types of aerobics classes individual students can vary the intensity of the workout to best meet their fitness needs by increasing, decreasing or dropping out the arm movements. Also if the routine becomes too complicated or too intense the student can simply in place until they feel comfortable and can return to the prescribed exercises.
Step Aerobics
Currently, the hottest aerobic activity in the United States is called step aerobics. Step aerobics as it is currently taught is relatively new, however, climbing stairs and the Harvard Step Test have een around for a long time as a fitness activity and as a form of fitness testing.
Who would have thought something as mundane as stepping up on a platform for an extended period of time could be so much fun and so popular? Step aerobics incorporates the use of a step or bench typically about one foot wide and three feet long and about six inches high. Although a number of companies manufacture sleek looking, hi-tech style step benches many organizations simply build their own from wood.
The best steps are light and can be easily stored. These steps are durable and provide a solid non-slip platform. The best steps can also be adjusted to increase or decrease the height of the step to accommodate individuals of different heights and to increase or decrease the intensity of the workout.
Instructors use many moves that require participants to step up and down from the platform. Good instructors will have students move from one end of the step to the other and will incorporate the use of the arms to maintain intensity and keep students interested. Once again instructors use music that is appropriate in tempo for each of the segments. Step aerobics is a great aerobic activity that is low impact and fun.