AEROBIC ACTIVITIES

What is an Aerobic Exercise?

Aerobic exercise is any type of
cardiovascular conditioning. It can include
activities like brisk walking, swimming,
running, or cycling. You probably know it as
“cardio.”
By definition, aerobic exercise means “with
oxygen.” Your breathing and heart rate will
increase during aerobic activities. Aerobic
exercise helps keep your heart, lungs, and
circulatory system healthy.
Aerobic exercise differs from anaerobic
exercise. Anaerobic exercises, such as
weightlifting or sprinting, involve quick bursts
of energy. They’re performed at maximum
effort for a short time. This is unlike aerobic
exercises. You perform aerobic exercises for
a sustained period of time.
Read on to learn more about aerobic
exercises you can try at home and at the
gym. And remember, always talk to your
doctor before beginning a new aerobic
exercise routine.
 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 3
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 1 time.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 3 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 discontinue
the painful exercise altogether.
Explanation of intensity
The intensity is determined by how hard you are working. The intensity of the exercise is determined by what your
goals are, what limitations you have, and your current fitness level.
Heart rate and exercise
Your heart rate increases in direct correlation with the intensity of the exercise. Heart rate levels can vary significantly
from one person to another based on fitness level, genetics, environment, and exercise tolerance. If you wish to train
based on heart rate, contact your health care provider to determine what the appropriate range is for you. Some
medications, most often blood pressure drugs, control heart rate, making it impossible to determine exercise intensity
in this way. Ask your physician to determine if you are on any of these medications.
Monitoring intensity in other ways
How can you know if you are working at the right intensity? Using an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) chart can help
you to determine the appropriate intensity. The scale uses a 1 to 10 rating system. One is very light, such as walking
to the refrigerator for a glass of milk. Ten would be a very significant level, representing maximal exercise. Ten would
be indicative of not being able to take another step without fear of collapse. It is not recommended for anyone to work
at a rate of 10 without strict supervision by a healthcare provider. Moderate intensity is the level of exercise that is
most recommended, and can be determined by a rating between a 3 and a 5.
Warming up and cooling down
Every session of aerobic exercise should include a warm-up and cool-down. The warm-up period should not include
static stretching, but should instead be a gradual increase in pace and intensity of the exercise. This allows the body
to increase blood flow to the muscles and decreases the likelihood of a muscle or joint injury. The warm-up should last
between 5 and 10 minutes. The cool-down session should last a similar amount of time as the warm-up, with the pace
gradually decreasing. Stretching exercises would be appropriate after aerobic exercise.
Progression of aerobic exercise
Progression to higher intensities of exercise should be based on individual exercise tolerance. There are 3 methods
for challenging aerobic fitness:
 Increase speed.
 Increase the resistance.
 Increase the duration.
 Any of these methods, or a combination of these methods, will improve aerobic fitness. Increasing intensity should
be done very gradually. You should challenge yourself for only a few minutes at a time.
AT-HOME AEROBIC EXERCISE
Cardiovascular exercises can be done at home. There are many you can
do with little to no equipment, too. Always warm up and do cool down for 5
to 10 minutes before and after any exercise.
JUMP ROPE
Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers), jump rope
Benefits: Jumping rope helps develop better body awareness, hand-foot
coordination, and agility.
Safety: Your jump rope should be adjusted for your height. Stand with both
feet on the middle of the rope and extend the handles to your armpits. That’s
the height you’re going for. If it’s too long, cut or tie it to avoid tripping on the
rope.
Duration and frequency: 15 to 25 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week
Following a jump rope circuit is a great indoor or outdoor activity, though
you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of space. Your circuit routine should
take 15 to 25 minutes to complete.
If you’re a beginner:
 Start by jogging forward as you swing the jump rope over your head and
under your feet. Do this move for 15 seconds.
 Next, reverse your direction and jog backward as you continue to swing
the jump rope. Do this move for 15 seconds.
 Finish your set by doing a hopscotch jump for 15 seconds. To do this
move, jump rope in place, and as you jump, alternate between jumping
your feet out to the sides and then back to the center, similar to how you’d
move them while doing jumping jacks. Do this move for 15 seconds.
 Rest for 15 seconds between sets.
 Repeat 18 times.
If you’re an intermediate exerciser, you can perform the moves for 30
seconds and rest for 30 seconds between sets. The advanced circuit should
be performed for 60 seconds at a time, followed by 60 seconds of rest.
RUNNING OR JOGGING
Equipment: running shoes
Benefits: Running is one of the most effective forms of aerobic exercise. It can
improve heart health, burn fat and calories, and lift your mood, just to name a few.
Safety concerns: Choose well-lit, populated running routes. Let someone know
where you’ll be.
Duration and frequency: 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week
If you’re a beginner, run for 20 to 30 minutes twice a week. Your pace should be
conversational during the run. You can alternate between 5 minutes of running and 1
minute of walking to start. To stay injury-free, always stretch after your run.

WALKING
Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers)
Benefits: Walking daily can reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high
blood pressure, and depression.
Safety: Walk in well-lit and populated areas. Choose shoes that offer good ankle
support to reduce your risk for injury.
Duration and frequency: 150 minutes per week, or 30 minutes 5 days a week
If walking is your main form of exercise, aim to get 150 minutes per week. This can
be broken down into 30 minutes of walking 5 days a week. Or, walk briskly for 10
minutes at a time, 3 times each day.
You can also use a fitness tracker to keep tabs on how many steps you take each
day. If your goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day, start with your base (current amount
you walk) and slowly up your daily step count. You can do this by increasing your
daily steps by an extra 500 to 1,000 steps a day every 1 to 2 weeks.
So, once you’ve identified your base, add an extra 500 to 1,000 steps. Then, 1 to 2
weeks later, increase your daily step count by an additional 500 to 1,000 steps.
AEROBIC STRENGTH CIRCUIT
Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers), sturdy chair or couch for dips
Benefits: This exercise increases heart and cardiovascular health, builds up
strength, and tones major muscle groups.
Safety: Focus on proper form with each exercise to avoid injury. Keep your heart
rate at a moderate level throughout. You should be able to carry on a brief
conversation during this exercise.
Duration and frequency: 15 to 25 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week
This aerobic circuit is designed to get your heart rate up. Perform the following
strength exercises for 1 minute:
squats, lunges, push-ups, dips, torso twist
Then jog or march in place for 1 minute for your active rest. This is one circuit.
Repeat the circuit 2 to 3 times. You can rest for up to 5 minutes between circuits.
Cool down afterward with some light stretching.

STATIONARY BIKE
Equipment: stationary bike
Benefits: This low-impact exercise can help develop leg strength.
Safety: Ask a trainer at the gym for help adjusting the bike so that the seat is the
correct height. This will help reduce your risk for injury or falling off the bike.
If you’re biking at home, a general rule is to adjust the bike seat height to maintain a
5- to 10-degree bend in your knee before reaching full extension. Doing so reduces
compression on your knee joint. It’s not recommended to fully extend your knee
while peddling on a stationary bike.
Duration and frequency: 35 to 45 minutes, 3 times per week
Riding a stationary bike is another option for low-impact cardio. Stationary bikes are
a good cardiovascular workout, help you develop leg strength, and are easy to use.
Many gyms and workout studios offer cycling classes, which use stationary bikes.
But you can still benefit from a stationary bike workout without taking a class.
After stretching and warming up by cycling at an easy rhythm for 5 to 10 minutes,
increase your pace to 15 miles per hour and aim for 20 to 30 minutes of steady
cycling. Cool down for 5 minutes. Stretch to finish.
ELLIPTICAL
Equipment: elliptical machine
Benefits: Elliptical machines provide a good cardiovascular workout that’s less
stressful on the knees, hips, and back compared to the treadmill or running on the
road or trails.
Safety: Look forward, not down. Use the handlebars if you feel unsteady or to help
you get on and off the machine.
Duration and frequency: 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week
The elliptical machine may seem intimidating at first, but it’s easy to use once you
get the hang of it. After warming up, keep your posture upright while you use your
legs in a pedal motion to move the machine. Look forward the entire time, not down
at your feet. Keep your shoulders back and abdominal muscles engaged. Cool
down and exit the machine to stretch.
Increase the resistance on the machine for a more challenging workout.

ZUMBA
Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers)
Benefits: Zumba is beneficial for heart health, improves coordination, tones your
entire body, and may help relieve stress.
Safety: Drink lots of water during the class. Take a break if you feel tired or dizzy.
You may want to wear shoes that provide good ankle support if you’re prone to
ankle injuries.
Duration and frequency: 60 minutes, 1 to 3 times per week
If you like to dance, Zumba is a fun choice for an aerobic workout.
After warming up, your instructor will instruct the class through
easy-to-follow dance moves set to upbeat music. You’ll finish with
a cool down and stretch.
Shoes are required. Drink plenty of water throughout the class.
You can always take a break and rejoin if you get tired.
OTHER AEROBIC ACTIVITIES
Swimming
Equipment: Pool, swimsuit, and (optional) swim cap and
goggles
How to do it: Swimming is a great workout that’s also no-
impact, especially if your joints complain when you’re walking
or running.
Start with laps using one stroke (the freestyle is great for
newbies). Add more when you feel up to it, like the
breaststroke, the backstroke, or (for more advanced
swimmers) the butterfly.
Rest between laps as needed, and never swim alone or
without a lifeguard present.
Duration and frequency: 10–30 minutes, 2–5 times a week.
Try to increase your duration by 5 minutes each week.
Indoor cycling class (aka Spinning, Soul Cycle, etc.)
Equipment: Stationary bike, padded bike seat or shorts
(optional), and sturdy shoes (cycling shoes optional)
How to do it: Cycling classes are designed to be a
challenging workout that can be scaled based on your fitness
level. You can adjust the resistance to make it harder (or take it
away to ease up). The class may include climbs, sprints, and
intervals.
Some gyms require that you wear cycling shoes that “clip” into
the bike. (Most offer rentals if you’re not ready to buy.)
Duration and frequency: 45–60 minutes, 1–3 times per week
AKT
Equipment: Sneakers (the rest is provided by the studio)
How to do it: AKT takes dance cardio to the next level by combining
cardio dance intervals with strength moves. This trendy new workout
was developed by trainer Anna Kaiser, who trains celebs. It’s rooted in
positivity and designed for all fitness levels and body types.
Expect a mix of classes like dance (dance, toning, and intervals) and
bands (with a box, bands, and intervals).
Duration and frequency: 4–5 classes a week
KINRGY
Equipment: None
How to do it: KINRGY is another fun new aerobic workout,
this one from Julianne Hough. Expect “a movement experience
inspired by the elements.” It’s dance cardio, yes, but it also
has plenty of benefits for your mind.
Expect to sweat, but also expect to “feel” your senses and
invoke your imagination. Sounds like a workout designed
for today’s busy, chaotic world.
Duration and frequency: 45 minutes, 3–5 times a week
CARDIO KICKBOXING
Equipment: Sneakers
How to do it: This high impact workout combines aerobics with boxing
and martial arts. After a warmup, you’ll punch, kick, and strike your way
through the workout, finishing with core work or strength moves.
Duration and frequency: 60 minutes, 1–3 times per week