Lesson 2
Lesson 2
LESSON 2
AEROBIC
EXERCISE
WHAT IS AEROBIC EXERCISE?
Walking
Cycling
Swimming
AEROBIC EXERCISES
Increase your heart rate and how much oxygen
your body uses.
The term aerobic means “with oxygen.”
When you practice aerobic exercise, your breathing
controls the amount of oxygen that reaches your
muscles to help you burn energy and move.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE
TWO?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AEROBIC AND
ANAEROBIC EXERCISES?
Aerobic and anaerobic are terms that define how your body
produces energy.
Aerobic means “with oxygen.” When you participate in a
continuous activity that increases your heart rate, your cells use
oxygen to produce energy. An example of aerobic exercise is
walking.
Anaerobic means “without oxygen.” When you engage in a quick,
high-intensity activity, your cells aren’t using oxygen to produce
energy. An example of an anaerobic exercise is lifting weights.
WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF AEROBIC
EXERCISES?
There are a lot of different types of aerobic exercises.
Some of the most common include:
• Walking or jogging.
• Cycling.
• Cardio equipment.
• Swimming.
WALKING OR JOGGING
Walking is one of the simplest and most
available aerobic exercises. You can change
the intensity to match your fitness level.
Jogging is faster than walking but slower than
running. Jogging puts more stress on your
joints than walking and isn’t recommended if
you have an injury.
WALKING OR JOGGING
Other than athletic shoes, this activity doesn’t
require any special equipment. You can walk
almost anywhere: outdoors or indoors (malls,
indoor tracks or a treadmill). This makes
walking easy to continue throughout the year.
Walking is a good choice for starting your first
exercise program.
CYCLING
Cycling is an aerobic exercise that you can do
on a stationary bike or a regular bicycle. You
can adjust the intensity of your exercise by
choosing a higher setting on your stationary bike
or riding on a route with more hills or inclines.
Cycling may be ideal if you have arthritis or
other conditions that affect your joints.
CYCLING
This activity helps your heart without putting
too much mechanical stress on your back,
hips, knees and ankles that walking can
cause. If you cycle outdoors, the weather may
limit your activity.
CYCLING
ELLIPTICAL
ROWING MACHINE
TREADMILL
STAIR CLIMBERS
CARDIO EQUIPMENT
You can find these types of machines at your local gym or
you can add one to your home.
They’re usually larger and can take up a lot of space if you
choose to get one for at-home use.
Since there are a lot of different types of cardio machines,
you should try out different ones at a gym or fitness center
first. It can take time to see which machine you enjoy most,
and which one puts less stress on areas of your body where
you may have an injury or issue.
SWIMMING
Swimming is a low-impact activity where you use your arms
and legs to propel you through the water.
The intensity of swimming increases more in open water than
it does in a pool. Water aerobics and water walking are good
alternatives if you have joint pain. The buoyancy provided by
the water eases stress on your joints.
If you plan on swimming or participating in water activities,
make sure you’re swimming under the supervision of a
lifeguard in case of an emergency.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE?
You should talk with your healthcare provider before you start
an exercise program. Ask what, if any, limitations you may
have.
If you have diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis,
pulmonary conditions or other health conditions, you may need
additional safety guidelines for exercise.
The type of exercise you choose is a personal decision, but
you should consider certain factors to reduce the risk of injury
or complications and make exercise more enjoyable.
WHAT IS THE “TALK TEST?”
If you’re starting a new type of aerobic exercise, you
can perform the “talk test” to see if an activity is too
strenuous. While performing the activity, try to carry on
a conversation or speak clearly during your exercise.
If talking is challenging, you may be performing an
activity that’s too intense. Over time, once you build
strength and stamina, you can try this test again and
you might get different results.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DO AEROBIC
EXERCISES?