TweetIn addition to burning calories, aerobic exercise stimulates a variety of cardiovascular adaptations; the heart pumps harder, the circulatory network becomes more efficient, the blood becomes a better transporter of oxygen and there are many other positive physiological benefits. All these changes afford some protection from the risk of coronary heart disease, which research has shown to be Britain’s number one killer.
Studies have also shown that aerobic exercise taken on a regular basis improves self-esteem. By releasing chemicals, called endorphins, in the brain, exercise can actually make you happier! In addition, the adrenalin produced by stress can be dissipated through exercise, leaving you with a feeling of well-being.
Types of aerobic exercise
The types of aerobic exercise most commonly found in a gym are cycling, walking, jogging, stepping, cross-training, rowing, stepping and skipping. These should be varied as much as possible to ensure a balance to your fitness and, more importantly, to stop you getting bored on any one machine. You can also vary the type of work you do on each machine, for example intervals – where you alternate between a steady pace and a hard burst of work.
Away from the gym there are many sporting and leisure activities that are good forms of aerobic exercise. The list starts with the most energetic team and individual sports. Activities such as hockey, football, rugby, competitive skiing, swimming, athletics cycling, triathlons etc. It also includes recreational activities such as mountain walking, roller-skating, ice-skating, dog walking and dancing of all types.
At the other end of the scale gentle recreational activities can still offer some health benefits. Hobbies like gardening, gentle swimming and cycling, even just walking to the shops and back instead of taking the car, are all important. It is essential to do these exercises at a high enough intensity to achieve the benefits.
Aerobic training guidelines
Frequency – Train every day if you wish, but research has shown that exercising 3 to 4 times a week provides virtually the same fitness benefits.
Duration – Exercise continuously for 15 to 30 mins for the best cardiovascular benefits.
Intensity – You will gain maximum cardiovascular benefit if you train in the Heart Rate Training Zone, that is, at a level of about 65% – 85% of your Maximum Heart Rate. As a rule of thumb you should be slightly out of breath but be able to hold a conversation quite comfortably. You should also feel that you could continue to exercise for some considerable time.
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Calculating your Maximum Heart Rate
Maximum Heart Rate = 220 beats/min minus your age.
So for a 50-year-old woman the training zone will be:
Maximum Heart Rate 220 – 50 = 170
65% – 85% of maximum means exercising at between 110 and 145 beats per minute.
TweetHeres a few benefits of endurance exercise off the top of my head:
1. increased ability to utilize fats as a fuel source
2. increased ability to both clear and utlize lactate
3. increased capilarity and transit time (this will increase the amount of time blood nutritients or gases can be transered
4. increased mitochondrial density (will enhance aerobic metabolism through both the TCA and ETC bioenergetic pathways
5. Decreased blood visosity (will help blood to flow more freely): this is due to an increase in blood plasma
6. An increase in VO2max, which is your body's ability to utilize and transport oxygen to working muscle.
7. Of course, many cardiovascular health benefits as well
If anyone has some more, fire away.