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    Aerobics


    Aerobics is popular because it has the appeal of dance, offers the companionship of a group, and costs very little. The combination of calisthenics with repetitive dance routines allows you to improve your heart health. Step aerobics offers a high cardiovascular workout with low body impact. Stepping represents the aerobic equivalent of a 7-mile run and the impact equivalent of a 3-mile walk. Add hand weights and you can develop your arms and upper body as well. Water, or aqua, aerobics is hard on the muscles and soft on the joints, and allows you to reach a greater range of motion than you can on land.

    The Muscles You Work:

    A good aerobics program involves almost all of the body's muscles. In particular, aerobics works muscles in the legs, back, and stomach.

    Tips to Improve Your Aerobics:

    • Find a program that includes 20 minutes of continuous exercise that will put you within your target heart-rate-zone. The program should include a warmup of 5 - 10 minutes, a variety of activities, and then a cool down of 5 - 10 minutes.
    • Monitor your heart rate while you exercise to make sure you stay within your target zone. In a mass aerobics class, you have to monitor your heart rate yourself. A good aerobics instructor will stop the class and let you do it. If you are doing aerobics at home, stop every 5 minutes to check your pulse and calculate your heart rate.
    • Look for low-impact aerobic programs that involve a lot of stepping, side-to-side, step-touch motions, and leg bending to shift body weight. Better yet, try water aerobics, which is the least jarring on your joints.
    • Avoid being overly competitive in aerobics class. Aerobics is a way of improving your health, not a competitive sport. You want to be in the best shape possible, but that doesn't mean you have to be in as good a shape as the person next to you.
    • Try a class with a different twist or a different style of music. Aerobic classes may stress sports movements, circuit workouts that provide muscle toning and strengthening along with aerobic conditioning, power yoga or tai chi moves, or a blend of styles.

    How Not to Get Hurt:

    Find a facility that offers various levels of aerobic classes and experienced instructors who can start you at the right level. Resist being moved up to a more difficult class before you have fully mastered the current one. The mark of a seasoned instructor is knowing how hard to push. If you feel persistent pain in your muscles or joints, stop exercising and have the pain evaluated. Look for an instructor with training in teaching aerobics and certification by a reputable national organization.

    Essential Equipment:

    • A pair of well-fitting, comfortable running shoes with good shock absorption in the heel, a wide toe, strong arch support, a firm sole, and plenty of cushioning in the midsole.
    • A library of aerobic videotapes for home use. Hundreds of high-quality tapes are now available. Check your local library or video store.
    • For step aerobics, a 2- to 8-inch-high adjustable, portable bench, for home use with a videotape.
    • A variety of devices, such as stretchable work out rubber bands, jump rope, large (1- to 4-foot-diameter) pliable balls, and yoga mat for stretching.
    • Drink water, water, and more water.
    • Good-fitting socks constructed of a fabric that keeps moisture away from the skin to prevent skin soreness.
    Aerobics