When you are exercising, your muscles are all exerting, you breathe hard, your heart is pounding, and blood courses through your veins to deliver oxygen to the overworked muscles to sustain your activity for more than just a couple of minutes. This is aerobic exercise.
Aerobic exercises elevate your heart rate for sustained periods of time increasing the ability of your heart to pump more efficiently and training your muscles to use oxygen efficiently as well. Aerobic exercises also decrease your chances of having heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers such as that of the breast and the colon, symptoms of depression and dementia. They help control blood pressure, strengthen your bones and muscles, increase your stamina and improve your mood. Basically, there’s a wide spectrum of health benefits that can be gained from aerobic exercises.
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Types of aerobic exercises are very diverse. There are low-impact aerobics, water aerobics, step aerobics, dance aerobics, and sport aerobics. The best exercise for you would depend on your fitness level and the intensity of your workout. Among the many choices you have are:
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Cycling. Whether indoor or outdoor, cycling is a popular workout as it suits people of all ages and it doesn’t require special skills.
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Running. This is a typical aerobic exercise which burns plenty of calories in a short period of time. Running has also become very popular social sports.
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Yoga and other mind-body exercises. These exercises develop physical fitness and enhance mental well-being. They are also great at helping develop your respiratory system.
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Step aerobics. This is one of the most effective ways of exercising at home mainly because all it requires is a step and some music.
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Jazzercise Aerobics. These are choreographed routines for low-impact workouts. Classes are usually conducted by trainers who offer instructions during the workout to prevent injury and maximize the health benefit from aerobics.
Regardless which type of aerobic exercise suits your level of fitness, you are sure to benefit physically and mentally from any aerobic exercise.
