Best Aerobic Exercise

What is the best aerobic exercise? There isn’t a single best one for everyone. There are many to choose from that will give you tremendous benefits. Some of these benefits include:

√ Your mood will be better.

√ Your blood pressure will be lower.

√ Your total cholesterol will be lower.

√ You will be more protected against certain cancers.

√ You will be less likely to have diabetes.

√ Your heart will be healthier.

√ You will have more stamina.

√ You will be trimmer with less total body fat.

The list below ranks some common exercises from least to greatest calorie burning potential. The number of calories a 150 lb. person would burn in 30 minutes of the activity is also given.

• Walking, slow (30 min./mile)- 90
• Golf (w/ cart)- 105
• Walking, moderate (20 min./mile)- 120
• Housework- 135
• Walking, brisk (15 min./mile)- 150
• Swimming, 25 yards/ min.- 160
• Bicycling, 10 mph (6 minutes/mile)- 188
• Stair climbing-210
• Aerobics step training, 4" step (beginner- 218
• Rowing machine- 270
• Jogging, 5 mph (12 min./mile)- 278
• Jogging, 6 mph (10 min./mile)- 345
• Running, 08 mph (7.5 min./mile)-458

Important, but often overlooked components of an effective aerobic exercise program are the warm-up and cool-down periods. Here are some reasons these are important:

• Promotes gradual metabolic adaptation. Your body will be consuming more oxygen and the warm-up prepares for this increase.

• When lactic acid pools in your muscles you become sore. Warming up helps prevent this from happening prematurely.

• Moving cold muscles increases the likelihood of injury. Warming up promotes a gradual increase in muscle temperature. This makes your best aerobic activity much safer.

• Warming up makes your exercise better on your heart by improving coronary blood flow as you are beginning to exercise.

• Tendons, ligament, and other muscle and connective tissues will gradually improve their elasticity during a warm-up period. This will result in a safer and more beneficial exercise session.

• A warm-up allows you to mentally prepare for your aerobic exercise session.

• An abrupt end to your exercise session may cause a lightheaded or dizzy sensation due to venous blood pooling. A cool-down prevents this.

• A common complaint is cramping after exercising when the cool-down is omitted.

• Vigorous aerobic exercise produces higher concentrations of certain hormones such as norepinephrine. These can cause some disturbances in heart rhythm. Cooling down lowers the concentration of these hormones.

• Begin realistically. Don’t jump into long, high intensity sessions.

• Increase time and intensity of sessions very gradually. Don’t jog one mile today and four miles tomorrow.

• Incorporate different activities into your routine to stay motivated. At different times you might want to utilize a treadmill, elliptical or rowing machine, or a stationary bike.

• Listen to your body. If you feel pain, stop. If you feel like you need a break, take a break.

• Maintain a long-term view of your aerobic exercise program. If you typically run but are feeling soreness in your feet or legs, train with a bike or elliptical until you feel better.

Moderation and variety in choosing your exercises will help you improve your wellness with an effective cardio exercise program.

The best aerobic exercise for you is the one you can utilize right now to burn calories, keep your heart healthy, and keep you looking and feeling your very best.

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