7 Great Steps to Cycling As an Aerobic Workout

Whether you are a novice or a serious athlete, you will enjoy the scenery as you tour the countryside on your bicycle-and your body is sure to enjoy the aerobic workout. Whatever your fitness level, these tips will help you get more out of your routine.

1. Getting in gear

Bicycling has enjoyed several waves of interest through the years. One reason for its popularity is that it can be enjoyed by just about anyone, regardless of age or level of fitness.

a. This sport can be enjoyed in groups or solo, on the roads or with a stationary bike. Your can also vary your pace, from leisurely touring to intense training.

b. Incorporate bicycling into your schedule. Use bike to work or when running errands.

c. The beginning bicyclist may need only a three-speed bike, but many will prefer to have 10-12 speeds. This will make it easier for you to go over hills and allow you to increase the resistance on the straightaways.

d. Biking at a fast speed is excellent for weight control. Pedaling one hour at 13 miles per hour will burn about 650 calories.

e. Bicycling is especially good for building the quadriceps (a group of four large muscles in the front of the thigh). Toe clips are useful if you have problems with your feet slipping off the pedals, but they also help you to work your calf and shin muscles. You may want to consider toe clips with a quick-release mechanism if the clips are especially snug-fitting.

2. A bicycling routine

Beginners will do fine riding for 20-30 minutes at a moderate rate. Try the following routine for a more disciplined approach.

a. First week: Work on getting comfortable with the bike and experimenting with gears. Try to ride 2-5 miles during the week and 5-10 miles on the weekend.

b. Second week: Include a few short periods of faster riding in your routine. This is called interval training and will help our develop strength and endurance. Aim for 4-7 miles during the week and 10 miles on the weekend.

c. Third week: Include five minute periods of faster riding, separated by five minutes of easy riding. Ride 6-9 miles during the week and 15 miles on the weekend.

d. Fourth week: Try doing one day of three-minute intervals instead of five -minute intervals. Ride 8-11 miles during the week and up to 20 miles on the weekend.

e. Spare your tires. Storing your bicycle near appliances that give off ozone can age your tires, causing cracks and other damage to the rubber. Keep your bike away from refrigerators, freezers, and electric heaters.

3. The right posture

a. Getting the right-size bike is important. When you straddle your bike with both feet on the ground, there should be one to two inches between the front tube (the bar that runs from the handlebars to the seat) and your crotch.

b. When you are seated, your leg should be only slightly bent when it reaches the bottom of the pedaling movement.

c. Bend forward at the hips-not at the waist-when your ride. Keep you back straight and your neck and shoulder muscles relaxed.

d. When gripping the handlebars, keep you elbows slightly bent. This will give you better leverage and shock absorption when going over potholes or bumps.

e. Ease the stress of a long ride by changing your hand position often.

4. Dress for comfort, dress for safety

a. You can bike in just about any clothing, but serious bikers prefer a pair of chamois lined shorts. These reduce chafing and pressure in the groin. A padded seat will also help you stay comfortable.

b. Gloves are useful for reducing pressure on the palms that comes from leaning on handle-bars. Gloves will also protect your hands in case you fall.

5. Riding with caution

a. Inspect your bike before every ride. Check the tires, brakes, gears and headlight.

b. Practice sudden braking techniques. Always squeeze both brakes, the front harder than the rear and let up on the front brake if you feel yourself skidding. Sliding back in the saddle will also help stabilize the bike.

c. Attach a loud horn to the handlebars and use it whenever necessary.

d. Do not ride at night unless you have no choice and then use reflectors and headlights and wear reflective clothing.

e. Secure flapping pant legs with rubber bands to avoid having them get caught in the bike's wheels. Also, tuck in loose shoelaces.

f. Rearview mirrors should be mounted on your handlebars, not on your helmet.

g. A water bottle can come in handy to fight off dehydration.

h. Bicyclists are safest when wearing neon pink. It is easy for motorists to spot this uncommon color.

6. Biking in any weather

a. Windchill rapidly becomes a factor when you are traveling at 15 miles per hour. Consider wearing a mask to stay warm.

b. Hypothermia can occur in temperature as high as 60 degrees Fahrenheit on wet and windy days. Cyclists should wear gloves, leg coverings, and long-sleeved shirts when it is cool outside.

c. In wet weather, brakes do not hold very well. Use caution when your hubs become wet.

d. Take along something to drink when biking in warm weather, preferably two quarter size water bottles.

7. Helmet protection

If you consider the lifelong damage that one head injury can cause, you will see how important it is to wear a sturdy helmet every time you bike.

a. Buy only helmets that are approved by competent authorities.

b. A properly fitting helmet should touch your head at the crown, sides, front, and back. Choose the smallest size that fits comfortably and use the sizing pads included with most helmets to fine-tune the fit.

c. Adjust the straps. With the helmet level across your forehead just above your eyebrows, the front strap should be close to vertical. The back strap should lie straight, just below the ear, without any slack. The chin strap should feel tight when you open your mouth.

Did you find this article informative? If yes, you can subscribe to Shivraj Ghorpade's blog http://www.problemsolvingarticles.com/category/fitness-exercise/ through RSS feed or through Email by just typing your email address. You will receive many such informative articles in your email box.

(C) Copyright-Shivraj Ghorpade. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Original article

Two Groups Of Aerobic Fitness Factors

Health associated fitness factors. These factors define how well the systems of your body operate.

1. Physical Structure - the quantity of lean mass compared to the amount of body fat typically is declared in terms of percent body fat.

2. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Endurance - ability of the heart, lungs and muscles to carry out activity over a sustained period of time. The usual fitness test for this component is the one mile run.

3. Musculature Strength - ability of a muscle group or a specific muscle to exert maximal force against a resistance one time through a full range of motion. The common fitness test for this component is pull-us or flexed arm hang.

4. Musical Endurance - ability of a muscle group or a specific muscle to exert a sub maximal force repeatedly over time. The usual fitness test for this component is curl-ups.

5. Flexibility - ability to stretch, twist and bend the body with ease through an entire range of motion. The common fitness test for this factor is the site and reach test.

Skill associated fitness factors. These factors define the physical capability of a person to become an athlete.

1. Balance - ability to keep the control of the body while fixed or moving.

2. Agility - ability to alter direction of the body promptly and easily. The usual Fitness- Test for this element is the shuttle Run.

3. Coordination - ability to synchronize the senses, such as auditory sense and sight, with body parts in the process of executing motor tasks smoothly and precisely.

4. Power - ability to merge force and speed in one movement

5. Speed - ability to quickly make a motion with your body from one point to another.

6. Response Time - the time between a signal and the beginning of a movement.

Health benefits of aerobic fitness

With regular aerobic exercise your heart becomes stronger and you need less resting while doing work. Regular exercise makes you have more energy. Aerobic exercise is also the best cure for weight problems. Your blood pressure will be decreased, muscles and bones strengthened. One of the biggest problems in today's way of life is stress. Aerobic exercise scales down tension and stress. Other benefits which you can expect include: higher quality of life, increased capability of your brain to learn, improved body composition and much better sleep.

Before doing any aerobic exercise don't forget to warm up.

Warmed muscle tissue is less likely to be strained or damaged. Warming up before doing exercise will also make your body ready for more vigorous training.

At the end of your aerobic training don't forget to cool off.

Cooling off periods minimize the chances of you passing out after exercise has been completed. If your running comes to an abrupt end, blood will pour into your legs in large quantities and there will be less blood available for your brain.

Cooling off periods assist the return of blood to the heart. Cooling off periods also scale down muscle irritation.

Lydia Meternick is an author who has a wide spectrum of interests. She writes about an array of topics and her latest blog is focused on Sole f80 treadmill, a fitness machine which gives people an opportunity to exercise within the comfort of their homes.

Original article

Aerobic Exercise Tips for Newbies

Most people assume that aerobic exercise is specifically suited for women's fitness the same way that weight lifting appears more suitable for men's fitness. What few people realize, however, is that this form of exercise is essential to both men and women. There are many other misconceptions about cardio that have been circulating in public, but hopefully the facts below will serve to enlighten you about the real deal behind this type of exercise.

Aerobic exercises do not always consist of dancing routines

A lot of guys understandably shy away from aerobic exercise because most types of it seem to be just another form of dancing. You have to understand, however, that dancing-like routines are not all there is to aerobics. It may only seem like that way because women largely make up the population in your fitness club, and as such your fitness club is just offering what the majority wants.

If so, you can sign up for a personal training program that could introduce you to others and more "manly" types of exercise that will work you heart and lungs like boxing or kickboxing. Also, if it makes any difference, "cardiorespiratory, cardiovascular exercises or cardio" is just another term for aerobics. You could always refer to your routine as such if it makes you feel any better.

Aerobic exercise is essential to your health

No matter how young or - err - mature you are, cardiovascular exercise will always prove critical and beneficial to your health. Aerobic exercises are exercises that require you to perform a certain routine or activity continuously and following a certain rhythm as well. They help improve your heart rate and the overall health of your heart. They also improve your metabolism as well as oxygen distribution in your body.

Know when to go longer - or harder

Beginners are advised to start with aerobic exercises of moderate intensity for a short period of time. They can then gradually lengthen the period of their exercise until they have sufficiently built their stamina for it. Beginners are typically advised to start with a ten-minute routine and gradually adding ten more minutes to their routine as they improve. You should up the ante and go harder if you feel that your body is no longer having a hard time coping with the demands of your exercise routine. Make sure to switch back to a short ten-minute routine every time you increase your intensity level.

Do it on alternate days of the week

This will provide your body with much needed rest and recovery time. Working out every day of the week is allowed but you should at least alternate between strength and stamina building or, more specifically, between weight lifting and aerobic exercise respectively.

With your own fitness trainer, you are guaranteed to learn other equally helpful tips not just about aerobic exercises but also about the additional things that you can do to get fit and stay fit in the shortest amount of time.

If you would like more information on Kisar Dhillon please visit me at:

Personal Website: http://www.kisardhillon.com/

Thank you,
Kisar S. Dhillon

Original article

Does Aerobic Exercise Burn Off Muscle Mass?

Aerobic exercise is focused on recurring body movements, which increases your pulse, and keeps it elevated for a time period. Aerobic exercise isn't simply jogging. It can take form in several varieties including circuit training, interval training and also everyday activities like cleaning up.

Throughout aerobic exercise, there's an order in which the energy systems are employed.

1. Carbohydrates from the food you eat, in addition to glycogen, that is stored in your muscles as well as the liver, ready to be used as instant fuel.

2. Fats coming from food and also from your body already.

3. Proteins and amino acids from the muscle tissues.

By using this knowledge, it's crystal clear that yes aerobic exercise does burn up muscle eventually. Here your body goes into a catabolic state, as it has utilized the two primary energy fuels to maintain the cardiovascular activity. After this is done, proteins from the muscles are used to maintain the activity.

The next critical point to discuss is, precisely what point in the cardiovascular exercise will the body exhaust the 2 primary fuels and begin to start making use of amino acids? It is frequently acknowledged this takes place whenever you do cardio workouts above an hour or so. I never perform a cardio session for longer than 60 minutes anyway; so if you carry out one of my workout plans you've got no need to worry about losing muscle mass while doing cardio.

However suppose you perform a sport which goes on longer than an hour. Then yes, cardio exercise would burn muscle if you don't act tactically. Nonetheless you can stop this from taking place. First off, 2-3 hours before you begin performing, you will want to consume a well-balanced meal with carbs, fat as well as proteins. This is so when you commence playing, you are utilizing fuel directly from your meals.

Right before you start performing and also during the activity, you should take an isotonic sports drink that will fuel you with more glycogen in order to spare muscle loss. Furthermore, if executing your sport three or more occasions per week don't be worried about undertaking organized cardio exercise, you are burning enough calories with your sport for optimum health.

If you're set on body building, it is best to stay away from extended chronic cardio exercise sessions such as marathon running, since even utilizing the above ideas won't prevent you burning up muscle as the event is quite lengthy in duration.

Steering clear of cardio workouts at all costs to build lean muscle is really a bad idea. It's very clear that some of the best professional athletes possess the best physiques and they carry out aerobic exercise don't they? Aerobic exercise also improves your performance at building muscle. If you wish to develop big muscles, it's best to perform higher volume training with little rest in between sets.

For those who have an inadequate cardiovascular system, you will not be able to carry out the muscle-building part of your workout properly. Regularly, I notice individuals at the gym performing resistance training, and they get out of breath because they're in poor condition.

You now know that aerobic exercise does burn muscle under certain conditions, and you also know how to prevent this. You also now know that aerobic exercise can actually help you build muscle instead of wasting calories for muscle growth.

About the Author: Michael McIntyre is a trainer who gives advice to men and women who want a body that has "The Hollywood Look". Get the big & toned physique like a fitness model or favourite Hollywood superstar by checking out my website http://www.somebodylied.com/. My website is the opposite to traditional bodybuilding websites which encourage you to be lazy when away from the gym to save the precious calories for muscle building, you now know the answer to does cardio burn muscle, but check out my website for the best type of cardio you should be performing while building muscle.

Original article

Is Cardio Aerobic Exercises Good for Fat Loss?

There is really no question that cardio exercise is good for fat loss, as any movement of the body that causes a rise in heart rate will contribute to fat loss. Where things get confusing is those sold on aerobic exercises talk as though it's the panacea for fat loss, and others counter that cardio exercise has its shortcomings, and therefore is not helpful at all. The truth is, both arguments have some truth, but don't buy into either argument. Aerobic exercises are very beneficial for fat loss, but alone may be of limited benefit.

So how does cardio exercise contribute to fat loss? First, let us break down cardio exercises into their basic categories, and see what each does for fat loss. When we use the term "aerobic exercises", it literally means "with air", and would include those where there is a constant flow of oxygen going to the muscle. These exercises would include bike riding, walking or running. Anaerobic means without air and during one part of the exercise the muscle would function without air. Sprinting and weightlifting would be examples of these exercises. Cardiovascular means exercising the heart, and although there may be a variation of intensity, with cardio being more intense, they are pretty much the same as aerobic exercises.

The best cardio exercise for fat loss is the higher intensity kind that is for shorter duration. Depending on the individual, three to four times a week with thirty minute sessions is probably optimum. Why we recommend more intense cardio exercise is because it has some fat loss benefit when you are finished with your workout, as higher metabolism will be maintained for a period of time later. This is not to say there is not a place for low intensity workouts. We always recommend diversity in your workouts, and longer more methodical training exercises can help build endurance. But for our discussion here on cardio exercise and its contribution to fat loss, shorter high intensity aerobic exercises are much better.

Another important factor in cardio exercise is to be sure to keep it short in duration. The objective is to keep a high level of intensity, and of course depending on the individual it will be impossible to keep an adequate level of intensity if the workout lasts to long. If you know the workout will only last twenty to thirty minutes, it will be easier to push through harder than if you had a one hour workout, where it would only be natural to pace yourself. For proper fat loss, the idea definitely is quality over quantity.

As with any of the high intensive aerobic exercises, a person must be sensible in any program they are attempting to take on. If this is your first go at exercising in awhile, get a physical from your doctor, and let him know what you are planning to do. Have a plan going in, preferably with advice from a trainer that will devise a program fit for you. If you are 60 years old and getting back into exercising, which is fantastic, don't attempt a program designed for a 30 year old. Also, remember you are never too old to start. There have been cases of people starting exercise programs in their 80's and have virtually rolled back the years. No matter what age you start, you should be commended on not accepting your age as a barrier. Just be sensible about it.

Our goal is to inform those people who are trying to lose weight on comprehensive, realistic programs for weight loss. We are definitely not into quick-fixes, but programs that involve proper diet, and Fat Burning Cardio Workouts, plus Build Muscle Lose Weight Programs. Rich Carroll is a writer and health advocate now living in London.

Original article

Aerobic Activity For Healthy Digestion: How Aerobic Activity Relieves Indigestion And Constipation

More than 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn. About 4 million Americans suffer from constipation. Between 10% and 15% of people around the world are afflicted with irritable bowel syndrome. Aerobic activity won't resolve all these problems in every case, but it can do a lot to help.

Anxiety, anger, and stress stimulate the overproduction of stomach acid in an inactive person because he does not have sufficient energy outlet for his emotions. These stomach acids are meant for the digestion of food, but since there is no food present, the stomach acid begins instead to eat away at the stomach lining. Eventually the result may be painful stomach ulcers. However, regular aerobic activity tends to relax the system and relieve anger and stress, partly because the destructive energy that fuels anxiety, stress and anger is diverted constructively to the parts of the body that need the energy for movement.

Constipation is a common affliction by which people have difficulty in eliminating body wastes through their bowel and have difficulty in producing three or more bowel movements per week. The entire digestive track is lined with special core muscles that move the food through the system as it is being digested and broken down. With age, and especially with inactivity, these core muscles become lax and have difficulty moving the material through and eliminating it. Aerobic activity conditions the body so that it can deliver a much higher concentration of oxygen to these core muscles so that they can move the material through and eliminate it more efficiently. The movements of aerobic activity also tend to stimulate the core muscles and help them pass the material through the system. Those who practice regular aerobic activity are rarely irregular (pun intended).

Aerobic activity can also help to relieve the discomfort of gas trapped in the bowels. As food is being broken down so that it can be absorbed into the blood, one normal byproduct of digestion is methane gas. This is normally no great problem since the movement of core digestive muscles along the bowels tends to eliminate these gases quickly. But since the core digestive muscles in an unconditioned person are lax, the elimination of gas from his system is inefficient. As a result, methane gas can build up in the bowels and may become quite uncomfortable or even painful. The movement of aerobic activity does much to aid the elimination of intestinal gasses and relieve the discomfort.

Mark Roof has experienced first hand the changes that aerobic activity has made in his own life, and he is eager to share the benefits with the world. There is more on the subject of Cardio Aerobics Exercise for healthy digestion, sleep, and psychological health. Or, if you want the whole story, please visit aerobicexcellence.com

Original article

New Study Shows Aerobic Exercise A Waste Of Time

It's truly amazing. Finally it seems that the mainstream media is recognizing the truth when it comes to ideal exercise for health and weight loss. And the big news (drum-roll please)? Cardio is most emphatically NOT the answer. Well. Apparently we already knew that, but it's always nice to see a little bit more of the world is getting accustomed with. So what's the new scoop? Well, according to this study, not only is cardio a bad idea for diabetes treatment, but it's also not so great for overall health and the avoidance of heart disease.

I was first exposed to this concept about 5 or 6 years ago, and I want to tell you - it took me a good 18 months to get my head around the idea. At that age health concerns such as heart disease and diabetes never even entered my mind, but the idea that cardio wouldn't keep me in great shape was mind-boggling. After all, wasn't that why I'd become a cardio queen in the first place? Convinced that my 2+ hours of the stuff was what was necessary to stay slim? Don't worry, it never always worked and don't mind that I was always tired of doing so. Long story short, switching cardio for weights and plenty of protein and fat has whipped me into the best shape of my life but also leaves me feeling about a million percent better.

And I'm not the only one.

I came up with one of my regular clients and she was telling me how she shed massive weight after dropping cardio sessions. In fact, she'd dropped about 3 kg of stubborn belly fat in just 2 weeks. Can you imagine? Fat that hadn't moved for months on her high-cardio program. I had to laugh - I'd been at her for about 2 years to drop the running, but it took her suddenly being too busy for such a huge time commitment and having to drop her sessions to weights to save time. Ah well, at least she got there in the end!

You may think that I am crazy for taking such a drastic approach to health and you might not be alone. But do you really want to follow a single track that you chose a long time back and never ever try something different? There may be some hidden new possibilities out there. After all, we used to believe that the world was flat...

I think at least one reader out there is going to look at this study and shout back at me about how it's too general or the sample size is too small or blah blah blah. And they'd be right - the study could be more detailed. But hey, it's just one more tiny but tough nail in the coffin of aerobic exercise. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that the whole energy in vs. energy out quarrel is a crock anyway (yep, another one, am LOVING that word today).

And you know something? You can argue to the cows go home but when you're,

a) going around with a much bigger load on your booty than what you'd probably like or

b) only managing to stay in shape by carefully spaced-out near starvation coupled with 90 minutes+ continuous exercise per day then trust me, You are going to have a really bad time.

In many ways, weight loss and ideal health is very simple. Sure, it takes commitment, knowledge, and definitely some staying power, but it sure doesn't (need to) take over your life. This is not just a simple math. As this lovely lady recently discovered, eating higher calories and changing the way you workout could be just the answer you're looking for.

So. Don't you feel this is the high time to kick that nasty cardio habit once and for all from your life? And if after all that you're still not sure (seriously!), then promise me this. Just go for it for a month and you will get your answers, GUARANTEED.

Check out my blog Body Incredible for fat loss, nutrition and for motivational tips. And if you'd like to learn what it really takes to be in exceptional shape as a busy woman, visit Woman Incredible

Original article

Aerobic Activity For Better Sleep: How Aerobic Activity Resolved My Sleeping Disorder

Aerobic activity was the big factor in resolving my serious sleep disorder. Since we are all different, and since sleep disorders are very different, I don't expect your experience to be exactly like mine. But let me tell you my story so that you can determine for yourself whether or not aerobic activity might help your sleep the way it helped mine.

For about 19 years I lived as a missionary in South America. After being there for about two years I started to get very severe headaches. Trying to sleep them off didn't help at all. The more I slept the worse the headaches got. Eventually I was waking up with a splitting headache almost every day, and often they lasted all day. I went to a clinic for some physiotherapy, but that didn't seem to help at all.

One day, while visiting at home, I remembered once overhearing a friend tell someone how vigorous aerobic activity had resolved a serious sleeping disorder that he had. His sleeping disorder was much different from mine, but I figured that it couldn't hurt giving it a try. I could never have imagined what a change it made! My headaches became fewer and fewer until they almost disappeared.

I was delighted with the results of the aerobic activity, but for a long time I couldn't figure out how it worked or why. Eventually I started to understand. The source of my headaches was the stiff muscles in my neck. The longer I slept the stiffer my neck became, and the worse my headaches grew. But with aerobic activity I was able to get to sleep much more quickly. I also got much more out of my sleep so that I didn't need to sleep nearly as long. So I was up and out of bed before my stiff neck turned into a headache.

Aerobic activity helps me to get more out of my sleep. I usually get about 6 hours of sleep each night, but I get more out of it than some people get out of eight hours of sleep each night. That gives me two extra productive hours each day, or 14 extra hours per week. That's almost like adding an extra day to my week! Nobody can be healthy without good sleep, but good sleep does not necessarily mean a lot of sleep. There are some people who regularly sleep ten hours each night and then are lethargic and unproductive all day long. Aerobic activity helps a person sleep quicker and better so that his waking hours are more productive.

Mark Roof has experienced first hand the changes that aerobic activity has made in his own life, and he is eager to share the benefits with the world. There is more on the subject of Cardio Aerobics Exercise for healthy digestion, sleep, and psychological health. Or, if you want the whole story, please visit aerobicexcellence.com.

Original article

Aerobic Activity For Healthy Lungs: How Aerobic Activity Makes Lungs Work More Efficiently

Aerobic activity is defined by Wikipedia as "physical exercise that intends to improve the oxygen system and refers to the use of oxygen in the body's metabolic or energy-generating process." The ability to absorb oxygen is what it's all about. The body of a well-conditioned person absorbs oxygen much more efficiently than the body of an inactive person.

The lungs of a normal-sized adult carry about 300 million tiny, microscopic sacks called alveoli. The walls of these sacks are only one cell thick and are each covered with a mesh of blood vessels. When the lungs fill with air the oxygen flows through the sack walls into the blood vessels and enters the blood stream. These 300 million microscopic alveoli have a combined surface area of about 150 square meters (about the size of a tennis court) through which the oxygen is absorbed.

The problem is that nobody can use all of his 300 million alveoli when he breathes. Everyone has a certain portion of his lungs which can never expel the air that is in them. The portion of the lungs which always retains its air is called "residual volume," and its purpose is to keep the lungs from collapsing. The portion of the lungs that is useful for breathing is called the "vital capacity." In an unconditioned body, a much smaller portion of the lungs is vital capacity and the residual volume is much larger than what it needs to be. As a body becomes conditioned with regular aerobic activity, the vital lung capacity increases substantially. In a well conditioned body the vital lung capacity will be about 75%.

A body needs aerobic exercise to prepare it for the maximum stress that it will face. When a person is at rest his body expends very little energy and requires a relatively small supply of oxygen. But when a person exerts himself, his body may demand as much as 20 times the oxygen that it needs when the body is at rest. If the lungs are not capable of delivering the oxygen supply that the body needs, the heart may suffer serious damage or complete failure as it over works itself in an attempt to compensate for inadequate vital lung capacity.

The lungs have no muscles of their own. They depend on the surrounding muscles to inflate them as the diaphragm lowers and the rib cage expands. As a person conditions himself with regular aerobic exercise, these muscles become toned and acquire more tissue to make them stronger. Regular aerobic activity also programs the breathing muscles to work much faster. It is an experimental fact. An unconditioned person will normally be able to breathe about 10 times his vital capacity in one minute. After just six weeks of substantial aerobic activity, that same person will be able to breath 20 times his vital lung capacity in one minute.

Mark Roof has experienced first hand the changes that aerobic activity has made in his own life, and he is eager to share the benefits with the world. There is more on the subject of Cardio Exercise Training for healthy heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Or, if you want the whole story, please visit aerobicexcellence.com

Original article

Aerobic Activity For Digestion Relief: How Aerobic Activity Relieves Irritable Bowel Syndrome

If you suffer with some of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, you have lots of company. Irritable bowel syndrome afflicts 10% to 15% of all people worldwide. That would be about a billion people around the world who suffer from the same affliction. It affects about 1/5 of Americans, and is a little bit more common in women than in men. In many places around the world it is caused by poor living conditions. In places like the United States, Canada, Europe, and other industrialized nations, this affliction may have its roots in stress or bad eating habits.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition characterized by bloating, diarrhea, cramps, constipation and abdominal pain and discomfort. In America it usually develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. By this period of life people are starting to suffer the effects of unhealthy lifestyles like inactivity and bad eating habits. Especially where these symptoms are the result of inactivity, aerobic activity can often correct and reverse much of the damage.

The entire system of an unconditioned person is weak because his inactivity has caused his cardiovascular system to degenerate. Weakened lungs and heart provide the body with a very meager and inadequate blood-oxygen supply so that muscles cannot operate at full capacity. Aerobic activity conditions the body and greatly enhances the blood-oxygen supply to every tissue in the body, including the core muscles that move food and nutrition through the system. The result is that the body's digestive muscles can perform their function and eliminate waste more quickly and efficiently.

An experiment was conducted in Sweden to investigate the effects of Aerobic activity for the relief of irritable bowel syndrome. Participants who were suffering from the disorder were divided into two groups. The first group in the study continued with their normal habits and lifestyle. The second group did moderate or vigorous activity 3 to 5 times a week for periods of about 20 to 30 minutes. When the investigation was completed, 5% of participants in the inactive group reported a decrease in symptoms while 25% of participants reported that their symptoms worsened. In the active group, on the other hand, 51% of participants reported an improvement in symptoms while only 8% of participants reported that their symptoms had worsened.

If the investigation in Sweden had continued for an extended period, the results would probably have shown much greater improvements for those in the active group. When irritable bowel syndrome is the result of many years of inactivity, the body needs time to be reconditioned. A person will probably begin to feel the positive results of aerobic activity within a few days, but it will usually take several weeks to substantially strengthen the cardiovascular system and enrich the body's blood-oxygen supply. Aerobic activity may not be the answer for everyone, but it is a great help to most.

Mark Roof has experienced first hand the changes that aerobic activity has made in his own life, and he is eager to share the benefits with the world. There is more on the subject of Cardio Aerobics Exercise for healthy digestion, sleep, and psychological health. Or, if you want the whole story, please visit aerobicexcellence.com

Original article

Aerobic Activity For Psychological Health: Aerobic Activity Improves Mental Fitness and Character

Aerobic activity greatly increases a person's blood-oxygen supply. The benefits extend to every part and tissue in the body, including the brain. The more oxygen the brain receives, the better it can function.

An inadequate supply of oxygen brings incoherent thoughts, dizziness, and fainting. Without oxygen, brain cells begin to die within about five minutes. I once had an aunt who suffered from chronic emphysema after smoking all her life. As she neared the end, she constantly complained about feeling confused. Of course, this was because her brain was receiving so little oxygen that she couldn't hold coherent thoughts.

An unconditioned person, who does not do regular aerobic activity but is otherwise healthy, will not experience the same dizziness and incoherency as someone with chronic emphysema, but his mind is far from working at the peak performance that it is capable of. In general, physically unconditioned students have a low academic aptitude and have difficulty learning, due in part to reduced memory power. Of course, there are many exceptions to this rule. Some unconditioned students may even excel academically, but the performance is not as good as what it might be.

Regular aerobic activity will tend to optimize the brain's oxygen supply. Even a slight increase in the oxygen level produces a noticeable improvement. With an enriched oxygen, supply the brain works much more efficiently. The mind is clearer and more alert. Concentration is more easily focused. Memory improves, making learning easier.

Regular aerobic activity can also dramatically affect a person's character and self-discipline. In military academies such as West Point it has long been noted unconditioned cadets have a much higher drop out rate because they are not able to absorb the training and discipline of military life. In general, their academic aptitude is also much lower.

Over time, the effects of regular aerobic activity produce a very conspicuous improvement in a person's self-image and sense of self-worth. This has a positive effect on a person's mind-set toward every goal set before him. The noticeable changes and improvements in his body bring a strong sense of accomplishment which translates itself into an attitude of self-confidence.

In military establishments like West Point, where discipline and fitness are a must, it has long been established that the best athletes are usually also the best students and become the best officers. Kenneth H. Cooper, the Air Force doctor who wrote the manual on aerobic activity for the U.S. Air Force and Navy (also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force), noted dramatic transformations in the disposition of the cadets. As they became conditioned by aerobic activity, introverts became extroverts, and those prone to anxiety became self-confident and were able to relax more easily.

Mark Roof has experienced first hand the changes that aerobic activity has made in his own life, and he is eager to share the benefits with the world. There is more on the subject of Cardio Aerobics Exercise for healthy digestion, sleep, and psychological health. Or, if you want the whole story, please visit aerobicexcellence.com

Original article

Aerobic Exercise: How Often and for How Long?

Aerobic Exercise

Synonyms: also called cardiovascular or endurance training

Components of an exercise session:

An individual exercise session should, ideally, include the following components:

• Warm up: lasting 5 - 10 min., should include moderate intensity cardio or calisthenics, can be non-specific or activity specific, i.e. warming up the thigh muscles more on a squat day or before a jog. Warming up prepares the body physically as well as psychologically for the challenge ahead. Although scientific evidence is lacking, anecdotal evidence suggests that warming up can indeed help prevent injuries.

• Conditioning: should last for 20 - 60 min. and includes aerobic training, resistance training, or outdoor sports. This phase is responsible for the maximum benefits derived by the tissues from the exercise session.

• Cool down: Should last for a minimum of 5 to 10 min.; like the warm up phase, this would also include moderate intensity of cardio or muscular exercises. This brings the heart rate to normal in a gradual manner and also prevents sudden fall in blood pressure seen in susceptible individuals.

• Stretching: Should last for 10 min. Again, like the warm up phase, this can be non-specific or specific, i.e. muscles exercised on that day or that session should be stretched. Stretching prevents muscle soreness (mainly DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness) seen especially with resistance training by washing way lactic acid build-up during exercise.

FITT principle as applied to aerobic exercise: the word FITT stands for frequency, intensity, the time (duration) and the type of exercise included in the session.

1. Frequency of Exercise

The number of days per week that you exercise is a crucial determinant of fitness as well as general health benefits derived from the sessions. Moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise (> or equal to 60% VO2R) for 1 to 2 session per day is recommended. However, for the physically inactive, lower intensity training for more session per day should be prescribed. Most authorities recommend a low to moderate level aerobic intensity for at least 3 to 5 days a week, if not on most days of the week. A combination of moderate to vigorous activity for 3 days will also suffice in giving health benefits.

2. Intensity of Exercise

To achieve health benefits, a minimum of intensity of moderate levels (40% - 60% of VO2R) is required. However, as stated above, a combination of moderate to severe intensity aerobic activity (> or = 60% VO2R) can result in faster and better results.

3. Time (duration) of Exercise

This signifies the amount of time spent performing exercise either per session, per day or week. Furthermore, time spent in exercising can be calculated by adding up intervals of 10 or 20 min. The principle behind this is the consideration of the amount of calories spent exercising per week. Evidence suggests that burning a total of 1000 calories per week by accumulating exercise over the week results in fitness and health benefits. Most prominent researchers agree to 150 min. of physical exercise per week as the minimum required to derive cardiovascular benefits. This translates to 30 min. of aerobic activity on 5 days of a week.

4. Type of Exercise

Aerobic exercise involving large muscle groups (thighs) are recommended to derive maximum cardiovascular benefits. The type of exercise that can be undertaken can be fast walking, jogging, running, cycling, rowing, aerobics class, dancing, swimming, cross-country skiing. Recreational weekend sporting activities like basketball, tennis or football can also provide a different stimulus to the body.

Conclusion: a moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise for a minimum of 30 min. per day for 3 - 5 days a week is the current recommendation for deriving fitness and health benefits from an aerobic exercise program.

Hi there,
I am a sports medic, an elite personal trainer and a sports injury, health, medical and fitness writer. For more information on my personal training services or if you have any queries, do not hesitate to get in touch with me at http://www.thefitnessdoc.co.uk/#!__contact-me

Original article

Swimming Pools Offer Great Aerobic And Weight Loss Benefits

There are times, when it's so hot and humid in the summer when you simply can't bring yourself to get outside and exercise. If you have a swimming pool in your own backyard though, you can exercise no matter how hot it gets! Whether you're looking to swim for recreation or for exercise it's a great way to undertake a workout even when the sun is high in the sky. Swimming is a great way to get a cardio workout and build endurance. Even individuals who suffer back, hip, knee pain or deal with arthritis or other painful joint issues. In a swimming pool, the buoyancy relieves the stress on the swimmer's joints and muscles but swimming offers great resistance and allows you to get a great workout in a short amount of time.

Swimming routines provide the same aerobic results as running or walking, all without stressing your knees, legs or back. Additionally, when you're swimming you're working to strengthen your shoulder and back muscles as well as your abs, heart and lungs.

Individuals who commit to a regular swimming routine will quickly enhance cardiovascular fitness, build endurance, increase lung capacity and tone your body as well. Because the resistance you feel in the water is more than the resistance you encounter in the air - ie if you're running or walking - your muscles have to work harder but because of the buoyancy of the water, you do it in a way that doesn't put harmful impact on your joints. Additionally, swimming will improve your body's overall circulation.

Try out various swim strokes for your work out, try to change it up every time you swim or change it up every few laps and work on the breaststroke, freestyle strokes and the backstroke. As with any type of workout, you want to begin your workout with a five to 10 minute warm up of water walking. If you're a beginning swimmer, you should plan your workouts for intervals of 15 to 20 minutes several times a week.

As a weight loss regimen swimming will help you lose weight as the activity burns as many calories per hour as if you'd run for six miles in one hour. Add to the calorie-burning mix, swimming is a relaxing exercise as well and many people find it to be a great time to meditate and help relieve the stresses of the day.

Robbi Hess is a writer/editor/blogger with more than 20 years experience as a writer on assignment. She is a professional writer on assignment who has served on the staff of newspapers, magazines and with book publishers. You can see more about her at http://www.robbihess.com/.

Original article

Aerobic Classes And Its Four Benefits

There are many different workout opportunities available when looking to improve health. The greatest problem with most workouts is that they are fairly mundane and offer very little interaction in an incredibly social environment. When you are seeking to expand your opportunities of discovering a quality workout solution, look to the merits that are available with aerobic classes.

Benefit One: Setting Your Own Pace
While every individual has a wish to improve their overall health, the pace a person can maintain differs from person to person. Some individuals are incredibly healthy and can maintain a very fast pace that is commonly found within the resources of aerobic classes, while other people cannot maintain this pace. Fortunately, you can also set your own pace that enables you to participate in the special opportunities that persists with these classes without fear of judgment or worry when it comes to maintaining the pace of those around you.

Benefit Two: Having Fun
One of the most significant benefits that a person can figure out through the resources of aerobic classes is discovered with enjoying a very fun and active environment. Conventional workout programs can turn out to be routine and tedious resulting in failure in health-related efforts. Individuals anticipate taking advantage of these classes and this assists to create a resource of enthusiasm that will allow you to maintain or continue improving your complete health.

Benefit Three: Making use of an Effective Workout
A cardiovascular workout represents one of the most important resources an individual can cash in on when it pertains to enhancing their total health. If you are trying to lose weight the options of a cardiovascular workout will assist you to increase your metabolism and speedily burn through fat and calorie deposits. If you are trying to improve total health, the solutions of an aerobic workout can help to tone your muscles and burn off any excess fat that you are bothered by.

Benefit Four: Identifying an Affordable Health Solution
The ultimate advantage that is prevalent with use of aerobic classes is seen with a very affordable resource for taking care of positive health. Gym memberships can be extremely expensive and the investment into various health related machines also comes with a great price tag. The affordable solutions of these classes assist you to enjoy a workout experience that offers you tremendous results at a very low price. Each of these advantages displays how a person can take advantage of special possibilities that are available to them through aerobic classes.

Are you an exercise drop-out? Maybe you've never been motivated to even start exercising because nothing excites you. When you love to workout aerobic exercise classes sydney makes it part of your everyday life. AerobicDancing classes will do for you.
Visit http://aerobicdancing.com.au/ to know more.

Original article