| Aerobic exercise is any activity that | | | | a program. |
| elevates your health rate and increases your | | | | |
| oxygen consumption. In addition, this type of | | | | According to exercise physiologists, |
| exercise is one of the best ways of improving | | | | effective aerobic exercise should increase |
| and maintaining good overall health. The | | | | the rate of your pulse to roughly 70% to 80% |
| heart, vascular system, lungs, muscles, | | | | of your predicted maximum heart rate. Before |
| joints, brain, and nervous system all | | | | beginning to exercise, you should calculate |
| benefit. Regular aerobic exercise will help | | | | your target heart rate. While exercising, you |
| you to sleep better, have more energy, be | | | | may want to monitor your pulse to make sure |
| more relaxed, and maintain a more positive | | | | you stay within the target zone. A simple |
| outlook. In fact, aerobic exercise is | | | | guide to remember is that you should not |
| considered an excellent treatment for mild | | | | exercise vigorously and breathe so hard that |
| depression, anxiety, and stress-related | | | | you cannot carry on a conversation as you are |
| problems. In addition to all of those | | | | exercising. |
| benefits, regular aerobic exercise can | | | | |
| increase the levels of natural painkillers in | | | | If you are taking certain medicines for high |
| the nervous system, making it a good way to | | | | blood pressure, your heart rate will not |
| control common types of pain. | | | | increase with exertion as it normally would. |
| | | | In that case, you should use your breathing |
| When combined with a proper diet, aerobic | | | | as a guide. |
| exercise is the most effective method to | | | | |
| control your weight. Many people would be | | | | Although many jobs are physically demanding, |
| happy to shed a few pounds, but for people | | | | very few will provide you with an aerobic |
| with pain, weight loss may also mean an | | | | workout. Better options for aerobic exercise |
| improvement in their condition. extra weight | | | | include walking, jogging, swimming, |
| puts an extra stress on spinal joints and | | | | bicycling, dancing, playing basketball or |
| vertebral disks. If you are overweight, | | | | tennis, and engaging in any other activity |
| aerobic exercise will not only help to | | | | that gets your heart rate into your target |
| relieve your pain but may also help to | | | | zone and maintains that rate for the time you |
| control your weight. | | | | are exercising. |
| | | | |
| Aerobic exercise is good for people with many | | | | Some people do only one type of aerobic |
| different health conditions, as long as they | | | | exercise, but it is generally better to |
| start at a reasonable level and build up | | | | alternate among two or more activities. This |
| gradually. However, if you are over age 40 or | | | | so-called cross training will make you |
| have a medical condition that you think might | | | | physically fit for a wider variety of |
| be affected by aerobic exercise, be sure to | | | | activities and keep you from getting bored. |
| check with your doctor before beginning such | | | | |