Some Basic Step Aerobic Exercises

Due to its many benefits, step aerobics are gradually gaining a lot of popularity amongst people nowadays. These are easier to perform and have proven to be very effective in enhancing physical fitness. Theses can be performed anywhere and by anyone.

You don't need a coach or any special equipment, the only thing you need is a good pair of shoes and a raised platform about 4-12 inches depending on the level of difficulty. So follow theses simple step aerobics to workout better.

Basic left

Start by putting first your right foot on the step, and then put your left foot. Step backwards your right foot on the floor followed by your left foot. You can increase the speed and all the while make sure that your heels are on the surface.

V step

This is similar to the basic, but in this exercise when you step on the platform, you step away from the center of the step. Start with your right foot; place your right foot further from the center followed by your left foot stepping further in the opposite direction. Now bring your right foot back to the center of the step on the floor followed by your left foot.

Knee lift

Step with your right foot and lift your left knee up or you can do it vice versa.

Alternating knee lifts

You can step your right foot and lift your left knee, then place your left foot back on the floor followed by the right foot and then step with your left foot and lift your right knee. In this way you can lift your both knees alternately.

Side lifts

Step with your right foot and raise your left leg to the side. Don't strain your muscles much and just feel a bit tension in the leg. Then put your left leg down on the floor followed by your right foot and repeat the exercise.

Alternating side lifts

This is similar to side lift. Step with right foot and raise your left leg, place back your left le followed by your right foot. Now step with your left foot and raise your right leg sideways, place it back and step your left foot down and repeat the exercise. Hence you can do side lifts alternately.

You can lead the stepping in all the workouts by any foot you're comfortable with; right or left.

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Quick and Easy Aerobic Exercise

We all understand the benefits to our health of doing aerobic exercise and eating only what's good for us. According to various online websites, aerobic exercise needs to include a workout that makes the heart and lungs work at a higher rate than they would when at rest for any length of time. There are many kinds of aerobic exercises that you can choose from which include skiing, running, dancing, walking, cycling, swimming, stair climbing, and skating.

Aerobic exercise DVD's and videos are something that you might decide to tryout in the privacy of your own home, and give you a full workout that's really going to get your heart pumping. Not everyone has the gym as an option, nor does it have to be one. Other people are managing to get some aerobic exercises done at work, at school, or, of course, at home.

A number of the larger companies offer their employees working out facilities and they could even have running tracks as well as providing walking paths around their grounds. Actually, many corporations are encouraging aerobic exercise while you're at work to lower fatigue and increase energy, as well as helping to increase overall well being.

Studies have shown that performing aerobic exercises on a daily basis helps to boost the immune system, lowers cholesterol, increases endorphins and lowers blood pressure, decreases your risk of developing heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and a number of forms of cancer. Physical exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, and brings about a unity of mind, body and spirit.

Different exercises can be performed over various lengths of time depending on how demanding the exercise is. For example, spending thirty minutes walking at a moderate speed is the equivalent to running or jogging for as much as fifteen to twenty minutes. You get the same physical benefits from each.

Ten minutes of tiring stair climbing is also wonderful aerobic exercise that you'll be able to get done while on a lunch break, or when you're at home, actually, this is something you can do virtually anywhere. Exercise programs can be made to fit with even the most exacting of fitness needs, even if the only thing you've done recently was not much more than moving from the bedroom, all the way to the couch then to the kitchen and back via the misplaced television remote. You have to start somewhere!

The plus side of regular aerobic exercise is fairly apparent, and should be worked into our daily lives. Noticeable improvements in both cardiac and lung function can be reached with as little as twenty to thirty minutes three times a week. As you start to improve your fitness levels your workout sessions can be raised to five times a week for thirty minutes per session. If any particular health worries are present, a health care professional has to be consulted before you begin any strength training or exercise program.

The benefits of mild physical exercises are unquestionable and can get you on track to a much healthier life, minus the chronic disease and illness. So get those shoes on and get going!

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Home Aerobic Exercises to Burn Fats Fast! Now Stop Worrying About That Stubborn Fat & Read This

It is a known fact that aerobics is one of the best forms of home exercises that can help you to lose fat and weight fast. These exercises are good for any age group and have proved effective and efficient. If you do not have the time and money to join a gym or buy fancy equipment, then all you got to do is do the following exercises at home.

Walking is the one of the best exercises...
For those who find jogging too much for their joints can opt for walking. Beginners can start with a short distance and slow speed and can increase the duration and speed once their bodies get used to it. Remember to wear the right kind of clothing and shoes.

Walking will help exercise all the muscles and joints in the body. Make sure you walk regularly every day and take short breaks if required. Running and jogging are also extremely helpful in burning fats.

Exercises to reduce body weight...
Aerobic exercises to reduce body weight should include push ups. Push ups can be modified by resting your knees and toes on the floor. The front bridge exercise is also effective: Lie straight, face down on the ground with the forearms and toes being the points of contact with the floor. Do this as long as you are comfortable.

Dance away your fat...
Everybody likes to dance so why not use this form of aerobic exercise to burn away your fat and extra calories? There is no need for any special guidance or training to do this exercise. All you have to do is put on some good music that you love and dance! You will be surprised to see the huge amount of calories that can be burned in this way.

As long as you enjoy the music you can keep dancing. This is one of the most popular and effective ways to lose weight.

Biking and Cycling exercises...
These types of aerobic exercises help you to keep your weight in control by burning all the stored fat in the body. Both these exercises help you to retain good shape and fitness level. Abdominal fat is reduced and you can maintain a healthy level of blood pressure and cholesterol.

Apart from burning of fat, these exercises make your leg and thigh muscles extremely fit and strong. Almost 350 calories of fat can be burned by cycling and biking for an hour!

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Balancing Muscle and Cardio Fitness For Total Gains

There is much to say about balance. When everything is balanced, there is leverage, things are even. With such a state of equilibrium, you can expect a better footing which most likely results to stability and optimal benefits. Balance is advisably applied to health and fitness and life in general. Take the case of an exercise regimen. Many people are under the notion that a certain or specific kind of exercise would be most suited for them. Aerobic exercise had been a popular exercise scheme in the past. People were under the notion that aerobic physical activity alone will deliver the best fitness results.

But as more advancements in the health and fitness arena took place, innovative fitness schemes emerged, one of which is combining exercises. As certain exercises are combined, the key to making them efficient is through balance. When aiming on fitness, it is not enough that you lose weight. You have to ensure that your muscles are toned as well. You ought to develop muscle mass not only to have an appealing physique, but more so, to boost your metabolism. And boosted metabolism is the most crucial factor in weight loss. Then again, when fitness is considered, health should also be taken into account.

In muscle building, you grow muscle mass, you look better. But more than looking better, you should be healthy, too. You have to make sure that your body processes such as blood circulation and respiration are functioning at their best. This is termed as cardiovascular health, or cardio fitness. Building muscle mass is aimed on gaining fit and well-conditioned muscles. You have to consider that your heart is a muscle as well. In the same as the other muscles in your body, you have to keep your heart working well by working it out. Cardio exercises are effective in this regard.

So other than your body building program, you ought to take time for aerobic exercise. You can do so by engaging in certain cardio fitness workouts such as jogging or brisk walking. Gym exercises can also fare well in this endeavor especially with the availability of commercial gym equipments. Other than giving you leisure and relaxation, playing your favorite sport will also benefit your cardiovascular health and fitness. Cardio fitness workouts primarily effect the heart and lungs. When performing such workouts your heart rate increases, and circulation in your system improves. Oxygen flow throughout your body is also enhanced. Bodybuilders should consider incorporating cardio fitness activities in their bodybuilding plan.

In a bodybuilding plan, an athlete is usually advised to eat a diet rich in proteins. When having a protein-rich diet, chances are that fat will develop in the body. Muscle building exercises are designed to burn these fats, but what about cholesterol? Cholesterol in itself presents too many health detriments, and they have to be done away with. Cardio fitness workouts will be effective in this aspect. But remember the rule of balance in the program. Too much aerobic activity can reverse the effect of your bodybuilding workout- it can reduce muscle mass. So it is should be the proportionate amount of bodybuilding and cardio workouts to gain total health and fitness.

In your weight training program, you can incorporate activities such as jumping rope, fitness walking or jogging, riding a bike and even playing basketball with your friends. Again, do your balancing with working hard and leisure even as you strive towards being healthy and looking good.

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Step Aerobics - 3 Exercises

Step Aerobics is another form of aerobic exercise that involves an elevated platform or a step. The person places his foot on it and performs various forms of exercises. The very basic step aerobics involves placing one foot on the platform and then alternately place the other foot on the platform with first foot down the step.

Different variations in this very basic exercise are practiced to perform a regular workout. There are many reasons as to why many are interested in making step aerobics a part of their regular workout sessions. These are explained below:

It is not only simple but easy to perform as well. This workout is more intense than normal aerobics.

You don't require proper coordination for this exercise. The exercise is a low-impact one that stresses joints less as compared to jogging and running. The equipment used is cheap
It burns calories.

Small area can be used for this and can be carried out at home. You will receive same benefits as that of cardio exercise.

There were some of the benefits and reasons why step aerobics are preferred by most of the people nowadays. Three step aerobics are given below:

1. Charleston: The initial position for this is such that the person is standing at an angle to the step such that the right foot is placed on the step and the left foot is nearer to step as compared to the right one. Now, the left foot is placed at the corner of the step. The knee is raised or tapping or while kicking the left foot is moved to the initial position. Finally bring down your foot from the step and lung backward.

2. A-step: Place one foot on the step while the other on the ground. Now bring your other foot that is on ground upwards at the same time bring the foot on the step down on the ground but on the other side of the step. Place your second foot adjoining to the first step on the ground on the other side of the step.

3. Diagonal: Stand parallel to the step at the corner such that it is towards the left of your foot. Now place your left foot right in the center right of step while the right foot is placed at top left of step. Now, place your left foot on floor such that it is near to the corner of step which is diagonally opposite to your initial position. Place your right foot next to the left foot.

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Aerobic Exercise For Overall Body Wellness

James Brown's lyrics - "get up off of that thang...... dance and you'll feel betta" is what we all need to be doing. That or some other form of aerobic exercise that gets our heart beat up for at least 30 minutes.

Aerobic exercise is one of the most effective forms of exercise for increasing our heart and lung health and for maintaining or losing weight. Exercise is therefore one of the key ingredients in maintaining overall body wellness.

Making exercise fun is half the battle. For me it's dancing. I love, love, love to dance and Latin dancing is my new favorite passion. Why? Because it is a whole lot of fun. My husband and I went Latin dancing at a local gig last Saturday and we definitely worked up a good sweat. But a sweet sweat, if you know what I mean.

Other than dancing, I try to hit the treadmill and least 5 days a week for 30 - 40 minutes. I don't like the gym scene - so that's out for me. I tried yoga - but I'm not a yoga gal either. So my own personal challenge is to find one other activity that I'm passionate about that would qualify as exercise. And once you find the passion folks, you will see how easy it is to stick to your exercise routine.

Body wellness and exercise go hand in hand. I read in Prevention Magazine eons ago that a person's ability to do well on a treadmill test is a strong predictor of mortality... Take note everyone and "Get up off of thang..." See you on the dance floor?

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The Secrets of Fat Loss Through Aerobic Exercise

We exercise for a variety of reasons - weight loss, to build muscle tone, to increase strength, to strengthen our heart, to prepare for a sport, etc. Most of us over the age of 50 exercise to improve our health and fitness. This usually includes most of the things I just listed.

If one of your main goals is to lose weight, you may want to look at the type and amount of aerobic exercise you're doing. Aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, biking, and swimming are most useful for strengthening our heart and can be very effective in helping us to reduce body fat. You should be aware that I didn't say "lose weight" for a very specific reason. We can go on a low calorie diet and lose weight, but it might not help us to be healthier. That's because without proper exercise we may actually lose weight, but not lose unhealthy fat. And, on the flip side, increasing the amount of exercise we do may actually prevent us from losing as much weight.

Can this be a good thing? Absolutely. When I started training for triathlons back in the 80's, I lost quite a few inches from various body measurements, but I hardly lost any weight. The reason for this was that the aerobic exercise I was doing helped me burn fat and replaced it with muscle. By volume, muscle weighs more than fat. The types and intensity of aerobic exercises that I was doing to train for triathlons wasn't ideal for fat loss. What I'm going to talk about here is aerobic exercise targeted primarily toward fat loss.

If you have excess body fat that you need to lose to be healthy you basically need to do two things. One, is to make sure that the amount of calories you burn each day exceeds the calories you take in. That requires that the amount and kind of foods that you eat need to be carefully controlled. One of the reasons that I didn't lose more weight and body fat when I was training for triathlons was that I was eating a diet extremely high in carbohydrates in order to give my body enough of the right kind of fuel to do long distance running, swimming, and biking. This is not the ideal diet to help a person lose fat.

The second thing necessary for optimum fat loss is to make sure that you exercise in such a way that as many of the calories that you burn come from stored fat as is possible. Again, my triathlon training wasn't ideal for this because I was trying to train my body to utilize carbohydrates as efficiently as possible and vastly increase my aerobic capacity. I won't go into the physiological reason here, but let me assure you that the diet and exercise routine for a long distance athlete is different from that of someone whose main goal is to lose fat.

So, how do you tailor your aerobic exercise program to help you lose the maximum amount of fat possible? I'm glad you asked. First of all, make sure you're on a relatively low fat diet. This will help make sure that your body doesn't have too many fat calories available from food to burn as fuel. Now, for the most important secret for fat burning using aerobic exercise. You have to make sure that you do your aerobic exercise in the maximum fat burning zone. This is determined by estimating your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age is usually a good estimate). Then determine your fat burning target heart rate (THR) zone by multiplying your maximum heart rate by 55% and 65% to get the range you should keep your heart rate in during your aerobic exercise. Here's an example: I'm 60 years old, so to determine my estimated maximum heart rate I take 220 minus 60, which is 160. I then take the 160 and multiply it by 55% and 65%. This gives me 88 and 104, which is the range I need to keep my heart rate in while doing aerobic exercise in order to maximize my fat loss. Another important thing to realize is that to optimize fat loss, you should do this type of aerobic exercise for 45 - 60 minutes 4 or 5 times a week. You don't have to start with that much, but your goal should be to get up to those times.

To keep your heart rate within your appropriate range you will need to check it frequently by taking your pulse. It's very important that your heart rate stays within your range. If it goes too low you won't get any benefit. And, if it goes too high you'll get benefits, but they won't be the fat burning benefits that you specifically want.

Walking is an excellent form of aerobic exercise to use for maximum fat burning. It's easy to do almost anywhere, and it requires nothing more than a good pair of walking shoes and appropriate clothing for your exercise environment. If you use walking, try to make sure that you're walking in an area that is relatively flat. If there are hills, it becomes very difficult to walk at a consistent pace and keep your heart rate within the desired zone. A treadmill and heart rate monitor can be quite useful in helping you to stay in your zone.

Many excellent forms of aerobic exercise aren't very good for maximum fat loss because they raise your heart rate too high. Things like aerobic dance, jazzercise, stair climbing machines, bicycle spinning classes, etc. are great exercises for strengthening your heart, but they push your heart rate too high for maximum fat loss.

Another nice thing about exercising at a rate that will give you maximum fat loss is that once you lose the fat you'll be in much better shape to use your aerobic exercise for strengthening your heart even more. You will be in a much better position to workout at higher heart rates if you want to.

So, if your main goal right now is to lose unhealthy body fat, you should determine your ideal fat burning heart rate zone and start doing an aerobic exercise that will keep your heart rate in that zone.

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Jogging

Jogging is one of the best cardiovascular exercises out there, and it is an activity that is available to everyone. One reason why jogging is a superior fat-burning exercise is because it is more efficient. Simply put, you can burn more calories when you jog for an hour than when you walk for a similar period of time. Because jogging is a relatively high impact exercise, it puts a greater strain on your body. This forces your body to use up more energy, which in turn results in more calories burned.

Since many more people are jogging today than ever before, there are more opportunities to socialize now through the exercise. Hundreds of thousands wake up each morning to go for a little run - and you can be one of them. By jogging on a regular basis, the chances are pretty high that you will make a friend along the way. This will only improve your chances of losing weight, since studies show that people exercise more regularly when they have an exercise partner.

Despite its advantages, jogging is still not advisable for everyone. Compared to walking, it produces quite a lot of injuries. As mentioned earlier, jogging puts a greater strain on your body than walking. While this strain can be reduced by having the right type of footwear and by learning to stretch properly, the possibility of personal injury still exists. Muscles and joints in the leg area are often the areas that are affected. For people who are prone to injuries in this area, walking might still be a better exercise option.

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Knowing More About Cardiovascular Training

Many people want many things in their life, and health becomes one of the top priorities. What about you? If you have the same answer, the following explanation will let you to know more about the benefits of cardiovascular training. Besides, you will know about several important things related to such matter. If you pay your great attention to this training, you will get the great healthy body and fitness. We will talk more about the training now.

The cardiovascular training is the great activity to burn your fat effectively. So, it is better for those who are in their weight loss program. What is the definition of such training actually? You can define such training as any exercise that elevates your heart rate to a range between 60 to 85 percent of your maximum rate. The experts said that people can get numerous health benefits from this training.

Some of the cardiovascular benefits are including to burn calories, loosing body fat, strengthen your heart and also lungs. The more important benefit is for those who suffer from heart disease. It has widely Known that heart disease is the leading cause of premature death. It can be happened to both women and men. So, if you belong to such group, you are much recommended to consider very well about cardiovascular fitness.

How long should you have cardiovascular training? The latest researches by some experts found that the best training should last for 20 to 60 minutes. What about the normal range? They claim 30 to 40 minutes per session as the best range. How often should you have such training a week? There are several different opinions, but the common frequency is between two and three days per week. Some of the great cardiovascular exercise examples are: aerobics, elliptical trainers, running, sprinting and also stationary bike.

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Losing Weight With Aerobics Training

What is Aerobic Exercise?

Aerobics exercise is accomplished by working at moderate intensity for a long period of time. You should first warm-up for five to ten minutes with a heart rate of 50 to 60% of maximum, followed by at least 20 minutes of exercise with a heart rate at 70 to 80% of maximum, then finish your workout with a cool-down period of 5 to 10 minute at a heart rate of 50 to 60%.

How to get started

The first thing you should do before starting any exercise program is consult with a physician. You should always be sure you can physically tolerate the exercise program you are going to follow without doing any physical harm to yourself. Getting a physical from your doctor is always a good idea before starting any type of exercise. It is a good idea to have a physical once a year even if you are not starting to exercise.

The next step is to determine what type of exercise you want to do along with setting some goals for yourself. Here are a few of the most effective aerobic exercises for burning body fat:

o Even though walking is by no means the most effective exercise for burning body fat, it is something almost anyone can do. Walking is recommended for anyone who is extremely overweight and cannot do most other forms of exercise. Older people and women who are pregnant will also find walking to be an exercise they can tolerate while you gradually work up to more efficient and aggressive exercise.

o Rowing is one of the most effective aerobic exercises for burning body fat. If one of your goals is to build muscle as well than a good rowing machine can help you to succeed. Rowing works all the muscle groups of the body while burning more calories than all the other aerobic exercises.

o Running is another efficient way of burning body fat. The intensity needed to run makes it a very effective way to shed those unwanted pounds and makes it a very good exercise for your cardio system. You should be aware that even though running is an excellent exercise for burning body fat, it can be extremely rough on the legs. Your legs can really take a pounding if you are running on hard surfaces, especially your knees. Always wear good running shoes.

o Elliptical machines are another excellent form. They have only been around a few short years but have already proven to be one of the best ways to burn body fat. Elliptical machines like rowing machines can also aid in building muscle mass.

Always remember that it took along time to get in the shape you are in now. So do not expect your condition to change overnight, "slow and steady wins the race."

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The Best Types of Aerobic Exercise For Weight Loss and Fitness

Have you ever noticed that what is commonly thought of as the truth about any subject is usually outdated and quite often later proven totally false? I can only speak about my field of health, fitness and longevity for sure, but I suspect it is also true in other areas as well. The myths of cholesterol, calcium, sunlight and aerobic exercise are all good examples.

Definition
Aerobic exercise is exercising using large muscle groups, legs, hips and arms, while using large amounts of oxygen. Running, walking, cycling, swimming, water workouts, and dancing are good examples.

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
There is no doubt that most any form of aerobic exercise offers some benefits such as better circulation, improved respiration, better muscle tone and a feeling of well being. However most people are doing aerobic exercise for weight loss.

In the past aerobic exercise was touted as the best way to burn fat, lose weight and protect the heart. However recent studies have put these assumptions in question.

If You Want to Burn Fat/Lose Weight
Studies and real life experience from many of the top fitness trainers show, that long bouts of medium intensity aerobic exercise like jogging are not very efficient at burning fat. Many people will admit that they have been jogging for hours and can't get rid of their excess body fat.

Short bouts of high intensity exercises such as weight training and aerobic intervals training are much more effective and time efficient. It seems this type of exercises keeps the metabolism raised for a longer time, thus burning more calories.

Your Best Types of Aerobic Exercise
Spinning on a stationery bike for 20-30 minutes with several 30-60 second sprints is best. It is convenient and easy on your joints. You can also do interval wind sprints while running, cycling or swimming.

Running
Running is very popular, however many people would be better off power walking or swimming. I see many people running with knees wrapped up, struggling with bad posture. If you don't have joint problems and can run easily with good posture, then running is fine. However it isn't necessary to run for more than a few miles, especially if you are running on a hard surface like the street. I highly recommend running only on grass, sand, dirt or running tracks, if you want to preserve your joints and avoid over use injuries.

Improving Your Heart Function
Aerobic endurance training is supposed to improve heart function. Think about this; the heart is already an amazing endurance muscle. It can beat non stop 50-80 times per minute for up to 100 years. If that's not super endurance I don't know what is. The heart doesn't need to be trained for endurance unless you want to compete in endurance events. The heart needs to be trained to withstand moments of high intensity stress. High intensity stress can come from life and death threatening situations of all kinds and from extreme emotional times.

Short bouts of high intensity aerobic exercise will prepare your heart to withstand the stress of maximum heartbeat required to meet a certain challenge.

Conclusion

You can be highly successful at burning body fat and strengthening your heart, by undertake shorts bouts of high intensity aerobic exercise on a regular basis. And as always; I highly recommend hiring a qualified fitness instructor to get you started on a safe and effective overall fitness program.

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Establishing a Fitness Training Routine

Determined to become healthy and get into shape? You'll want to establish a fitness training routine. The tips in this article can help the beginning athlete to get the best results possible from a training program.

Effective training is well-rounded training. Do not choose only one type of exercise and consider your routine complete. Instead, include aerobic exercise, strength training, core stability training, and stretching in your routine. It is best to begin with aerobic exercise. Once you have completed your aerobic exercise, move to the strength training component to strengthen muscles. Next, attend to core stability with exercises to strengthen the midsection and back. Once all strength and core training is complete, be sure to stretch out and cool down.

Many people find that morning exercise works best for them, and studies have actually shown that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with it.

People tend to plan their days in the morning, and if exercise is completed first thing, it provides a healthy and beneficial start to the day.

You may find that you like some forms of exercise more than others, and you may be tempted to choose your favorite and neglect the rest. This is a common error. Although many people believe that they can maintain health and fitness with only one set of exercise, the truth is that more than one set is generally needed to maintain fitness.

Your body will move a great deal during your workouts; this is normal, and to be expected. You will also be repeating exercises. Most exercises give maximum benefit when performed in sets of two or three.

If you have no prior fitness training experience, you will want to be careful not to overdo it or cause injury. Begin with one set of exercise, and build up slowly as your body becomes used to the exercise. More exercises can be added as fitness increases.

Whenever possible, exercise at home and outdoors. Unlike exercise at a gym, exercise at home or outside does not require a membership, is readily available, and doesn't become too crowded for efficient use.

If you feel yourself becoming bored with exercise, take it outside. Outdoor exercise, such as jogging or walking, can be a great way to condition the body while providing variety to a fitness routine.

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Aerobic Cross Training for Weight Loss

Do you sometimes get bored with your aerobic exercise? Do You sometimes feel like you're not getting the results you should from your aerobic exercise? If so, then aerobic cross-training is for you.

Aerobic cross-training refers to using two to three different types of aerobic exercise during an exercise session. For example, if you plan to exercise for 60 minutes, you might start with 20 minutes of walking or jogging, followed by 20 minutes of biking, and finish with 20 minutes of rowing.

Now, please don't get the impression that you have to be in great shape to do this or that it has to be 60 minutes long. You can start with something as simple as a ten minute walk followed by ten minutes with an exercise video. This is cross-training too. You can gradually build up from there.

Here are some of the exercises you can use in your cross-training program; walking, jogging, biking, rowing, stair climbing, swimming, exercise videos, etc. Any combination of aerobic exercises will do. You simply go from one to the next with very little time between them.

Aerobic cross-training is beneficial to you in several ways:

1. It provides variety which eliminates the monotony often associated with doing the same exercise for a long period of time.

2. If your exercise sessions are less monotonous and more enjoyable, you are much more likely to exercise more often and for longer periods of time.

3. You are less prone to over-use injuries that sometimes occur from doing the same exercise movements over and over again.

4. You tone more muscles because you are using more muscles. For example, walking tones mostly the lower body muscles and rowing tones upper body muscles also. Even exercises like walking and biking that both tone lower body muscles, tone them at different angles and each tones some small muscles that the other doesn't.

5. Aerobic conditioning is very specific to the muscles being worked. For example, you can walk ten miles a day and still be somewhat breathless after climbing stairs because you haven't trained the muscles for that specific movement. Aerobic cross-training allows you to develop more comprehensive aerobic training.

6. Aerobic cross-training is effective for weight loss because your are toning and training the fat-burning systems of more of your muscles. It turns more of your muscles into 24-hour fat-burning machines! You are also more likely to exercise on a regular basis and for longer periods of time. this also promotes weight loss and fitness.

copyright 2007 by Greg Landry, M.S.

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Exercise Tips

Exercise Tips

The most effective exercise regimen includes both strength training and cardiovascular (aerobic) training in a consistent, regular program.

· 2-4 days of strength training and

· 2-5 days of aerobic activity; or

· 3-4 days of circuit training.

Every safe and effective exercise program should consist of three elements. In order, they are:

· Warm Up

· Work Out

· Cool Down

Warm Up

Always warm up before exercising. People who do not warm up before exercising are the ones who usually end up sustaining injuries. Protect your neck, back, spine, and joints. Get the blood and juices flowing and wake up your muscles gradually through a series of stretches and preliminary sets using reduced resistance. This is one time when "going through the motions" can be extremely beneficial.

Strength Work Out

Perform at least one set of 8-12 reps to near fatigue for each muscle group in the body (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs, thighs, hamstrings, and calves) a minimum of two times per week. Your goal should be to work up to doing three sets (increasing the resistance for each successive set) with 30-60 seconds of rest between each set.

Start out slowly.. By doing additional sets or combinations of sets you can realize even greater strength and body shaping gains. Following are some basic guidelines useful for all strength training exercises:

· Perform each exercise smoothly and evenly through the whole range of motion in a slow, controlled manner. Never jerk or lunge.

· Breathe. Exhale against the resistance; inhale on the return. Do not hold your breath.

· Always resist the Power Bands back to the starting position for each exercise. This provides a training effect in both directions.

· Increase the resistance for successive sets by 5%-10%. In general, increase the resistance when 12 repetitions can be completed in proper form; decrease the resistance when less than 8 reps can be completed.

· Replace fluids lost while exercising by drinking water at regular intervals during exercise. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink.

· Rest a minimum of 48 hours and a maximum of 96 hours between training sessions using the same muscle groups.

Aerobic Work Out

An exercise is classified as aerobic if the oxygen supply is sufficient to meet the oxygen demand of the working muscles during the exercise. When this occurs, it's possible to continue the exercise for prolonged periods of time (12 minutes or more). Another aspect of aerobic exercise is that it engages the large muscle groups, principally those of the legs, continuously over the length of the exercise. Brisk walking, running, jogging, cycling, rowing, jumping rope, etc. are examples of aerobic exercise.

You can achieve an aerobic training effect by performing aerobic exercise for a minimum of 12 minutes during which your heart rate has been elevated to within your training range. The training range is between 65% and 80% of your Age-Predicted Maximum Heart Rate (approximately 220 minus your age). Remember: It takes a few minutes of exercise to elevate your heart rate into the training range and this time does not count toward the minimum 12 minutes.

Circuit Training Work Out

Circuit training consists of a series of strength training exercises, commonly interspersed with short episodes of aerobic exercise, all done one after the other with as little time between each exercise as possible.

The object is to perform strength training exercises on the major muscle groups while maintaining an effective aerobic training level. Circuit training takes significantly less time to achieve results comparable to separate programs of strength training and aerobics.

Since lack of time is the number one reason people give for failing to start or maintain a regular exercise program, circuit training is a method that makes sense. And SmartGYM, with its revolutionary new design that allows simultaneous aerobic and strength training, is the ideal circuit training machine.

Cool Down

Never quit exercising suddenly. Instead, decrease your intensity gradually and finish up with some stretching movements to allow your heart rate to come back down to normal, nice and easy. This can help to reduce muscle cramping and post exercise muscle pain.

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Benefits of Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises are also known as cardiovascular exercises, because they are performed in a continuous manner. They increase your heart rate and maximize your oxygen consumption. These are considered vital in your weight loss program and have countless benefits.

Enlargement of lungs

Aerobic exercises require you to exercises continuously without any pause. This keeps your heart at a higher rate and makes you breathless. The exercises require a lot of oxygen thus your lungs work harder and are enlarged. All your respiratory muscles are strengthened.

Protection against heart diseases

Your heart rate is increased and in this way you are protected against deviant blood pressures, heart attacks and strokes. Your blood circulation is improved and your red blood cells increases in quantity.

Reduce stress

The exercises are an excellent way to reduce depression and stress. While you exercise, your body releases hormones called endorphins. These hormones inhibit your brain's reception of pain. Your mental health improves and you are protected against many brain related ailments like head aches. With reduced stress and depression, you have enhanced self esteem and confidence.

Burning of calories

If you want to lose your extra pounds then go for aerobic exercises. These effectively burn your calories and tone your body. When you exercise slowly then you use 80 percent of your fat calories and when you push harder, the total number of calories burnt increases. Walking for 30 minutes burns 135 calories while jogging burns 240. If you go for walking under water then you burn 264 calories in 30 minutes while by jogging you burn 340 calories. You can burn up to 400 calories with bicycling, step aerobics and swimming.

Physical strength

By exercising consistently you increase stamina and endurance of your bones and muscles. Your metabolic rate is increased and you become more active with enhanced agility. You start burning your fats and start building lean muscle mass. Your bones are strengthened and your joints lubricated. These protect you from diseases that might attack you later in your life.

Simple exercises

Simple aerobic exercises can be done even at your home. Skip rope or do rebounding while watching TV or listening to your favorite music. For outdoor aerobics, walk or jog in a nearby park. You can cycle down the lane or climb stairs of the nearest mall several times. Hence these exercises are not only good for your health they are inexpensive too.

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Aerobic Vs Anaerobic Energy Training Systems

To help understand Aerobic training think "with oxygen," and how the body needs oxygen to perform a certain activity. Being in an aerobic state is when the body demands for oxygen and fuel which can produced through breathing in. The most commonly used example of someone who would need to train aerobically is a marathon runner.

Anaerobic means "without oxygen," and is shorter than aerobic training in duration (less than two minutes. With anaerobic training, oxygen is not a limiting factor in performance, and requires energy from anaerobic sources. These energy sources involve the utilization of phosphagen and lactic acid by the athlete's body. This is why when you are running a sprint your legs start to burn or feel tired(that is the lactic acid building). A track athlete who competes in events 400m or less would make their most efficient gains using a Anaerobic training program.

When you are becoming an efficient athlete you need to understand the purposes of all of these energy systems as well as some other variables involved, such as Lactic Acid. Lactic acid is formed from glucose, and used by working muscles for energy.

By using a high intensity training program(lactate threshold training) the body creates additional proteins that help absorb and convert lactic acid to energy.

Lactate threshold (LT) training is a popular method of improving high intensity endurance performance. This method of training is popular among MMA fighters and wrestlers who need to have explosiveness while maintaining endurance. While V02 Max may reveal an athlete's genetic potential and natural ability, their lactate threshold can be dramatically increased with a proper training program. Due to the room for improvement of your lactate threshold both complex and simplistic workouts have been created to increase lactate threshold ability.

When looking to improve your lactate threshold, increasing your exercise intensity so you train at or barely above your (LT) heart rate. This training can be interval training or steady training.

I would recommend interval training for athletes who are looking to increase endurance, burn fat, and increase your lactic threshold. You can do this by warming up on a track or a treadmill(depending on knee and joint health with a light jog. After a two minute jog and little sweat, you need to incorporate a higher intensity sprint. For example...

2 minute jog
45 second 60% sprint x3
60 sec break
30 second 80% sprint x3
60 sec break
20 second 100% sprint x2
90 sec break

That is just one example of a interval sprinting workout. With this you will see dramatic gains in little time. Please, if there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to let me know. Hope this Helps.

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Cardio Workouts - Exercises For Serious Fat Loss

One of the most effective combos for some serious fat loss is circuit training along side interval training. The following gives you a program to make you sweat out a blast of fat within 45 minutes!

You should know your Maximum Heart Rate and your correct training zone to know if you are training at the right pace. You can easily find your Target Heart Rate (thr) with this simple method. Subtract your age from 220 (226 for women) to calculate your Maximum Heart Rate (mhr). Find your training zone below and multiply that number times your maximum rate.

Healthy Heart Zone (Warm up) 50-60% of maximum heart rate

Fitness Zone (Fat Burning) 60-70% of maximum heart rate

Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) 70-80% of maximum heart rate

Anaerobic Zone (Performance Training) 80-90% of maximum heart rate

Red Line (Maximum Effort) 90-100% of maximum heart rate

Here is a sample of a 35 year old male who is working out in a training zone for fat burning (70%):

220 - 35 = 185
185 X .70 (70%) = 129.5 beats per minute

Strict form for this training is a must in order to maximize gains and prevent injury. Before you begin make sure you have a towel on hand, some water and really good cross trainer type sneakers well tied.

Follow the below with no rest in between until it says so, then repeat for one more round! These may seem menial but I DARE you to try it, I guarantee you will get your butt beat!

20 pushups
20 walking lunges per leg
10 burpees
Skip rope for 1 minute
20 bicep curls
50 Ab crunches on ball
20 Tricep Dips
25 Jumping Jax
10 deadlifts, stiff legged
20 Front Delt Raises
Stair stepping for 2 minutes
Rest for 5-7 minutes while stretched in muscle worked for 10 seconds remembering to stretch each side.

Sometimes we forget that it only takes a few simple exercises to get to our goals and that we can work with what we have. A gym is excellent but how about those who do not go to a gym for whatever reason? Something like this can be done at home as well. What if you did not feel like going to the gym because of weather or time constraints? This program eliminates excuses and keeps you on your game!

Water helps to get that fat out of your system so sipping throughout your workout is hugely advantageous and recommended.

This workout is well complimented by doing it 2 times per week with 2-3 extra days of 20+ minutes cardio work on a cross trainer or jogging. The stretching portion will help you recover for your next round as well as helping eliminate lactic acid build up which can cause delayed onset muscle soreness.

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7 Great Cardio Workout Routines

Cardio exercise are very essential for its many benefits like :

A.Weight loss
B.Stronger heart and lungs
C.Increased bone density
D.Reduced stress
E.Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer
F.Temporary relief from depression and anxiety

Following are 7 steps for cardio workout routines:

1. Running

Running is one the simplest exercise to do which is very effective too. It doesn't require special equipment (except some quality shoes) and you can do it anywhere. Best of all, you burn serious calories, especially if you add hills and sprints. The downside is, it takes lots of practice and you should watch your knees and ankles for any discomfort or pain.

2. Bicycling

Do it Outdoors or indoors, cycling gives some great cardio. Using all the power in your legs, you'll increase endurance while burning lots of calories, anywhere from 250-500 in 30 minutes, depending on your speed and your resistance power. This exercise is fun too.

3. Step Aerobics

Step is one tough workout that targets your legs, butt and hips while burning almost 400 calories in 30 minutes (during high intensity sessions). Though it might look complicated, step is easy to learn if you start with a beginner class or video.

4. Walking

Walking is a great exercise, burning about 180 calories in 30 minutes. Addition of hills, sprints or even a few minutes of jogging will only increase the amount of calories you burn. Make sure you walk briskly and keep you head up, back straight and swing your arms. This isn't a hard exercise at all.

5. Swimming

Swimming is an exercise for the entire body. The more body parts you involve in your workout, the more calories you'll burn. 30 minutes of breast stroke will help you shed 400 calories. Best advantage is that your joints are fully supported so you need not worry about high-impact injuries. It's also great cross-training for other cardio activities.

6. Handball

The side-to-side sprints while playing strengthen your legs and increase your heart rate. The learning curve is high, so plan on practicing a lot before you can even hit that little ball.

7. Rowing

This is an often a machine in the gym which is not used much because most people are confused about how it works. Increase in heart rate as well as arm work rate are the effects of rowing.

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Aerobic Exercise Is The Way To Good Health

Aerobic exercise is any activity that elevates your health rate and increases your oxygen consumption. In addition, this type of exercise is one of the best ways of improving and maintaining good overall health. The heart, vascular system, lungs, muscles, joints, brain, and nervous system all benefit. Regular aerobic exercise will help you to sleep better, have more energy, be more relaxed, and maintain a more positive outlook. In fact, aerobic exercise is considered an excellent treatment for mild depression, anxiety, and stress-related problems. In addition to all of those benefits, regular aerobic exercise can increase the levels of natural painkillers in the nervous system, making it a good way to control common types of pain.

When combined with a proper diet, aerobic exercise is the most effective method to control your weight. Many people would be happy to shed a few pounds, but for people with pain, weight loss may also mean an improvement in their condition. extra weight puts an extra stress on spinal joints and vertebral disks. If you are overweight, aerobic exercise will not only help to relieve your pain but may also help to control your weight.

Aerobic exercise is good for people with many different health conditions, as long as they start at a reasonable level and build up gradually. However, if you are over age 40 or have a medical condition that you think might be affected by aerobic exercise, be sure to check with your doctor before beginning such a program.

According to exercise physiologists, effective aerobic exercise should increase the rate of your pulse to roughly 70% to 80% of your predicted maximum heart rate. Before beginning to exercise, you should calculate your target heart rate. While exercising, you may want to monitor your pulse to make sure you stay within the target zone. A simple guide to remember is that you should not exercise vigorously and breathe so hard that you cannot carry on a conversation as you are exercising. If you are taking certain medicines for high blood pressure, your heart rate will not increase with exertion as it normally would. In that case, you should use your breathing as a guide.

Although many jobs are physically demanding, very few will provide you with an aerobic workout. Better options for aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, dancing, playing basketball or tennis, and engaging in any other activity that gets your heart rate into your target zone and maintains that rate for the time you are exercising.

Some people do only one type of aerobic exercise, but it is generally better to alternate among two or more activities. This so-called cross training will make you physically fit for a wider variety of activities and keep you from getting bored.

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Types of Aerobics Exercise

There are many aerobics exercises that are available for anyone who is beginning to work on their exercise program. These exercises have many benefits on the body. These exercises are primarily low impact exercises that make them perfect from rehabilitation from injuries. Also these are the right kind of exercise that helps to keep the health of pregnant women who are strictly advices not to perform any kind of hard exercises.

These exercises are a good way to loose weight as they help to burn a lot of calories. Almost every part of the body is worked out with the help of these exercises. These exercises in their most basic form do not need any specialized or costly equipment. The following listed are the different types of aerobic exercises that one can perform:

There are many exercises that can b performed at home. Dance is a healthy aerobic exercise.
Make sure that there is plenty of space and you have your favorite music cd on. Cleaning or scrubbing is other unconventional exercises which aid in weight loss and other activities of the body. Skipping is one of the activities that can be done quite easily.

A skipping rope is easily available and the activity can be performed anywhere there is enough space.

Step aerobics are also good for the body at it helps to improve coordination and balance in the body as well as helps to reduce fat and burn calories.

Rebounders are one of the most efficient exercising tools that help you to exercises and burn calories. You can purchase a couple of videos that give instructions on how to perform these simple exercises. Most of the exercises are simple and the videos make it clear for you to perform the exercises on your own.

You can go outdoors and take a brisk walk. This will help to reduce weight and increase the activity level of the body. Add the motion of arms and hips while you are walking to increase the affectivity of the walk. A quick sprint or a continuous jog is also beneficial.

Try to combine running jogging and walking to perform a routine for the maximum benefits. Biking uphill is also a good exercise. Equipment like medicine ball that is available in the gym also provides good workouts to the body.

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How to Use Aerobic Exercises to Lose Weight! It Can Be Real Easy If You Realize This

In addition to the right diet you will also need the right exercises that help burn off that stubborn fat if you want to lose weight. Aerobic exercises can help you burn fat while building up stamina at the same time. Here are some vital tips that can help you use aerobic exercises to lose weight.

Start out slowly and monitor your body...
Before you get all fired up and sprain a muscle, start out slowly and monitor your body. Start with proper warming-up exercises to warm up your body and make it flexible. Keep an ear and eye out for clicking or painful joints and stop if you feel stabbing pain.

You should also monitor your breathing initially, although you will certainly notice a positive difference after a few days of aerobics. It is vital that you appoint an individual instructor at least initially so as to get the right start in your aerobics routine.

Remain consistent...
You should exercise at least 4 days in a week consistently, preferably in the morning and on an empty stomach since this will help burn fat at a faster rate. You can start out slowly and then proceed to high-intensity aerobic routines in the coming days.

The result will be noticeable since as you start to sweat from outside, your body will by busy burning off accumulated fat from the inside. Each routine should last for around 45 minutes with adequate rest between each exercise. At the end of the day, the number of calories burned should definitely be higher than the number of calories consumed.

Types of Aerobic exercises that could suit your body...
Based on your current weight and physical condition, you could start with some of the aerobic exercises mentioned here. If you plan to work out indoors then you can use treadmills, stationary bicycles, steppers, and rowing machines. If you love dancing then you can add it to your aerobics routine.

Outdoor exercises could include walking, jogging, cycling, cross-country skiing, etc. Try out exercises that do not cause pain at your joints and remember to keep on changing or increasing the level of intensity after each fortnight to keep your fat burning at peak levels.

Combine it with weight training...
If you want to develop bulging muscles along with losing weight then you can also combine weight training with aerobics. You should use lighter weights at first and perform more sets so as to burn the fat and build up endurance levels at the same time. You can perform your aerobics routine after weight training for maximum effect. However, do not overdo either of the routines and take adequate rest so that your muscles can recover sufficiently for the next routine.

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3 Absolutely Stunning Aerobic Exercises To Lose Fat And Burn Calories - Achieve Mind Blowing Results

Every person out there wants to get his or her body in shape fast. There are several ways to get your body in shape and lose some weight but nothing comes close to aerobics. Aerobics is one of the best and the fastest possible ways to lose weight real fast and burn calories like crazy. Read on to discover some of the most effective aerobic exercises which would help you lose weight real fast...

Skipping rope- Now this might not be easy for some but once it becomes a habit it's real fun and at the same time it burns a lot of calories real fast. You see if you skip a rope only 15-30 minutes a day you will never have to do any other workout ever because this is just very effective to help you shed a lot of weight.

Swimming- Swimming is known to be one of the best and the most effective aerobic exercises which is a complete workout for your whole body. You see the good thing about swimming is that the longer you stay in water the more you have to workout as if you don't you might drown. Therefore this is one exercise which would keep you going even when you don't feel like it.

Play a sport- Another real effective aerobic exercise is to play a sport of some sort specially one which requires a lot of running and body movements. Football, basketball and tennis are the best exercises out there when it really comes to losing weight and burning some serious fat. You see the best possible way to make sure you stick to a sport is to get some friends involved as that would keep you on a routine and at the same time you would also have a sense of competition which would make you try harder.

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Water Aerobics - A Fun Way To Lose Weight And Get Fit

You can take up water aerobics any time of the year. Usually this exercise is associated with senior citizens, because this is one of the more popular exercises for them. It is also easy for them to do, which is why it is recommend for them.

However, water aerobics isn't just for the old at heart. Others can have fun doing it, too. There are other benefits to doing water aerobics, including:

o Cardiovascular fitness

o Strengthens muscles

o Prevention of injuries at the joints

Water aerobics are good for those who cannot do regular aerobic exercises due to other health issues, such as arthritis. Water aerobics involve moving with rhythm and using dance steps. These movements are done in the water. There are basic, intermediate and advanced exercises that can be implemented. You can use different techniques for your arms and leg movements.

If you are overweight, obese or out of shape, then water aerobics may be for you. If you're not familiar with doing this, then you're better off having an instructor help you. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes a piece of cake.

Like any other exercise, even out of the water, you will need to do some warm up exercises. This prevents the possibility of injury, stiffness or strain of your muscles. As you get into these exercises, your body will become stronger and flexible. You should also begin to feel more muscular endurance.

Most of your body weight is held up by the water, except about 15 percent worth. This helps your body to endure less stress. With aerobic exercises without water, more stress is placed on your body, including your joints.

If you have medical issues with your back and your neck, water aerobics may be for you. The more you do it, the more weight you stand to lose. With any type of aerobics, you can lose weight, but water aerobics is made so that you will have more energy to lose weight.

If you do water aerobics for an hour, you can lose at least 600 calories from your body. This in turn, can help you lose the belly fat you've been longing to get rid of.

There are different exercises you can do in water aerobics, such as:

o Swimming

o Walking

o Jogging

o Running in place

If you decide to venture in the deep end of the pool, make sure you have a flotation device to keep you afloat.

You can find a water aerobics class at different places around town. Some of the best places are public and private pools in your neighborhood. Or contact the YMCA in your area; more than likely they'll have a water aerobics class at their facility. If not there, try a health club.

It's suggested that the temperature of the water be between 82 and 85 degrees. You should be in water that has a comfortable temperature. If the water is too warm, you won't have much energy to exercise. If it's too cold, you can get stiff or experience joint pain. It's best to stay at the shallow end of the pool.

Whatever you decide, don't hesitate to try water aerobics. It's a great weight loss tool and can help you lose some of that fat.

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Fitness Tips - How Much Exercise Should You Do?

Americans are always wanting to find a short cut. There is no quick fix. Attaining fitness requires a lifestyle change and making the right healthy choices. The most benefits come from cardio-respiratory fitness, and to attain this a regular exercise program is often needed. Failing this, making active choices, such as using a push mower rather than a power mower, and walking to each tee rather than using a golf cart on the golf course, will help one stay fit.

Those who promote fitness exercise are following along the more recent lines of nutritionists' thinking, he says, which involves behavior modification. If you do not change your behavior and make it a lifestyle change, it's not going to become a habit.

The message that many experts are starting to put out is: A little bit of exercise is good enough.

How little? All you need, is to expand 285 calories a day - 2,000 calories a week - in activities above and beyond your job.

But if it's a healthy life you're interested in, they write, all other things being equal, the gardener's odds against heart disease are as good as the marathoner's.

How much exercise you should do depends upon what you want to achieve. If you just want stress reduction, you don't have to do aerobic exercise,... but you won't get reduction in the risk of heart disease if you do not meet minimum standards of exercise. That means exercising at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes at least three times a week. Do less than that and you will never achieve a level of conditioning. You won't improve.

But being moderately fit is OK. In a paper based on data collected at the researchers showed that the largest difference in mortality - about 60 percent - was between the sedentary and people who were only moderately fit, as judged by performance on treadmill exercise tests.

It's dangerous to do nothing and easy to do enough.

*************************************************************************
Calories burned in a single hour
*************************************************************************
The following figures are for a man weighing 180 pounds and a woman weighing 130 pounds.
*************************************************************************
Activity Men Women
*************************************************************************
Cooking 216 156
*************************************************************************
Chopping wood 414 299
*************************************************************************
Mowing lawn 486 351
*************************************************************************
Scrubbing floors 522 377
*************************************************************************
Trimming trees 630 455
*************************************************************************
Gardening 576 416
(heavy chores)
*************************************************************************
Painting outside 378 273
*************************************************************************
Washing the car 270 195
*************************************************************************
House cleaning 288 208
*************************************************************************
Raking 270 195
*************************************************************************
Stocking shelves 270 195
*************************************************************************
Window cleaning 288 208
*************************************************************************
Fishing 234 169
*************************************************************************

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How to Gain Maximum Benefits From Aerobic Workouts

The reason for workout may be different for different people. For some, it is to lose weight, and to maintain the good shape for certain others. It is advisable to ascertain your age and level of fitness before you start with Aerobic exercise at home.

One of your first steps should be to understand the benefits obtained by such workouts. Aerobics is a cardio workout that improves overall health of a person. It strengthens the heart, lungs and muscles; circulatory, immune and respiratory systems of the body. It also relaxes the muscles thereby lifting up your mood and mental health.

The next thing to do is to plan your workouts. You can start with 10-15 minutes workout, thrice a week and then increase it to half an hour, five days a week. In order to obtain maximum benefits you need to include strength training with aerobic exercise at home.

Start with warm up of about five minutes, followed by a set of strength training of 8- 12 times. Now, do some light aerobics for 15-20 minutes. You will not be able to see immediate results. It will take time and discipline.

As your body gets accustomed to workouts, you can interchange with aerobics on one day and strength training the next day. You can take one day off to relax yourself.

Lastly, it is important to start with slow workout and gradually increase the intensity and duration. You can easily work your way up with Video CDs teaching Aerobic exercise at home.

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An Exercise Bike Workout

The exercise bike workout has long been a staple of cardio routines everywhere! Some people find them boring to ride but others find that they enjoy that time on the bike. It can be a "me" time where you watch your favorite TV show or listen to your favorite music. Among the reasons that the exercise bike (or "stationary bike") is so popular is that it is easy to do other things while you ride it. It's easy to watch television for example. This makes the time go by much faster for most. Some people even read while riding an exercise bike.

Among the big positives of an exercise bike workout is that it's easy to change the resistance on the bike. You can make the workout not particularly challenging or you can make it very challenging (if you turn the resistance up very high.) This is great because you can keep challenging yourself as your fitness level increases.

Another big positive of having an exercise bike workout as part of your fitness routine is that there is very "low impact" type of exercise. This makes it ideal for those with bad joints or for those who are very overweight. It's also an ideal exercise for those who are recovering from some sort of injury.

An exercise bike may be a great choice for a bicyclist who wants to be able to "ride" even when the weather is poor. Otherwise a bicyclist may spend very little time exercising during the winter months.

Exercise bikes, of course, can be found at any gym. But they are also a great exercise machine to have at home. You can easily buy one online and have it shipped to your home. A great thing about ordering a bike online is that you don't have to deal with transporting it from the store to your home.

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5 Tips to Help You Improve Your Cardio Health

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States today. If you have certain risks factors, it is critical that you take measures to improve and maintain good cardio health. Keep reading to discover what you can do to naturally improve your heart function for a long and healthy life.

1. Lose weight. This should be at the top of your list to get into good physical health overall, but it is especially important to your cardio health. Overweight people are at a higher risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even certain types of cancer. Obesity will also cause your heart to pump harder which can lead to long term damage.

2. Stop smoking. This killer habit can put you at a much higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of heart disease there is. So if you smoke stop. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you live with a smoker, insist that they not smoke around you. Second hand smoke can do just as much, if not more, damage to your lungs.

3. Exercise. Your heart is a muscle. The best way to develop any muscle is through exercise. This includes your heart muscle. Exercise gets your blood pumping and makes your heart stronger. It also reduces cholesterol levels and helps to reduce stress.

4. Eat heart healthy foods. Foods that are rich in potassium are good for your heart. You should also try to avoid foods that are high in sodium because sodium will make you retain excess water and put a strain on your heart muscle. Studies have shown that foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids are good for your heart. Stop eating the high calorie, high fat junk foods and start eating a diet rich in fiber, fruit and vegetables.

5. Lower your stress levels. This can be easier said than done. We all lead busy, stressful lives. If you feel that you are under too much stress, investigate ways to decrease these stress levels. There may be some things you cannot change, but some things you can. If you are trying to be perfect in everything you do, stop. Nobody is perfect and trying to achieve perfection will cause unneeded stress in your life. Find something that you can do that will de-stress you. Some people like to exercise while others engage in their favorite hobby. Whatever you, do try to lower your stress level to protect your heart from the damage that ongoing stress can cause.

So there you have five great tips on how to improve and maintain your cardio health. Use these tips wisely and develop a few of your own. Keep your cardiovascular system healthy and lower your risk for heart disease.

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The Best Workout Music For the Best Exercise Method - Interval Training

Interval training has been around for a long time but recently has had a boost in support as one of the best methods to gain muscle and lose weight. The problem many people have with interval training is that it is HARD! You have to do sets of intense exercise followed by rest periods and to get the best results you need to keep count precisely on how long you work for and rest for. Compared to more steady paced exercises this can be difficult to achieve which is where having a beat comes in and the best workout music compliments the interval training style.

If you are not too familiar with interval training you may wonder at why it is so hard, and may not know why it is also so good! Interval training as has been mentioned is method of exercise that involves near maximum exertion training for a period of time followed by a rest period of much reduced intensity and repeating this pattern. So if you are running you might sprint for 10 seconds then jog for 20 seconds. It has been proven by many studies now that this method is superior to steady mid level intensity training for cardiovascular health and for muscle growth as well as it pushes and challenges your body but allows rest so you do not wear out quickly where a mid level exercise does not challenge the body enough and straight high intensity training wear you out too fast for lasting effect.

What music is important for is to keep time for these intervals and to keep motivated. The best workout music is hard to find among regular music to match your exact rhythms of exercise but anything with a good beat will allows you to keep count. The best workout music optimally would be music that matched high intensity music for your high intensity period followed by a more mellow tune for your rest periods but you will not find that in the top 40!

From this we can see the best workout music for interval training is not bought off the shelf but is made with this sort of exercise method in mind to produce the kind of results the fitness industry can deliver.

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Calisthenics Exercises

Calisthenics exercises, alternatively known as body building exercises, are considered an effective alternative over visiting the gym in order to build your body as well as remain in shape. In other words, Calisthenics involves a series of exercises that consists of simple steps as well as movements that are usually focused to improve the strength, flexibility, and endurance of the body. Calisthenics exercises are categorized into aerobic exercises and anaerobic exercises. Among the exercises that form part of aerobic exercises are swimming, jigging, running, and walking. Anaerobic exercises include activities such as rope climbing.

The origin of Calisthenics is attributed to gymnastics, and one of the key benefits of calisthenics exercises is that it does not require the usage of any specialized equipment to perform the exercises. Another great thing regarding this type of exercises is that it could be performed anywhere and that too at anytime. As it not risky and does not cause any damage to the body, it could be carried out by people of almost all ages. Further, it is inexpensive, since one can do it without investing in the gym equipments. Above all, performing calisthenics exercises help to improve the resistance level of the body.

Listed below are among the most popular calisthenics exercises.

Sit Ups - First of all, lie down on your back, with your hands beneath your head. Now slowly lift your body with the abdomen muscles. This exercise is especially focused to strengthen the abdomen muscles.

Knee Rotation - This should be done by keeping your feet together and placing your hands on your knees. Then slowly move your hands in clockwise direction and then in anticlockwise direction.

Arm Rotation - To begin this exercise, stand straight with your arms stretched out horizontally.

Hip Rotation - Begin this exercise by standing straight and placing your hands on your hips. Then slowly move your hip in clockwise direction and then in anticlockwise direction.

Flutter Kicks - To perform this exercise, lie on your back with hands placed beneath your butts. Then lift one leg and it should be about five inches from the floor. Then move the leg just as the way you kick your legs while swimming.

Above mentioned are just few among many of the calisthenics exercises, and they also include jumping jack, squats, and push-ups.

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Discover the Benefits of Aerobic Exercise for Seniors

Aerobic exercise is the best for improving your heart health, mobility, fitness and also stretching muscles. Senior aerobics can do all these things, bit when it comes to specialized aerobics for seniors there are even more reasons to participate.

Aerobics may look hard and tiring, but senior aerobics does not have to be. There are gentler ways to raise the heart rate enough without jumping, running, jolting or straining yourself. Aerobics for seniors is also very simple and uncomplicated, catering for people of all levels and ages.

Senior aerobics is a joyful way to improve muscle strength and tone, assist with losing excess weight, maintain heart health and keep or improve your figure. Aside from the wonderful, physical benefits, senior aerobics enhances your feelings of calmness and well being, and alleviates depression through increasing endorphins. It only requires half an hour a day and your whole life will show improvements.

You want to be sure the exercise you are doing is suitable for senior aerobics, and there are plenty of DVD's and VHS' available to buy for directions. You should be able to tell from the name of the program whether it is designed for seniors or not. You will find them to be gentle while still increasing your heart rate and stimulating your entire body.

A gym of fitness center near you should also offer some classes in senior aerobics. These will be low impact, slower classes and can be great fun and social events. The instructor is there in person which can provide you with extra confidence if you feel you need assistance. Fitness instructors focus on safety and soft stimulation for senior aerobics, and everyone is encouraged to work at their own steady pace.

Senior aerobics will commonly include walking and modified walking motions that are done on the spot. Slowly stepping sideways and small kicks will probably be done, and you will be encouraged to do exercises moving your arms and legs to increase your heart rate.

For those who are more experienced or have higher fitness levels, small weights or closed fists can be used for the class. This will further improve strength and flexibility over time. Simple is the key to senior aerobics, so moves are always uncomplicated and designed not to jolt the body or joints. Some instructors include balance exercises on fitness balls and low steps, both which are fun yet gentle.

So you don't; get bored doing the same class every time, there is variety available for aerobics for seniors. These include dancing, dance-step, water and pool aerobics, seniors yoga and seniors pilates. The pool classes are excellent for anyone who experiences trouble with their joints like arthritis.

The idea is to have fun while focusing on improving health through increasing the strength, fitness and circulation in the body. You will meet loads of people through seniors aerobics, and if you have a weight problem, you can work together with others to become healthy and fit.

Simply contact your local gym or fitness club to find out when the classes are on, or alternatively visit your local department store to purchase a program for home use. Before you begin seniors aerobics it is always advised that you check with your doctor first, and if you are given the green light you can begin!

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The Best Form Of Aerobic Activity

Aerobic activity is the best way of keeping fit and healthy. There are so many different forms the majority of which are free! Have you tried water aerobics or aqua aerobics? Maybe you prefer a more traditional aerobic exercise like step aerobics or dance aerobics. Don't forget any kind of exercise which increases the heartbeat is an aerobic exercise, even fast walking but obviously some are more effective at increasing your aerobic fitness than others.

However should you find yourself sitting on your couch all the time and feeling emotionally uninspired, then maybe you should do something about it and start to exercise, if so try some aerobic activity to start with. This is a great choice of exercise for fitness to start with as it's enjoyable and you can even encourage a friend or two to keep you company. You'll be surprised how much fun it is and you'll be getting aerobic exercise at the same time.

This type of activity uses the larger muscles which helps you maintain a fitter and healthy lifestyle. One small word of caution though before you pull on your trainers and get started with any aerobic activity. Make sure if you have any kind of medical issues that you check with your physician first. It's always better to be safe than sorry and maybe damage your health. If your doc gives you the go ahead for aerobic exercise then check out the different types of exercise that will get your heart going as your heart performance is a vital part of aerobic activity. Maybe try water aerobics first as it is low intensive before trying step aerobics or dance aerobics which are a little more high intensive.

You'll discover that there are a huge number of ways to exercise that you might have tried at one time or another, that are aerobic in nature. Cycling, walking, dance, swimming or even skating are popular forms of aerobic activity that large numbers use to get their muscles pumping, and their heart rate up. Always use a light warm up first and give your body and muscles a stretch. When you are finished have a warm down period too enabling you to stretch your muscles. Of course all of these activities can be done on your own but if you can find a friend to tag along all the better as not only are they company but you can motivate each other to maintain your aerobic activity.

Aerobic exercise will help you maintain an increased heart rate and help increase your breathing capacity too while providing exercise to your large muscles which combined will not only make you feel better but look better too. The benefits to your health provided by aerobic activity are numerous. Blood pressure is reduced, and the arteries and vessels all over your body are invigorated with oxygenated blood. Bad cholesterol is lowered, and your body becomes trimmed and toned due to the weight loss and your fitness will improve with aerobic activity. If you are at risk from diabetes , then an extra benefit of aerobic activity is that it can reduce your chances of getting it.

To get the most benefit from aerobic activity you should try to exercise at least 3 or 4 times a week. It is especially beneficial if you vary the types of aerobic exercise you use as performing different exercises ensures that all muscles are worked, and that you don't get bored. When doing the exercise make sure to set up sets of all your different forms, and repeat them at least 7 times. Monitor your heart rate with an aerobic activity guideline based on your age and goals. You can get one from your doctor, or anywhere on the Internet.

In just a couple of months you'll feel the difference that exercise makes to your life. Even so there is no need to rush, take your time and gradually build up the level of exercise. You will be amazed by how much better you look and feel once you start your aerobic activity.

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