Water Aerobics Routines For All-Around Fitness

Water aerobics routines are something that can offer a complete physical workout. A complete workout consists of aerobic, resistance and stretching exercises and all these can be incorporated into a water aerobics routine. The best part about water aerobics is that water exercises will work for groups of people that cannot do other types of exercises, such as; individuals that are morbidly obese and persons that have problems with arthritis.

The water aerobics class I attend from time to time is at a new health club and the nice thing about it is you do not have to be a member of this club to take the class. This class has a huge range of people that attend this workout session. It has almost as many men as women and most of the people are 40 or over. The younger crowd tends to opt more for high-impact aerobics and kickboxing.

We usually warm-up by walking against the current in the lazy river and then changing directions abruptly, causing us to feel like we are walking against a brick wall. If you have ever tried walking against the current when it has momentum, you will find that you do not get very far very quickly. Usually the whole class ends up laughing hysterically, but it is a great warm-up.

Next the instructor introduces that aerobic portion of the workout. This is where you increase your heart rate to target workout rate. This usually includes water walking and other exercises that will elevate your heart rate, such as; jumping jacks and kicking exercises.

Then comes resistance exercises and this is where you work specific muscle groups to build muscle strength. My instructor likes to use swimmers noodles tied in a knot to create resistance as they are dragged through the water. We also use water belts that cause resistance and added weight for strength training.

The class ends with a cool down period that involves stretching the muscles and it feels great. These classes usually have music that makes you feel motivated to move. If you have a good instructor, this can be one of the most enjoyable hours of the week. This class offers a complete workout for anyone.

These are the types of exercise classes that are being offered at many health clubs. They offer complete workouts, making it easy for the busy person on the go to get everything they need out of one class.

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Aerobic Fat Loss Secrets

Aerobic fat loss secrets that will change you from a complete newbie into a seasoned fitness guru. The most important things you need to know are the following:

The Fat Burning Zone

To lose fat with aerobics you need to exercise within the far burning zone. This is the zone where you perform at a certain level where your body loses fat. There is a formula to work out this zone.

Here it is: Fat burning zone=220-(Your Age) x (.75)

I'll take myself as example. I'm 38 years so the formula would look like this. 220 - 38 x .75 = 136.5

This gives me a good starting point at what my heart should beat per minute (136.5) during exercise.

The Best Time To Perform Aerobic Activity

In the morning on an empty stomach is the best time for aerobic performance. You lose 300% more body fat if you perform during this time because your body doesn't have any glycogen to burn. What is important to remember is that you must drink water to prevent dehydration

Good Forms Of Aerobic Activity

Any form of activity that raises your heartbeat into the fat burning zone is acceptable. You can do some fast walking, jogging, cycling, jumping, climbing stairs, etc...

This makes aerobic exercise very suitable for many different situations. Lots of people just don't have time or money to go to a gym and this way they can also reap all the benefits without spending money.

How Long Should An Exercise Session Be

A good aerobic exercise session should last about 20-40 minutes. Remember it's not your goal to exercise until you fall flat on your face. That is for the movies and not real life.

These aerobic fat loss tips will help you enjoy your aerobic efforts a lot more.

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Water Aerobic Exercise

Get in the water - find an easy way to improve health

Water aerobic exercise could be the answer for you - it is easy and does not strain the joints. It shows that you don't need to pound the streets or do complicated dance routines to burn calories and improve the health of you heart and arteries.

Instead, try water aerobic exercise, which is not the same as swimming. Swimming IS excellent aerobic exercise, but requires skill and dedication. Water aerobic exercise is done in water either to your waist or your chest, and starts off with just striding through the water briskly - not as easy as it sounds.

Water aerobic exercise is good exercise because the water presents a lot of resistance to your movement - remember trying to run through the waves on a beach to get into deeper water? So, just walking through water is good exercise.

Water supports a lot of your weight

The second reason that water aerobics is good is that when standing in water, the water actually supports a lot of your weight. Did you know that if you stand in the water up to your waist, the water supports 40-50 per cent of your weight?

If the water comes up to your chest, the water supports 80-90 per cent of your weight. This means that your joints don't have to do much work, and even if you have knee problems you may find water aerobic exercise helpful - but do consult your physician first.

water aerobics can be simple walking - lunging really as you launch yourself forward on each step while moving the arms through the water at the same time.

Or, you can join a class, where you will do more complex movements resembling a slow aerobic dance. These classes, taken by an instructor, usually last about 45 minutes.

Do it in warm water

A word of warning: don't do water aerobics in cold water! It's not fun, and you will soon give up. Ideally, the water should be over 80 deg F (26 deg C), and nor more than about 90 deg F (32 deg C). So if you live outside the tropics you won't be able to do these exercises in the sea often. However. because the sea contains salt, it gives even more buoyancy than fresh water, making it easier on your joints, and provides more resistance, so if the sea is warm enough it is a good place to start. It is nicer being in the sea than in a pool, too.

Finally, one of the good things about water aerobic exercise is that because most of your body is under water you will not feel embarrassed if you are a touch overweight.

Are there any disadvantages?

Yes, the main one is that you have to use a pool which increases the cost. If you are already a member of a leisure club or gym that has a pool, well you are set up already. For the rest of us, it is a case of finding if there are any classes locally - entry to the pool may be cheaper if you do join a class - or finding the best combination of cost and quality at a pool.

Water aerobic aids

You do not need much to start water aerobic exercise - a swimming costume, a big towel and maybe goggles will get you started. Goggles are not really needed to start with. The other aids are intended to increase resistance. These are things like foam rings to wear round your wrists, foam barbells, and flotation belts. These are all inexpensive, and are needed only when you have improved your strength and stamina without them.

Do not forget that although water aerobic exercise can be fun, you need to do it regularly to strengthen your heart and other muscles - this way you will enjoy life more, and become healthier and fitter, and will burn up some of those excess calories. Another important point: if you want to lose weight, you will find that exercise alone does not - you need to improve your diet as well. But why not start by trying water aerobic exercise?

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No Time to Exercise? Pop in an Aerobic Video!

If you don't have the time or money to take a live aerobics class in a group setting, you can easily reap the same benefits by exercising to an aerobic video! Keep a positive spirit, and the video will seem like the real thing. A lot of people purchase exercise videos, but few actually use them. They are just magnet for dust for those people! Those who use these videos will have a healthier lifestyle and keep an ideal weight. Don't let your aerobic videos collect dust and be useless.

Here's what you can do:

First of all, attitude is the key to being successful with aerobic videos. The first and most important thing is attitude. Don't blame it on the video; it is your attitude keeping you away from exercise! Having a positive attitude will allow you to achieve your ideal livelihood. One thing that you can do is to make sure your health goals are realistic; otherwise, there will never be reachable and you will lose interest quick!

Also, have a consistent exercise plan. Know when you are going to exercise and how long you are going to do it. With our hectic lives, it can seem sometimes impossible to follow a certain routine. You need to motivate yourself in order to be able to exercise, not just watch, an aerobic video!

Be Consistent

Secondly, make daily activity a priority in your life. Just participating with the video a few times a month is definitely not enough. You want to see maximum results, don't you? You've got to get moving on a regular basis! Consequently, setting unrealistic goals, such as running five miles everyday, will only set you up for failure. Begin with easy tasks that you know you can do, and then work your way up to the more tedious activity. You will not only achieve your own goals, but you will also become more confident in yourself.

Create a Positive Workout Environment

Finally, you should have the room to move along with your aerobic video. Some videos may require just a little of space, while others may require a whole room to move around in. Make some room in your home. It's alright to move some furniture around if it gives you the opportunity to exercise, isn't it?

Before beginning your work-out routine, know what time you're going to start, make some room in your apartment or home, and build up your self-esteem. You can do it! Remember it takes time to get the results you want, but never give up; it will be worth it when you see dramatic modifications to your wardrobe because of your ever-decreasing size!

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3 Tips to Break Off the Boring Exercise Routine and Trick Your Body Into Muscles

Not seeing anymore weight loss results? Could it be that the exercises are getting boring and your body is not having any reaction to it. How about separating these exercises in different categories. It will be a good idea to pick from a different group for each workout session. This way, it will be less boring and your different muscle groups and cardiovascular system can be used.

Aerobic exercises cause oxygen to be delivered to the tissues of your body. When done over an extended period of time, it helps to remove waste. This is why people who do aerobics have skin that glows. Aerobic exercise include brisk walking, aerobic classes, running, jogging, dancing.

Cardio exercises help you to burn fat from your body. Remember fat burning only occurs after the 20-minute mark in a workout. Cardio exercises include using equipments like rowing machines, step machines, stationary bikes, treadmills, elliptical trainers, etc.

There are other forms of exercises. Yoga is a relaxing and good way of strengthening your muscles. It calms the mind, removes toxics from your body, and increases flexibility. Endurance exercises like weights will help you gain muscles. Be sure to take in sufficient protein in order to build up muscles.

Make Exercise Part of Your Life

Consider investing in equipment. Getting one doesn't mean you have to burn a hole in your pocket. Check out online auction sites, classifieds, sales, and second-hand fitness stores. Some equipment doesn't cost much, like resistance bands, skipping ropes, small weights, or an exercise ball. You can start off small first. Stick to tried-and-tested types of equipment, like stationary bikes and treadmills. It may be tempted to purchase a new type of equipment shown on commercials, but it might not be a good bet.

Join a Fitness Center

Gyms are popping up everywhere. Nowadays, fitness centers offer a trial period and let its members bring in guests to try out the facilities. They offer many classes, like combat exercises, aerobics, yoga, body conditioning, and even belly dancing! Some offer steam baths, on top of a big gym with various equipments for weight-lifting and toning your body. If you can, find a friend who is already a member and join her for one of the classes first.

Exercises for a rainy day

You can choose to work out at home. Don't let the weather be an excuse to skip a session. Rent videos for yoga, aerobics, or for a bit of fun, try exotic dancing. Push-ups and sit-ups are good too.

Hope you enjoyed these 3 tips to and may your love handles be replaced with a six pack abs soon.

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4 Top Tips For Great Cardio Workouts

Here are 4 top tips for having great cardio workouts. Doing them will boost your workouts and allow you to be more productive and efficient while losing weight.

The 4 Top Tips for Great Cardio Workouts

1. Drink enough water

Your body is 70% water, your muscles are 75% water, your blood is 90% water. You need water... and lots of it. For optimum performance and results, water is essential. Why cheat your body out of what it basically is... water. All you need to do is sip it every few minutes.

2. Increase your intensity, but stay fresh

Intensity in the gym is what gets results. You shouldn't expect results if you're spending a lot of time talking to other people, talking on your cell phone... basically, if you can hold a conversation while you're exercising, you're not exercising hard enough.

Now, increasing your intensity will take a lot out of you, so you need to manage your rest times so you stay fresh. Use active rest... that's where you continue doing the exercise, but at a slower pace. Although this is low intensity, it's actually intense since you're not giving your body a true rest after a high level of intensity.

3. Have short rest times, but rest often

Resting often keeps you fresh and allows you to maintain a higher level of performance which creates better results, but make sure the rest times are short. Anywhere from 30-90 seconds is ideal.

4. Avoid cardio machines whenever possible

Cardio machines can help with weight loss, but a lot of them give you mechanical advantages that are not natural to the human body. You don't want that. You want your cardio movements to be as natural as possible for the best results.

The more complex the equipment, the worse it is. A jump rope, hula hoop, and mini-trampoline will get you a lot further than a treadmill even would.

So try out these 4 tips for great cardio workouts and watch as your get better results within a few weeks.

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Fat Burning Exercises

Fat burning exercises are the slow, aerobic, long duration types of exercise that involve most of the major muscle groups. Your body will burn a higher percentage of calories from fat with lower intensity cardio exercises.

Fat burning exercises include walking, jogging, running, elliptical exercise trainer workouts, cycling and swimming. The key factor to keep in mind is the more muscle groups you use, the more fat you'll burn.

Different type of exercises will burn more sugar rather than burning fat. Sugar burning exercises involve brief spurts of movement followed by rest which results in more sugar that is used for fuel instead of fat.

Sugar burning exercises include sprinting, tennis, racquetball, basketball, and golf. While these are great sports that benefit your overall fitness condition, they are different type of exercises that will not burn as much fat like fat burning exercises will.

To burn fat effectively, exercise at a moderate pace for a longer period of time. The residual effect of this type of aerobic exercise gives you the most benefits.

These aerobic fat burning exercises increase your metabolism which means you'll burn calories long after you exercise. People who exercise on a regular basis develop more fat burning enzymes than people who don't exercise at all.

By doing just twenty minutes of fat burning exercises you get those fat burning enzymes working. So if you are just starting out, exercise for at least twenty minutes and work up from there as your fitness level improves. Try to set 3 days a week as your goal to workout and work up to 5 days as you become more fit.

Home treadmills and elliptical exercise trainers are perfect for fat burning exercises. These fitness machines will give you the slow, aerobic, long duration types of exercise that work best to burn fat.

They are the most popular pieces for home gyms because they allow you to stay fit in any weather condition. They are easy to use and cost efficient because quality fitness equipment will last for many years.

If you want to reduce body fat, eating properly will always help. But by combining it with fat burning exercises, it will give you the excellent results you are looking for.

Copyright © 2005 Treadmill Info.com All Rights Reserved.

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Its Never Too Late to Get In Shape

One true statistical fact is that that the longer you wait in life to begin an exercise regimen, the harder it is to do. Its so easy to get a room full of high school kids to adopt an exercise regimen, because they are young and open to suggestion. But when someone close to you tells you that you need to start exercising and get in better shape your immediate response is something along the lines of "screw you".

In the end only you can make the final decision to begin an exercise regimen and make sensible dietary adjustments. One trick that seems to work for many people is to begin exercising in small steps. This means that you might have a lot better luck adhering to a running program if its just running around the block a few times in the evening. Starting out by trying to run five miles every day is going to most likely lead to failure.

Also, rather then going through your kitchen and eliminating all of the junk food in one fell swoop, try just eliminating the one main calorie contributor in the kitchen. You can deal with other goodies that are in their by buying them in single serving packets rather then one big box. It may cost more to buy them this way in the beginning but not in the long run, because they are going to eventually be completely eliminated in due time.

Progress in weight loss and physical fitness is going to be made in a series of small steps and lifestyle adjustments. If you try to do everything all at once you are going to make a difficult task that much harder. Whats important is that you are on the right track and have your eye on the target and in time you will find yourself lighter, thinner and eating better.

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8 Cardio Workouts for the Busy Woman

I have appointments the whole day. I might injure myself. I have more important chores to take care of.

These are but a few of the reasons we give whenever the idea of exercising comes up in conversation.

Unfortunately, very few women see the real benefits that they can get from exercise -- it gives them more energy to accomplish more things and it keeps their organs functioning at their peak.

The good news is that there are workouts that even the busiest women can do! Below are some suggestions:

1-Not all types of cardio are structured routines.

If you really need to pass on your morning or afternoon workout schedule, make up for it by walking several blocks to a restaurant on your lunch hour or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. If you do these ''alternatives'' regularly, you'll find that they could add up to about three hours of cardio each week.

2-Before going to work, do an imaginary jump-rope routine in the comforts of your own bedroom.

Turn on your favorite music or watch the morning show while twirling your wrists as if they're grasping a real jumping rope. You can work up a sweat just by doing 10-15 minutes of this.

3- Make use of a good ol' exercise relic from the Flashdance era -- a mini-trampoline! Yep, this inexpensive contraption can substitute for a high-energy aerobic exercise without the risk of knee injury.

Also called a ''rebounder,'' it can easily be stored under your bed or in a closet when not in use.

4-March in place while watching TV, but make sure you do it continuously from one commercial segment to another (normally, that would take about 15 minutes).

To keep from getting bored, alternate two minutes of marching with thirty seconds of skipping. As you become more fit, you can lengthen the skipping intervals.

5- Do your treadmills or elliptical trainers while watching your favorite DVD movies or listening to an audio book.

6- If you're a frequent flier and flight schedules often get in the way of your exercise routine, make the airport your personal gym (don't be too embarrassed; people come and go at the airport and the staff would hardly remember that you're the exercise freak).

If you have some time before your flight or if it has been delayed, do some power-walking with your backpack and walk the length of the airport several times. You can even do some squats, lunges, and wall push-ups if you like.

7- Combine your cardio workout with something you love to do. If you're nuts about dancing, then take a ballroom dancing, hip-hop, or flamenco class.

8- Set power workouts instead of power lunches. Instead of meeting your friends over coffee and sandwiches, set an exercise date such as a brisk group stroll. In the winter, you can all go skating or sledding while you catch up on each other's lives.

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Water Aerobics

As we all know, there are numerous ways to exercise to get healthy. However, water aerobics might be something that you would not have thought about. Being naturally buoyant, water is a superb medium for workouts, especially if impact on the knee or ankle joints, for instance, is part of the problem. Hydrotherapy has a long history of helping to sooth pains and to get fit, indeed back to ancient Egyptian times. Many top athletes use water exercises as part of their fitness routine. Basically, water aerobics will not only help you to get really fit and healthy, but there are many other benefits to exercising in water.

Before you embark on any course of exercise, it is always wise to consult your doctor beforehand to find out whether your chosen method of exercise, (in this case, water aerobics), is going to be right for you and your fitness levels.

Once you have decided that you would like to exercise with water aerobics, you will then have to decide whether you are going to be doing these exercises on your own or with a club or group. With a club or group, you will be taught how to do the exercises as well as enjoying the camaraderie of a group. Either way, alone or in a group, you will find that water aerobics can, and will, fit into your regular workout routine.

When you are doing water aerobics exercises you will be doing much of the same things that you would be doing at a regular aerobics class on terra firma, without the high impact. For instance, running or walking, can just as easily be done in water, as with other movements. The water resistance adds to the workout.

Because water aerobics offers more resistance in everything you do, it means that you are going to have to exert more force in order to make the movements you want to make. This can only be a good thing, since you are forced to use more of your muscle groups, therefore you are forced to get stronger.

By joining a water aerobics class, the instructor can help you figure out which routine will be best for you and will ensure that you are getting as much out of your workout as you possibly can. He or she will be able to guide you and the class through a series of repetitive movements which will all be designed to increase your heart rate and blood flow.

Hopefully, by performing water aerobics, you will soon be increasing your heart rate which will allow you to work out your body in a great and aerobically beneficial way. With regular attendance at your local swimming pool, it will not be long before you will feel yourself getting healthier. The result of water aerobics can only make you healthier and will strengthen every part of your body.

If you are a beginner to water aerobics, or indeed, any aerobic exercises it is vitally important that you don't push yourself too much, initially, as this could result in injury. An injury at an early stage could put you off aerobic exercises and has a very demoralising effect. Start gradually, working up to more advanced techniques.

Take a look at water aerobics classes near you. You will find that a lot of leisure centers with pools offer a "splash class" with instructors. They are very popular, so be prepared to meet lots of new people and make new friends. After all, getting healthy should be fun and enjoyable as well as enjoying the benefits of having a healthy life. You will be having the most fun in a pool since you were a young child! Enjoy!

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Burn Fat With Aerobics

There are many great things about starting a program of aerobics for your body. One of the greatest things about aerobics is that you can use it to burn fat in a manner that is easier on your body that diet. It is very easy to burn fat by using aerobic exercise, because there are many ways you can train your body to do the job it is supposed to and really get the most out of the aerobics that you are doing.

If you are work up a sweat and increase your heart rate aerobics will be effective. As you pump blood and oxygen to all your body systems that uses calories and you will discover that you give yourself the best chance to really get rid of all that unwanted fat. Working hard to burn fat is something that you can finally take control of when you do aerobics on a regular basis.

When you body is constantly moving, your body systems work hard to maintain the functioning of the organization at a normal rate. Because your muscles need to move, your heart will have to work harder and will provide more blood and therefore more oxygen. Because your heart must work harder your lungs will also need to work harder to provide your heart with the oxygen it needs when it keeps pumping.

All these things will work together where you will really get the best out of all your workouts. When all these systems work together, you'll discover that you are much stronger than you think. As your whole body is struggling to work harder, you'll discover that you fat will burn because your body needs energy to keep moving. Fat is stored energy in your body that your body needs when working out and after working out. All of these things will happen quickly, and you will see that you are going to be much better off than before when working out with aerobics.

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Quickest Way to Lose Weight For Women - Just Give Me 5 Minutes of Your Time a Day

Here's the quickest way to lose weight for women. In fact, it only takes 5 MINUTES of your time each day. For that 5 minutes, you can expect pounds and inches of FAT to DRIP OFF your butt, thighs, hips, and belly within 10 days.

I'll even add in a bonus tip that takes a WHOPPING 15 SECONDS of your time that you can do anywhere and at anytime which will help boost your weight loss efforts as well.

Quickest Way to Lose Weight For Women

Hindu Squats... an unbelievably fast way to lose weight. It's a type of fast squat without weights. First, set your feet around 18 inches apart. Then start squatting as fast as you can. Start out by trying to do 50 repetitions in under 3 minutes and build up to 100 in 5 minutes.

If you stick with the 5 minute version for 2 weeks... and do them each day, you'll notice your body is changing. You can't help but see that in the mirror... and feel how loose your clothes are on you.

Oh yeah, before I forget, I want you to touch your finger tips to the floor during each rep to demonstrate you went down far enough in the squat.

Bonus Tip: This isn't a pure cardio/aerobic tip, but you can use it anytime... including while you do cardio. It enhances the weight loss effect of any cardio you do. What is this tip? It's deep breathing.

Here's how to do it to get the most out of it during cardio (but remember, you can do it even when doing nothing... like watching tv and still help with weight loss). You inhale for 5, hold for 5, and exhale for 5.

In simplest terms, the extra oxygen oxidates and helps to burn off extra body fat. So do that 15 second technique every once in awhile.

So there you go. If you want the quickest way to lose weight, then all you need to do are Hindu Squats for 5 minutes a day.

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Benefits of Jogging

Jogging is one of the finest exercise programs, as it yields a lot of benefits. You can do it independently and it helps you build a good physique by stimulating your heart rate, relieving stress, toning your muscles and also prevents a number of aging problems. It increases your energy level and it brings a sense of discipline and is more result oriented than any other type of workout. It helps burn calories and stay fit.

There are a few disadvantages that jogging yields such as muscle or joint strains and injuries. It is advisable to meet a physician before beginning this workout. Firstly, you need to confirm if you have any other health problem that could cause you physical stress if you exercise too hard. It is really necessary to get a medical clearance if you are overweight, or have a family history of blood pressure and heart problems or if you are above the age of 60.

When you start jogging, follow a regular guideline. At the start do a warm up exercise, light stretching and determine a pace that is most comfortable for you. You can gradually increase your speed. Do not hunch your body and swing your arms naturally. Do not let them strain. When you happen to mount a hill lean slightly.

To avoid injuries increase your activity for only 1-2 minutes per day. After several weeks, review your progress and then increase or decrease the activity accordingly.

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Wii Fitness With The Wii Fit

The Nintendo Wii revolution continues with the pending launch of the new Wii Fitness products as announced at this year's E3 2007. This brand new product from Nintendo, called Wii Fit, will take the form of a balance board controller accessory and a bundled exercise game.

The Wii Fitness products take off from where Wii Sports started by introducing active-play games that are not only great fun to play, but also great exercise as well. In fact the Wii balance board brings exercise and fitness for the entire body. The software and balance board is aimed at a large array of exercise based fun, including dancing, aerobics, balancing, and of course games.

The Wii Fit software uses the balance board to compile data in order to plan your fitness progress over a period of time. The software's fitness measurement system can collect data about an individual in order to keep track of their fitness goals. The fitness readings are presented in the way of a graph that measures your body mass index (BMI) and will adapt your Mii character accordingly. The Mii character is a animated character that represents an individual player's physique, so it's important to enter your stats correctly for accurate progress analysis.

Once your personal settings are calibrated, you can then start to have fun playing the fitness mini games. One of the most fun Wii Fitness games looks like the football heading game, in which the players are required to move their heads in the right direction to head the oncoming balls. Other mini games include doing hula hoops by shaking your hips and a marble madness style game where your balance is key to winning. The more serious fitness style games include doing strenuous balancing exercises, press-ups, and yoga.

The release date has still not been announced and neither has the price, but the price is rumoured to be in the range of $49 to $69. What the new Nintendo Wii Fitness products will hopefully bring is a whole new line up of interactive games. Who knows yet, but I can already imagine the likes of skiing, snowboarding, skate boarding, and so on. Maybe these future games could be used in conjunction with the Wii remote for a complete interactive experience?

Whatever happens next, the Nintendo Wii and the new Wii Fitness range are taking the console to a new level that the likes of Microsoft and Sony will find tough to match, especially at Nintendo's affordable prices.

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Zumba Aerobic-Dance Workout - I'm Approaching 50 Years Old and Loving It!

Two weeks ago my neighbor and good friend asked me to join a Zumba class with her. If you are not familiar with Zumba, it is a style of intense dance-aerobic workout with pulsating Latin music. We both are approaching 50 and although we walk regularly, I wasn't sure if we were up for the challenge. We had our first session last Tuesday and I couldn't have been more thrilled with the outcome.

First let me tell you that I had already rehearsed in my head that I would remain in the back of the class at all cost. I don't know how to dance and I didn't want to mess up any of the young people that were familiar with the moves. You can imagine my shock when my friend and I were one of the youngest members of the group. There were of course some mother-daughter couples, but for the most part the class consisted of older women to down right elderly. It was a blast!

We were fortunate to have a first rate instructor who has a large following. She was very good at keeping the crowd moving with instructions easy to understand. I have never danced in my life, but with these classes the point is keeping your heart rate up and keeping your body moving, moving, moving.

The Latin songs are loud and fun, the movement is wonderful and when the instructor shouted, "It's time to get your sexy on" we all just roared in laughter. There was some very good older ladies who consistently take the eight week Zumba course and looking at their toned bodies you were certainly able to tell. The need for water can't be overstated. You will sweat like you have never sweat before and next week I plan on bringing two bottles.

If you are interested in a group workout, I highly recommend Zumba. You don't have to feel embarrassed because you don't know the moves. You just keep moving and eventually things start to click. It is a great workout, loads of fun and the results come quick. I am absolutely proud of the ladies who decided that they weren't too old for this form of exercise and proud of myself for trying it as well.

In closing I also wanted to tell you that you will make tons of friends. My neighbor and I are fortunate enough to live close to the firehouse that hosted the class. As we walked home from Zumba , several of the ladies passed us while driving by. Everyone of them shouted "ZUMBA" out of their car windows as they drove past. It really is a very fast paced exercise routine for young and old alike. If you are looking for something new and exciting to do, try Zumba!

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Do You Use Step Aerobics?

Step aerobics used to be very popular some time back. Are you still doing it? If you are I don't suppose you have done it for many years. To some it was a civilised alternative to straight aerobics dancing.

Step aerobics is based on stepping up and down on a platform, in time to music of course. It can be good fun, and is good for the leg muscles and to get some aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is when your body works hard enough to raise the heart beat by 40 per cent or so.

You use a platform about 30 inches by 15 inches and four to twelve inches high, according to your level of fitness. First, you step on to the platform landing at a particular point, with one foot, then bring the other foot up alongside. Then you step down to a different place with your feet in turn. There are many different movements you can do to make it more interesting, but you always have to lift your body up to get on the step.

More vigorous exercise than aerobic dancing

Proponents point out that it is simpler than aerobic dancing, and that you don't have to learn many movements. It is more vigorous than aerobic dancing, because you have to lift your body weight up instead of just moving it around. How vigorous it is depends on the instructor.

This form of exercise certainly provides aerobic exercise that improves your fitness, strengthen your heart and make you less likely to suffer heart disease. There is some evidence to suggest that it increases your 'good' cholesterol while reducing overall cholesterol levels. However, one eight-week study of a group of women who did step aerobics showed many positive benefits, but did not affect their weight. Don't expect step aerobics alone to reduce your weight - you will need to eat less, better food.

Is step aerobics really good for you?

Like jogging, though, step aerobics has its detractors. Why? Well, because in doing all that stepping up on a block you are straining your knee joints which are very delicate. In fact if you work too hard at you can damage your joints.

If you are young and healthy, step aerobics is probably OK. But if you are overweight and middle aged, it is definitely not a good idea.

In fact, the old fashioned aerobic exercises like swimming, vigorous hill walking and cycling or roller skating are probably the best forms of aerobic exercise. We could add a new one - power walking - but you need to power along. Also, there is no doubt that to build muscle you need some form of resistance training.

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10 Tips To Getting A More Effective Aerobic Workout

1. Always warm up with stretches so that your body is ready for an aerobic workout. This will help to avoid injury during the exercises and will also make it easier to move as the act of warming up increases flexibility.

2. If you are indoors, make sure that your aerobic workout room is comfortable when it comes to temperature. During most aerobic programs, you will work up a sweat and a warm room will make you sweat even more. On the other hand, a cold room is not ideal either. Instead, try getting your workout area to be somewhere in between.

3. If you are planning to use an aerobic workout video, watch it before beginning to exercise. This will give you an idea as to whether you will be able to successfully follow along with the program without injuring or straining your muscles.

4. Always choose an aerobic workout video according to your level of experience. There is nothing wrong with beginner videos. Never feel like you are in such a hurry that you bypass the first basic steps to fitness needed before moving up to the advanced aerobic workouts.

5. It is best to consult with a physician prior to beginning any aerobic workout regimen. If your physician recommends a specific plan, always be sure to follow it precisely.

6. If you feel that you have pulled a muscle or have suffered another type of aerobic related injury, stop your exercise program and rest. If the pain does not subside, consider applying a warm pack or towel to the injury. If you suspect that the injury is severe or may require medical attention, consult a physician immediately. Do not continue working out as this may only make the injury worse.

7. While doing your aerobic exercises, listen to your favorite tunes on the DVD player. If you are working out to an exercise video, simply turn the volume down if you already know the regimen. If you prefer to workout independently, music is a terrific way to keep you motivated and help you to maintain the pace.

8. If you are planning to enroll in an aerobic class, stop by and watch the class being taught before signing up. This will give you a good idea as to the length of time and level of physical activity that is required by a particular instructor.

9. When participating in any type of exercise program, which includes aerobic workouts, always wear comfortable clothes that are preferably made of cotton. This is the most breathable fabric and will provide the most comfort and ease of movement while working out.

10. At the conclusion of your aerobic workout, always perform several minutes of cool down exercises to get your body cooled down and slowly returned to a normal heart rate. This is better than rapidly stopping your aerobic workout.

This article is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended to be in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice regarding aerobic exercise. Prior to beginning any workout regimen, an individual should consult their physician for proper recommendations.