"Aerobics" was first coined by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, an exercise physiologist at San Antonio Air Force Hospital. He developed the formula of subtracting your age from 220 and exercising with the heart rate at 60-80% of that number. Though originally formulated to help astronauts, the benefits of "aerobics" made Dr. Cooper realize that this type of exercise is useful for everyone.
Since then studies have demonstrated many benefits of regular aerobic exercise, including:
*Weight loss and weight maintenance (aerobic exercise burns fat.)
* An increase in consistent, long-term energy and stamina
*Improved mood
*Pain relief (by natural endorphin production)
*Stronger heart & better circulation (keeps arteries clear and helps prevent heart disease)
*Improved blood sugar control and adrenal health
*Lower blood pressure
*Stronger bones and osteoporosis prevention
*Stronger immune system
*Longer life expectancy
If you're suffering from low energy, dwindling endurance, aches and pains, excessive body fat, stress, or if you crave sugar or carbs, chances are you're not getting enough aerobic exercise!
The exercise intensity and duration determine whether the muscles work aerobically or anaerobically. Aerobic exercise requires a very specific level of intensity for at least thirty minutes at a time. If the heart rate is too low or too high, the exercise becomes anaerobic instead.
During true aerobic exercise, the body burns fat for energy. This process requires oxygen, hence the term "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for improving muscle endurance (allowing them to function for hours or days at a time without fatigue). This is especially important for those muscles that support posture, joints, and the arches of the feet. Therefore, if there is not sufficient aerobic exercise, the chances of joint problems, injuries, and low stamina increase.
In anaerobic exercise, sugar (glucose) is burned for energy. This process does not require oxygen. Burning sugar helps provide muscles with short-term speed and power. However, muscles cannot burn sugar for long, so they tire quickly. Most people have no shortage of anaerobic exercise. Even while seated, the body runs many tasks anaerobically, and virtually all sports are anaerobic due to their alternating bursts of high intensity activity and rest.
Dr. Phil Maffetone is an internationally recognized researcher who has greatly enhanced our understanding of aerobic exercise and endurance training. He studied many athletes before and after workouts, measuring indicators like heart rate, gait mechanics, and muscle imbalance. Dr. Maffetone discovered that the athletes who exercised using Dr. Cooper's original formula often wound up over-training and suffering from injuries, pain, joint problems, and distortions in posture and body mechanics. After much work, Dr. Maffetone developed a new and improved formula for calculating each person's target heart rate for true aerobic exercise.
Follow these four simple steps to ensure you're training aerobically and enjoying all the benefits of aerobic exercise:
1. Invest in a heart rate monitor. It's just not a good idea to rely on the "feel" of a workout or to guess at whether your heart rate is too low or too high. There are many brands and models to choose from. Polar is an industry leader and is usually a safe bet. I recommend purchasing a model that has a chest strap as well as a wrist watch/display. If you work out in a gym rather than outdoors, invest in a model that is coded so that there is no electrical signal interference from other devices in the gym.
2. Calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate using Dr. Maffetone's formula. Just subtract your age from 180 to calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate. For example, a 33 year old who wants to exercise aerobically would have a maximum heart rate of 147 beats per minute. Modifiers and exceptions to this formula are as follows:
*Subtract another 10 from the maximum heart rate if recovering from major illness or surgery, or if on any regular medications
*Subtract another 5 from the maximum heart rate if you're injured, have regressed in training or competition, suffer from more than two bouts of cold/flu per year, have asthma or allergies, just starting to train, or if you've been training inconsistently (Dr. Maffetone defined consistency as at least 4 times weekly for 2 years).
*Add 5 to the max heart rate if: training consistently for more than 2 years without injuries or problems and have made progress in competition.
*Add 10 to the max heart rate if you're over the age of 65.
*This formula does not apply to athletes 16 years old or younger. Best bet for these athletes is 165 as the max heart rate.
*If in doubt, choose the lower maximum heart rate.
3. Calculate your minimum aerobic heart rate by subtracting 10 from the maximum aerobic heart rate. So a healthy 33 year old would have a max heart rate of 147 and a minimum of 137.
4. Walk, jog, swim or bike while wearing your heart rate monitor. Stay within your aerobic heart rate zone for at least 30 minutes at a time, and at least three times a week. I don't recommmend exceeding 90 minutes without a doctor's supervision.
You will discover that it's surprisingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much effort to elevate your heart rate to the target zone. That's good news for couch potatoes (talk about exercising smarter, not harder!), but sometimes frustrating for athletes who don't want to slow down their training. However, athletes need to do this to protect their bodies. The silver lining for athletes is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll be able to quicken the pace without exceeding your maximum aerobic heart rate. With your trusty heart rate monitor to guide you, you'll soon also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling or swimming (at a steady pace) is likely anaerobic.
As a chiropractic doctor and acupuncturist, I've noticed substantial benefits for both myself and my patients who exercise aerobically each week. The immediate and long-term benefits are well worth the effort!
Since then studies have demonstrated many benefits of regular aerobic exercise, including:
*Weight loss and weight maintenance (aerobic exercise burns fat.)
* An increase in consistent, long-term energy and stamina
*Improved mood
*Pain relief (by natural endorphin production)
*Stronger heart & better circulation (keeps arteries clear and helps prevent heart disease)
*Improved blood sugar control and adrenal health
*Lower blood pressure
*Stronger bones and osteoporosis prevention
*Stronger immune system
*Longer life expectancy
If you're suffering from low energy, dwindling endurance, aches and pains, excessive body fat, stress, or if you crave sugar or carbs, chances are you're not getting enough aerobic exercise!
The exercise intensity and duration determine whether the muscles work aerobically or anaerobically. Aerobic exercise requires a very specific level of intensity for at least thirty minutes at a time. If the heart rate is too low or too high, the exercise becomes anaerobic instead.
During true aerobic exercise, the body burns fat for energy. This process requires oxygen, hence the term "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for improving muscle endurance (allowing them to function for hours or days at a time without fatigue). This is especially important for those muscles that support posture, joints, and the arches of the feet. Therefore, if there is not sufficient aerobic exercise, the chances of joint problems, injuries, and low stamina increase.
In anaerobic exercise, sugar (glucose) is burned for energy. This process does not require oxygen. Burning sugar helps provide muscles with short-term speed and power. However, muscles cannot burn sugar for long, so they tire quickly. Most people have no shortage of anaerobic exercise. Even while seated, the body runs many tasks anaerobically, and virtually all sports are anaerobic due to their alternating bursts of high intensity activity and rest.
Dr. Phil Maffetone is an internationally recognized researcher who has greatly enhanced our understanding of aerobic exercise and endurance training. He studied many athletes before and after workouts, measuring indicators like heart rate, gait mechanics, and muscle imbalance. Dr. Maffetone discovered that the athletes who exercised using Dr. Cooper's original formula often wound up over-training and suffering from injuries, pain, joint problems, and distortions in posture and body mechanics. After much work, Dr. Maffetone developed a new and improved formula for calculating each person's target heart rate for true aerobic exercise.
Follow these four simple steps to ensure you're training aerobically and enjoying all the benefits of aerobic exercise:
1. Invest in a heart rate monitor. It's just not a good idea to rely on the "feel" of a workout or to guess at whether your heart rate is too low or too high. There are many brands and models to choose from. Polar is an industry leader and is usually a safe bet. I recommend purchasing a model that has a chest strap as well as a wrist watch/display. If you work out in a gym rather than outdoors, invest in a model that is coded so that there is no electrical signal interference from other devices in the gym.
2. Calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate using Dr. Maffetone's formula. Just subtract your age from 180 to calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate. For example, a 33 year old who wants to exercise aerobically would have a maximum heart rate of 147 beats per minute. Modifiers and exceptions to this formula are as follows:
*Subtract another 10 from the maximum heart rate if recovering from major illness or surgery, or if on any regular medications
*Subtract another 5 from the maximum heart rate if you're injured, have regressed in training or competition, suffer from more than two bouts of cold/flu per year, have asthma or allergies, just starting to train, or if you've been training inconsistently (Dr. Maffetone defined consistency as at least 4 times weekly for 2 years).
*Add 5 to the max heart rate if: training consistently for more than 2 years without injuries or problems and have made progress in competition.
*Add 10 to the max heart rate if you're over the age of 65.
*This formula does not apply to athletes 16 years old or younger. Best bet for these athletes is 165 as the max heart rate.
*If in doubt, choose the lower maximum heart rate.
3. Calculate your minimum aerobic heart rate by subtracting 10 from the maximum aerobic heart rate. So a healthy 33 year old would have a max heart rate of 147 and a minimum of 137.
4. Walk, jog, swim or bike while wearing your heart rate monitor. Stay within your aerobic heart rate zone for at least 30 minutes at a time, and at least three times a week. I don't recommmend exceeding 90 minutes without a doctor's supervision.
You will discover that it's surprisingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much effort to elevate your heart rate to the target zone. That's good news for couch potatoes (talk about exercising smarter, not harder!), but sometimes frustrating for athletes who don't want to slow down their training. However, athletes need to do this to protect their bodies. The silver lining for athletes is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll be able to quicken the pace without exceeding your maximum aerobic heart rate. With your trusty heart rate monitor to guide you, you'll soon also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling or swimming (at a steady pace) is likely anaerobic.
As a chiropractic doctor and acupuncturist, I've noticed substantial benefits for both myself and my patients who exercise aerobically each week. The immediate and long-term benefits are well worth the effort!
About the Author:
Jasmine Greene is an educator on health, wellness, and holistic medicine. Are you looking for a Glen Ellyn Acupuncturist? Consider a visit to Kinesis Healthcare.
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