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Dr. Kenneth Cooper, an exercise physiologist at San Antonio Air Force Hospital, was the first to coin the term "aerobics." He developed a heart rate formula of subtracting your age from 220 and exercising with the heart rate at 60-80% of that number. Originally this formula was designed for astronauts, but the benefits of "aerobics" soon convinced Dr. Cooper that this type of exercise is beneficial to everybody.
Since then studies have demonstrated many benefits of regular aerobic exercise, including:
*Weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight (Aerobic exercise burns fat!)
*Increased long-term energy and stamina
*Improved mood
*Pain relief (by natural endorphin production)
*Stronger heart and better circulation (by keeping arteries clear and preventing heart disease)
*Improved blood sugar control and adrenal health
*Lower blood pressure
*Stronger bones and prevention of osteoporosis
*Stronger immune system
*Longer life expectancy
If you have been battling low energy, poor endurance, aches and pains, too much body fat, stress, or sugar and carb cravings, your body is probably 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.
In aerobic exercise, the body burns fat and converts it into energy. Because this process requires oxygen, it is called "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for improving muscle endurance (allowing for hours or days of work without fatigue). This is extra important for the muscles which support posture, joints, and the arches of the feet. So insufficient aerobic exercise will raise the probability of joint problems, injuries, fallen arches, and low stamina.
In anaerobic exercise, the body burns sugar (glucose) for energy. As the name "anaerobic" suggests, oxygen is not required for this type of energy production. Burning sugar is useful for providing short term speed and power. Muscles cannot burn sugar for long, though, and so they fatigue quickly. Most people have no shortage of anaerobic exercise -- even when you're sitting, your body is doing some tasks anaerobically. Plus virtually all sports are anaerobic in nature due to their alternating bursts of high intensity (anaerobic) exercise and rest.
Dr. Phil Maffetone is an internationally recognized researcher who has greatly improved our understanding of aerobic exercise and endurance training. He studied many variables, including heart rate, gait, and muscle imbalances in many athletes before and after workouts. Dr. Maffetone discovered that the athletes who exercised using Dr. Cooper's original formula often ended up over-training and suffering from injuries, pain, joint problems, and distorted posture and body mechanics. His work led Dr. Maffetone to develop a new and improved formula for calculating each person's target heart rate for true aerobic exercise.
Follow these four simple steps to ensure your training is aerobic and to enjoy all the benefits of aerobic exercise:
1. Invest in a heart rate monitor, one with a chest strap as well as a wrist watch. It's not a good idea to exercise without one because you'll have no way of knowing if your pace is correct. There are many brands and models available to you. Polar is an industry leader and is usually a safe bet. If you work out in a gym, make sure your monitor is coded so that there is no electrical interference from other devices nearby.
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 max heart rate if you're recovering from a major illness or surgery, or if you take any regular medications.
*Subtract another 5 from the max aerobic heart rate if you're injured, have regressed in competition or training, suffer from more than two bouts of cold/flu each year, have asthma or allergies, are just beginning to train, or if you have not been training consistently (Dr. Maffetone defines consistency as at least 4 times per week for 2 years).
*Add 5 to the max heart rate if you've trained consistently for more than 2 years without any 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 those age 16 or younger. The 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 max aerobic heart rate. For a healthy 34 year old, the max heart rate is 146 and the minimum is 136.
4. Jog, walk, swim, or bike while using the heart rate monitor. Be sure to stay within your aerobic heart rate zone for at least 30 minutes at a time, and at least 3 times per week. Do not exceed 90 minutes at a time without a doctor's supervision.
As you will soon discover, it's amazingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much effort to elevate your heart rate to the target zone. This is good news for couch potatoes (Talk about exercising smarter, not harder!), but can be frustrating for athletes who don't want to slow down. However, athletes must train aerobically to protect their bodies. The silver lining for athletes is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll be able to pick up the pace without exceeding the maximum aerobic heart rate. With the aid of your heart rate monitor, you'll soon also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling or swimming (at a constant pace) is likely to be anaerobic.
As a chiropractor, acupuncturist, and athlete, I've noticed remarkable benefits with aerobic exercise for both myself and my patients. 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 maintaining a healthy weight (Aerobic exercise burns fat!)
*Increased long-term energy and stamina
*Improved mood
*Pain relief (by natural endorphin production)
*Stronger heart and better circulation (by keeping arteries clear and preventing heart disease)
*Improved blood sugar control and adrenal health
*Lower blood pressure
*Stronger bones and prevention of osteoporosis
*Stronger immune system
*Longer life expectancy
If you have been battling low energy, poor endurance, aches and pains, too much body fat, stress, or sugar and carb cravings, your body is probably 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.
In aerobic exercise, the body burns fat and converts it into energy. Because this process requires oxygen, it is called "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for improving muscle endurance (allowing for hours or days of work without fatigue). This is extra important for the muscles which support posture, joints, and the arches of the feet. So insufficient aerobic exercise will raise the probability of joint problems, injuries, fallen arches, and low stamina.
In anaerobic exercise, the body burns sugar (glucose) for energy. As the name "anaerobic" suggests, oxygen is not required for this type of energy production. Burning sugar is useful for providing short term speed and power. Muscles cannot burn sugar for long, though, and so they fatigue quickly. Most people have no shortage of anaerobic exercise -- even when you're sitting, your body is doing some tasks anaerobically. Plus virtually all sports are anaerobic in nature due to their alternating bursts of high intensity (anaerobic) exercise and rest.
Dr. Phil Maffetone is an internationally recognized researcher who has greatly improved our understanding of aerobic exercise and endurance training. He studied many variables, including heart rate, gait, and muscle imbalances in many athletes before and after workouts. Dr. Maffetone discovered that the athletes who exercised using Dr. Cooper's original formula often ended up over-training and suffering from injuries, pain, joint problems, and distorted posture and body mechanics. His work led Dr. Maffetone to develop a new and improved formula for calculating each person's target heart rate for true aerobic exercise.
Follow these four simple steps to ensure your training is aerobic and to enjoy all the benefits of aerobic exercise:
1. Invest in a heart rate monitor, one with a chest strap as well as a wrist watch. It's not a good idea to exercise without one because you'll have no way of knowing if your pace is correct. There are many brands and models available to you. Polar is an industry leader and is usually a safe bet. If you work out in a gym, make sure your monitor is coded so that there is no electrical interference from other devices nearby.
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 max heart rate if you're recovering from a major illness or surgery, or if you take any regular medications.
*Subtract another 5 from the max aerobic heart rate if you're injured, have regressed in competition or training, suffer from more than two bouts of cold/flu each year, have asthma or allergies, are just beginning to train, or if you have not been training consistently (Dr. Maffetone defines consistency as at least 4 times per week for 2 years).
*Add 5 to the max heart rate if you've trained consistently for more than 2 years without any 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 those age 16 or younger. The 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 max aerobic heart rate. For a healthy 34 year old, the max heart rate is 146 and the minimum is 136.
4. Jog, walk, swim, or bike while using the heart rate monitor. Be sure to stay within your aerobic heart rate zone for at least 30 minutes at a time, and at least 3 times per week. Do not exceed 90 minutes at a time without a doctor's supervision.
As you will soon discover, it's amazingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much effort to elevate your heart rate to the target zone. This is good news for couch potatoes (Talk about exercising smarter, not harder!), but can be frustrating for athletes who don't want to slow down. However, athletes must train aerobically to protect their bodies. The silver lining for athletes is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll be able to pick up the pace without exceeding the maximum aerobic heart rate. With the aid of your heart rate monitor, you'll soon also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling or swimming (at a constant pace) is likely to be anaerobic.
As a chiropractor, acupuncturist, and athlete, I've noticed remarkable benefits with aerobic exercise for both myself and my patients. 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 Chiropractor? Consider a visit to Kinesis Healthcare.
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