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Everything You Need to Know About Aerobic Training Cardio respiratory fitness is the cornerstone of physical fitness. This type of exercise uses the large muscles of the body in a rhythmic and continuous manner that increases the heart rate and breathing for a sustained period of time. Aerobic literally means "with air". Examples of cardiovascular training include walking, jogging/running treadmills , swimming, rowing rowers , stair climbing stair climbers , bicycling exercise cycles , elliptical training elliptical trainers , kick boxing, roller blading, ice skating and rebounding on a trampoline trampolines . Intense, continuous games of tennis, racquetball and squash would also be classified as aerobic in nature. Selecting the types of aerobic exercise that you engage in should be done with thought. Depending on your long-term goals, physical condition and injury history, certain types may more appropriate for your particular situation. Generally speaking, it is a good idea to "cross train" by alternating between several appropriate exercises that work for you. This methodology reduces the chances of overuse injuries, fosters a more balanced conditioning program and will make your workout experience more enjoyable. Alternating between high impact exercises like running, kickboxing, tennis, and racquetball with low impact aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, stair climbing, step classes steps, aqua aerobics aqua products, rowing, climbing and cross-country skiing is best. The standard recommendation is to train every other day with high-impact activities. If you are overweight, seriously de-conditioned, or you have an injury history or current problems with joints of the feet, ankles, knees, hips or low back, it may be wise to steer clear of high impact activities altogether. Anyone can learn proper form and technique in performing cardiovascular exercise. It is important to do so, because injury can result if your form is incorrect. An example of this is running on the toes of your feet instead of striking first with the heel and rolling to the toe. Shin splints, plantar fascia stresses and knee pain may result. By enlisting the help of a trained fitness professional, you can save yourself a lot of pain and aggravation. How long should you train aerobically to reap physical benefits? How long you train aerobically will depend on your goals, schedule, and physical condition: 10 to 60 minutes is an acceptable range of time. If your goal is body fat loss and you are appropriately conditioned, then longer is better: at least 30 minutes with 40 to 60 minutes preferred. Recent research shows that aerobic fitness levels can improve with as little as 10 minutes duration - as long as exercise is performed often: 2 to 3 times a day, 5 days a week. To balance general fitness, health, body composition, and scheduling concerns, 30 minutes is optimal for many people. How hard should you be training? Aerobic exercise intensity is measured in 3 ways: 1. Heart rate is the most precise method. A heart rate monitor makes this easy to keep track of and regulate. 2. "Talk Test" you should be able to talk comfortably while you are exercising. 3. Perceived Exertion how hard the exercise feels to you on a scale of 1-10. You and your exercise physiologist/trainer can determine which method is best for you. However, we can't emphasize enough that there is no real need to "knock yourself out." Moderate intensity is almost always appropriate and always more enjoyable. Low to moderate intensity is an especially good idea when starting out after a layoff, recovery from illness/injury or if you are significantly overweight. How often do you need to work out? The minimum to maintain your fitness level is two workouts a week. For most people 3 to 5 sessions a week would be better. If fat loss is your goal, then 6 to 7 low impact workouts a week (nearly every day) would be optimal. The more often you perform aerobic exercise the more important it is to cross train to prevent injury. It is always important to gradually increase your duration, intensity and frequency. It is especially important if you are de-conditioned, overweight, elderly or are rehabilitating from an injury or illness. If in doubt, go easier, shorter, slower and enjoy yourself. Warmup and cool down are important to reduce discomfort and the chance for injury. Warm-up for aerobic exercise by performing the exercise at a very low intensity and gradually build up over 2 to 10 minutes at the end of your workout. Do not stop and stand abruptly without cooling down. You run the risk of getting dizzy and possibly passing out. A common misconception is that aerobic exercise tones and firms muscles. Actually it accomplishes very little of this. In a typical aerobic workout, your active muscles perform hundreds of repetitions with a relatively low resistance placed on them, which is an ineffective toning stimulus. Resistance exercise, commonly referred to as weight training, is where real toning and firming of muscles occurs strength training products. Another misconception is that one must exercise aerobically at a low intensity to lose fat. Recent research has shown that we may exercise at any intensity for effective fat loss. The harder you work, the more calories you burn, including calories from fat. If your goal is to lead a balanced lifestyle and enhance your health and well being, keep in mind that it is very important to perform aerobic exercise regularly even if the intensity is low or the duration is short. The bottom line for health and well being enhancement is to get some frequent aerobic activity - period; try to enjoy it and take it easy so you will want to keep it up. Because aerobic exercise is repetitive, it often does not require a high degree of concentration. So it may be a good idea to read, listen to music or educational tapes books and videos , watch TV or talk with a friend (remember, if you can't talk because you are out of breath, your workout is probably too intensive) to make your work out more fun. Monitor your progress on a daily basis. Keeping an accurate log of your workouts is a good way to see at a glance how far you've come in your pursuit of fitness. Your progress will keep you interested.