"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 maintaining a healthy weight (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)
*Better 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.
During true aerobic exercise, the body burns fat for energy. Converting fat into energy requires oxygen, hence the name "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for providing muscle endurance (energy for hours or days at a time without fatigue). This is particularly important for muscles that support posture, joints, and arches of the feet. If there is not enough aerobic exercise for these types of muscles, the chances of joint problems, injuries, and low stamina go up.
In anaerobic exercise, the body burns sugar (glucose) for energy. No oxygen is required for this type of energy production. Burning sugar provides short term speed and power. Muscles cannot burn sugar for long, however, and so they fatigue 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 (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 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 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 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 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 athletes 16 years old 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. Simply subtract 10 points from the maximum aerobic heart rate. So a healthy 32 year old would have a max of 148 and a minimum of 138.
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.
You'll find it's surprisingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much to get your heart rate up 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. Athletes need to do this, however, to protect their bodies. The good news for athletes here is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll soon be able to quicken the pace without surpassing your maximum aerobic heart rate. Once you start wearing a heart rate monitor, you'll likely also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling, or swimming at a steady pace is 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 maintaining a healthy weight (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)
*Better 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.
During true aerobic exercise, the body burns fat for energy. Converting fat into energy requires oxygen, hence the name "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for providing muscle endurance (energy for hours or days at a time without fatigue). This is particularly important for muscles that support posture, joints, and arches of the feet. If there is not enough aerobic exercise for these types of muscles, the chances of joint problems, injuries, and low stamina go up.
In anaerobic exercise, the body burns sugar (glucose) for energy. No oxygen is required for this type of energy production. Burning sugar provides short term speed and power. Muscles cannot burn sugar for long, however, and so they fatigue 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 (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 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 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 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 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 athletes 16 years old 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. Simply subtract 10 points from the maximum aerobic heart rate. So a healthy 32 year old would have a max of 148 and a minimum of 138.
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.
You'll find it's surprisingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much to get your heart rate up 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. Athletes need to do this, however, to protect their bodies. The good news for athletes here is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll soon be able to quicken the pace without surpassing your maximum aerobic heart rate. Once you start wearing a heart rate monitor, you'll likely also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling, or swimming at a steady pace is 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 Chiropractor? Consider a visit to Kinesis Healthcare.
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