As a result of increased awareness on the importance of keeping healthy, more and more people are reviewing their lifestyles with many choosing to incorporate exercise into their daily schedules. Of course others choose to diet but while it is a good practice, it hardly ever helps in weight loss all on its own. There has therefore been a boom across the country in the number of gym memberships with particularly keen interest in aerobics.
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About Aerobics
The whole concept of aerobics is to make exercise fun and keep it constantly fresh with the goal of improving all elements of fitness. It is a form of physical exercise that is performed in a group setting with an instructor leading to the beat of the music. The various steps and motions in the routine are designed to work out certain muscles and the class often takes an hour or so according to the gym specifications.
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Fitness Classes
The classes in most gyms are set at times when a client can easily attend, with consideration given to the professionals. These classes are mostly five to six in the morning, one to two in the afternoon and five to six in the evening with minor variations every once so often. The level of fitness plays an important role in the level of participation that a client may choose. Each class having been designed differently varies in complexity of the steps and intensity of the workout. It is therefore more common for people to start in beginner’s classes and work their way into more complex workouts over a period of time.
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Aerobics and the Mind
Despite aerobics being mainly physical, an aspect of mental work is added into the mix as a result of having to learn the steps and keeping to the beat throughout. This is advantageous as it helps to hone flexibility and reflexes while at the same time sharpening the mind. As a result, aerobics comes highly recommended for individuals who have, for a while, lost control of their limbs or have been bed-ridden for one reason or the other. Such people are most likely to be put into the low intensity level classes with a certified instructor whose specialty area includes physiotherapy.
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The Nature of Aerobics
Aerobics is classified under cardiovascular exercise. This is because of the nature of its fat burning properties. During a workout there is a repeated movement of the large muscles in the arms, legs and hips. Due to this, there’s an increase in breath intake to maximise the amount of oxygen in the blood so as to adequately meet the energy demand created by the increased metabolism. The advantage of all this is that there will be increased blood flow to the lungs and muscles aiding in transportation of oxygen to the muscles and waste products away from them. The body will also release endorphins which promote a general sense of well-being and reduce stress.
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Discipline and Aerobics
The main problems associated with aerobics are mainly as a result of failure of clients to work out in the right way. Most people do not take the time to understand their body limits before starting the workout. It is advisable for a person to visit the doctor for a general body check-up with particular emphasis on the joints and heart. Those with weak ankles or displaced kneecaps for example, would be advised to use fabric braces to ensure that the joint is straight and doesn’t move out of place. Those with heart defects would be advised on what intensity they should go at to prevent incidence of strokes, heart attacks and the like.
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Clothing and Aerobics
Similarly, the type of workout clothing in use has been a point of contention for many. Clients fail to realise that without special footwear, all the working out will be in vain as it may place undue stress on particular muscles especially the lower back and the upper thighs. This may result in muscle pulls and/or slipped discs in the spine. The generally accepted workout clothes should be fitted close to the body for streamlined movement and decent so as not to make other clients uncomfortable. This therefore rules out very short shorts and low cut tops for women. The fabric of the work-out clothes should be light and sweat absorbent as well as soft on the skin to prevent chafing (sores caused by friction).
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Food, Water, and Aerobics
Food and water intake prior to the workout should be kept at a minimum. Meals should be ingested about an hour and a half or so to allow time for it to be broken down to release energy. The alternative would be to take a small portion of a high energy snack such as a banana or a mixed salad. Water on the other hand should be taken after the work-out. Failure to do so will lead to light-headedness and may result in fainting. Six to eight glasses taken periodically after the workout will replenish the water lost from the body in form of sweat.
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Aerobics and Lifestyle
The excuse most people would give in order to justify the lack of exercise in their lifestyles is that gym membership is expensive. People insist that gym memberships are the reserve of the rich. This is however not true, there are low cost gyms available all over the country. Eventually, the benefits accrued from aerobics are worth the money put into the effort. The other option would be for one to buy workout videos and exercise in the comfort of his /her own home. This is considerably cost effective although the lack of direct instructor participation might mean that a person will not properly exercise the target muscles.
A lot can be said in favor of aerobics; it strengthens heart muscles, increases high density lipo-proteins (good cholesterol), accelerates weight loss, improves brain activity and reduces stress among many other benefits. It is however, up to an individual to incorporate it into his/her lifestyle in order to enjoy the benefits for himself or herself. One thing is however for sure, exercise, and especially aerobics, is worth investing in. As such, it is not enough to be involved in aerobics. The biggest question is whether you are following the above guidelines because any form of exercising is pointless and without benefit.
