AEROBICS, WHAT IS THIS, HOW TO DO AEROBICS

Some history

The term aerobics emmerged in the sixties and at that time it denoted a special general philosophy of fitness training, that is training to stengthen the heart, lungs, internal organs and general condition.

The sentral thesis of the philosophy was that the training effect was proportional to the oxygen consume during the training. According to the thesis it did not matter how fast or how slow the training was done or what method used. Therefore a long walk could have the same effect as a quick and fast running tour as long as the oxygen consumed was the same.

Experts of aerobics made great tables of how must you could consume of oxygen from different activities, and the aim was to achieve a certain consume of oxygen consume through training each week.

Nowadays we know that this philosophy at least is partly wrong. The training effect is heavily dependent also upon the intensity of the training, and that means the oxygen consume during each time unit. The intensity must be high enough to make the heart and lungs work considerably more than what it does with a plain walk.

The duration o the training also plays a role, but more than one hour three times a week will not give you much additional condition effect.

Also splitting the training into smaller etapes with high intensity gives a better effect on the condition than one hour of constant activity with a somewhat lower effect. However, the longer etapes give a better ability to sustain physical work for longer periods, so it is wise to mix those modes of training your conition.


What is that training called "aerobics" today?

The term aerobics has slowly changed meaning, even though some of the original ideas persist.

The aerobics practised nowadays consist of special selected exercizes done in a short session, for example 0.5 - 1 hour that increase the oxygen consume sigificantly during each exercise.

The aim of the exercises is still to improve the health and capacity of the internal organs and to improve the general condition. The exercises are also designed to increase flexibility, the muscle mass and the muscle strength to some extend, but this effect is not as great as by streching and weight training and that like.

By aerobic exercises one does not use any special equipment, except appropriate light clothing and gym shoes that allow oneself to sweat out without getting wet.

The probably most effective way of doing aerobics is doing several periods of exercises with great speed and intensity with more relaxed periods between in each session.

An aerobic session must contain exercises so that the whole body is used, not only the legs.

Usually aerobic is done in groups at fixed times and with an instructor to lead and motivate the group.

Having an instructor to lead you through the exercises have many advantages. You get motivated and the instructur tells you the best way of doing the exercises. However a group with an instructor also can have drawbacks. The instructur is usually well fit and meny instructors tend to attend a speeed and intencity that is appropriate only for themselves and the most fit persons in the group. If you are a beginner it is best to find a group for beginners with an instructor that hold an intensity of the exercises fitted for beginners.

A picture from an aerobics class with the instructor doing the same exercises and thus inspiring the participants:




How to do aerobics

In the following some easy aerobic exercises are described. Reapeat each exercise several times with so great speed and intensity that you feel your heart is beating harder and you have to breath deeper and faster. However do not exercise so intense that you feel any significant pain or so that you have difficulty with your breathing.

The intensity of aerobic exercises is so great that it is easy to over-strain yourself or get health problems if you are not accustomed to high intensity training. Therefore be very careful in the beginning. If you have not made any training for a long time, or if you have heart conditions or other health issues, you should check by your doctor before you begin aerobics.

Have a little break between each exercise, but do not stand still so that you get stiff and cold. Do some light steps during the break.

Begin by warming up. For warmin up you can do a cople of the described exercises, but with a relaxed inetsity, or you can just step for some time on the spot.

Here are the sugested exercises:

- Jump up an down, each time you jump up, also swing your arms up.

- Stand with your knees a little bent and your armes lifted above your head. Bend foreward and down and wing your arms down at the same time. Also kneeel a more down when you bend foreward. Then stand up again swinging your arms back above your head.

- Stepping to the right and then to the left, each time swinging your arms to the opposite side.

- Stepping foreward with your right leg and bending you knees, and swinging your arms foreward at the same time. Then step bak again. Then do the same with your left leg.

- Kneel down swinging your arms up, and then rise up again singing your arms back.

- Stand on your left leg and wing your righ leg around, and also swing your right arm round. Then shift to your your right leg swinging your left leg and arm around.

- Kneel down, bend foreward so that you stand on both your hands and feet. Jump back and forth with your feet while having your hands at the floor on the same spot.

- Lay down on your back with your legs lifted and curled up against your stomack, and your arms along your side lifted somewhat from the floor. Then stretch your legs out. At the same time swing your arms over your head and down against the floor so that you get stretched out from your finger tips to your toes. Then curl yourself back again.

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