Getting Ready for the Summer with Aerobic Exercise

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states."
     - Carol Welch

With the upcoming summer months fast approaching many people are starting to dig through their closet and drawers for their shorts, tank tops and bathing suits.  As they are bending over looking into the boxes in the closet or lower dresser drawers, they become a little more aware of the winter bulge of extra body fat pushing against their pants and noticing the little extra roundness of their arms and legs.

All of those winter days of the basic hibernation food intake results are more noticeable.  Instead of allowing their ideas of future summer fun being ruined with cloudy thoughts of the extra weight, it might be a good time to start an aerobic exercise regime.  Nothing real serious like massive weight lifting, or a boot camp type of craziness to bulk up and get a rock hard stomach 'six-pack' or have the veins pop up in their arms like live snakes under their skin.  No, many people just need a regular aerobic routine to shed the extra layer of warmth they created during the winter.

Aerobic exercise is rhythmically using the same large muscle group for a period of 15 to 20 minutes while maintaining 60%-80% of your maximum heart rate.  Some of the ways to do this is a consistent movement like walking, biking, jogging, stair climbing, etc.  The cool thing about aerobic activities is that they can be done either inside or outside.   Rehabmart offers many different aerobic products and this article will concentrate on aerobic activities that can be done inside the home or gathering place.

One such example offered by Rehabmart  is the Heartflex Exerciser.  This is a great way to get back into cardiovascular shape for people who have either been injured or bedridden which requires passive strength training. 

                                             

The Heartflex Exerciser uses light, consistent resistance to tone and strengthen the upper body while gently stimulating the cardiovascular system. 

Remember, when you are just beginning an exercise routine, a person must start slowly.  The goal when exercising aerobically is to hit your target heart rate and maintain it for the entire exercise session.  The Heartflex Exerciser is a great way to start slowly and maintain the exercise session for at least 20 minutes.  If a person tries to start jogging or engages in a more strenuous activity at first, they will tire quickly and become frustrated.

Another simple cardiovascular activity is to bend and move with a light weight.  The Exertools Fireball D-ball is a good way to tone up and get the heart pumping.  

                                      

The Fireball D-balls come with a rough surface which provides an excellent grip and they do not bounce and will not roll if dropped.  These can be used either by one's self or with another person.

When a person is working out aerobically, they should be able to carry on a short conversation while doing aerobic exercise. If they are gasping for air while talking, they are probably working anaerobically. When you work anaerobically, you will tire faster and are more likely to experience sore muscles after exercise is over.

The Resistance Toning Kit  is a small, affordable all-in-one home gym. It consists of a Burst-Resistant Exercise Ball, Adjustable Resistance Tube and an Ankle Cuff that allows you to target all the muscle groups. Also included is a Total Body Toning Workout DVD with beginner and advanced exercises.  

                                              

This is great for increasing the core muscle groups and adds strength and stability to the important abdominal muscles.  The abs are the muscle group that basically control the body's foundation.  Once the abs are strengthened, a person is in more control to work out other parts of the body without the heightened chance of injury.

Aerobic exercise conditions the heart and lungs by increasing the oxygen available to the body and by enabling the heart to use oxygen more efficiently.  A great and fun way to do this is with the The TherapyCycle PC which connects you to your video game!  Your pedal motion directly controls your characters motion in the game. Pedal forward to move forward, pedal backwards to move backwards. Your character can be a person, a car, a bicycle, a boat, or anything else; it depends upon the game you're playing.  The software also keeps a detailed log of your physical activity which can be a very beneficial by showing a person their daily achievement.  The software couldn't be easier to use.  It will begin working automatically on the second revolution of the bike pedal and the person will have the option of having the software remain on the screen to either watch, or to run in the background if they wish to go gaming. 

Cardiovascular fitness is an ongoing process and requires consistent reinforcement. To maintain your current level of fitness you should do aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week. To increase your level of fitness, try exercising 4 to 5 times per week.  So now is the time to get into the shape you want to be in when you put on those shorts, go to the beach, or just want to get in better heart shape for a more healthy and happy lifestyle.

"You do not have to work out at an aerobic intensity. You don't have to work out continuously, but you do have to get your body moving -- know how much to do and stick with it."
      - Dr. Harvey Simon