Aerobics

Aerobic exercise is cardiovascular conditioning that uses both arms, both legs or all four limbs for at least 20 – 30 minutes continuously.

This type of exercise is part of a well-rounded fitness program, along with strengthening, flexibility and balance exercises. It builds your energy reserves beyond what your body requires for daily activities, improving your function and quality of life.

It is best to choose a weight-bearing activity such as dancing, walking, stairs, cross-country skiing, dancing or Zumba.

Frequency, duration and intensity

You should aim to do aerobic exercise at least five days per week, 30 minutes each day, for a total of 150 minutes per week. If 30 minutes at once is too much, you can break your exercise into 10-minute sessions throughout the day to reach your exercise goal.

During exercise, you should aim for moderate to vigorous intensity. You should work at a level where you feel your heart is beating faster and you are breathing harder. You should still be able to talk.

How to avoid injury

Follow these guidelines to stay safe during aerobic exercise:

warm up properly before exercising
avoid exercising immediately after meals
build up your level of activity gradually
listen to your body for early warning pains
wear light, loose-fitting clothing that is appropriate for the weather

Wear proper footwear

Your footwear should have:

a firm heel that doesn’t allow the back of your foot to lift out of the shoe when you walk
a flexible center so the sole bends easily from heel to toe
room in the toe area
a low heel (less than one inch)
adequate cushioning in the heel and sole

When to talk to your doctor

Talk to your doctor about aerobic exercise if you:

have a heart condition
are older than 45
are between 35-45 and have risk factors such as smoking, low back or other chronic joint pain, elevated cholesterol, obesity, diabetes or a family history of heart disease

Walking programs

A walking program is one of the simplest ways to reach your aerobic activity goals. The program should include a warm-up, a middle portion of the walk where the intensity is harder, and then a cool down period. Your walking time should increase over time.

Intensity

Monitor the intensity of the middle portion of your walk. You can use the talk test or the rate of perceived exertion scale to decide if you are working at a level that is benefiting your heart and lungs.

Talk test

You should be able to carry on a conversation during your walk. Your sentences may be shorter, but you shouldn’t be so short of breath that you can’t talk.

Rate of perceived exertion scale

You should be working at a level 4 – 6 during your walk.

Level 1: resting or very light activity (ie. a very slow walk)
Level 2 – 3: light or very easy activity (ie. a slow walk)
Level 4 – 6: moderate activity, breathing heavily, but can hold short conversation (ie. walking like you are late for an appointment)
Level 7 – 8: vigorous activity, very short of breath
Level 9: very hard – difficult to maintain
Level 10: maximum effort, very out of breath

Tips for your walking program

Begin slowly and build gradually in duration and intensity as tolerated.
Drink plenty of water before and after you walk.
Keep a diary to track your progress.
Schedule walks on a calendar.
Set goals and reward yourself.
Get a good, well-fitting pair of shoes.
Join a walking club or walk with a friend.

Walking poles

You can use walking poles for balance or to increase arm use. To use them safely, you should:

check that all fastenings and screws are tight before each use
not use the wrist strap
adjust the poles to the right height for you
consider using a wider base for the poles

Posture and form while walking

Posture

hold your head up, not tilted
look straight ahead and do not slouch
focus on a distance about 30 feet ahead
keep your stomach muscles working

Arm swing

keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle
make short, fast swings with your arms
keep your fists loosely curled and your arms close to body

Stride

take straight leg strides with your legs fully extended
keep your knees relaxed, not locked
do not take longer steps, just faster ones
try to make your movements smooth

Feet

push off from the ball of your foot
land on your heel
roll through your foot

Sample walking program

Your goal is to be walking 30 minutes at a time, five days a week.

Week 1

Warm up: five minutes
Mid portion: five - 10 minutes
Cool down: five minutes

Week 2

Warm up: five minutes
Mid portion: 10 - 15 minutes
Cool down: five minutes