Searching for alternatives to maintain a healthy life helps both in the weight loss process and in the maintenance of the functions of our organism.
That is, when practicing physical exercises we are taking care of both our appearance and our health.
Aerobic exercises are a good option for those looking to improve physical conditioning as well as the loss of calories and body fat.
Thinking about it, we brought a text full of tips and activity options for you to test.
Are you curious to know more? Then check out the full text below!
Contents
What is an aerobic exercise?
Aerobic exercises can be characterized as any type of activity that causes oxygenation of the muscles. These exercises involve increasing the heart rate, and some of the most well-known aerobic activities are running, swimming and dancing.
Read more: Benefits of running: results are for body and mind
Activities that can be performed for a long period of time without excessive fatigue , however, with caloric burning, can be classified as aerobic .
Maintaining an adequate routine and frequency of these activities improves cardiorespiratory health, in addition to helping to reduce cholesterol, strengthening the body against viral diseases and improving mental well-being.
Read more: Exercising body and mind can prevent diseases in aging
What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic?
The main difference between the 2 types of exercise is in the duration and source of energy used. Aerobic exercises are longer, considered resistance and use oxygen to burn fat. Anaerobics, on the other hand, are of high intensity and short duration.
Among aerobic exercises we can mention walking or running, while anaerobic exercises are related to rapid contractions, such as weight training .
What is aerobic exercise for?
The main characteristic of aerobic exercises is the burning of calories and, consequently, the reduction of fat.
Among the objectives of aerobic exercise, we can mention:
- Strengthening the cardiorespiratory structure, as it demands a lot from the heart and lungs;
- Decreased blood pressure;
- Improved blood circulation;
- Elevation of energy reserves in the muscles, increasing resistance.
Read more: Caffeinated drinks can improve performance in sports
What are the benefits?
In addition to helping with weight loss, aerobic exercise can improve our mood and bring several health benefits, which we will explain further below:
Improves heart health
Any type of physical activity improves the health of our heart. But by doing aerobics, we are strengthening the heart. As a consequence, there is an improvement in blood circulation.
In addition, a stronger heart becomes more resistant to the risks of heart disease.
Reduces cholesterol
We can associate aerobic exercise with a kind of cleaning.
When we exercise, we make blood vessels more flexible, allowing bad fats to be eliminated before they reach blood vessels.
This is a consequence of the increase in HDL (cholesterol considered good) and the decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol), due to the practice of aerobic exercises.
Improves mood
A study, carried out with 253 people and published in the medical journal Health Psychology, confirmed that people who practice physical exercise feel happier and more satisfied with life. Therefore, practicing physical exercises not only contributes to the physical part, but also to psychological well-being.
Practicing aerobic exercises has positive effects on the immune system, helping to keep you stronger. Thus, the defense cells begin to destroy pathogens (infectious agents) more easily. The ideal is to maintain the practices throughout the year.
Types of exercises
Ideally, aerobic exercise should be performed in a way that both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are in harmony. This means that your respiratory system must be producing enough oxygen for your heart to keep up with the pace of exercise.
Among the infinite options, we can mention a few:
Fitness
Aerobic gymnastics is considered a complete activity, which tones the body, in addition to relieving stress , generating well-being.
These exercises include a combination of paced steps, involving all parts of the body.
Walk
It is considered the simplest exercise to be performed, since it does not require any type of equipment.
In addition, when walking, you will be moving your entire body, with little risk of injury and can perform both outdoors and on treadmills, watching television, for example.
It is recommended to perform physical activities at least 3 times a week, for 1 hour.
Swimming
Swimming is considered an excellent sport for cardiovascular conditioning, in addition to providing muscle flexibility as it exercises the entire body. Because it is performed in the water, the chances of injury during practice are much lower, being an activity suitable for all ages.
Fight
Some fights, like boxing and muay thai, are good options for those looking to move several muscle groups at once. This is because these activities are considered dynamic, where they work on motor coordination, agility, reflex and attack.
Dance class
Dance is an activity that develops rhythm, motor coordination and body expression. In addition, practicing dances is a way to spend a lot of energy and, consequently, calories in a fun way.
Spinning
When cycling or taking spinning classes, your body, in addition to losing calories, is also toning your leg and butt muscles.
This activity is considered quite complete and functional, as soon as it is possible to adjust the speed and weight of the gait (either in the gym or on the street).
Aerobic exercise to lose belly
If you are looking for an activity to lose fat and weight, the ideal is to perform aerobic exercises, in which the muscle consumes oxygen to produce energy. However, it is important to emphasize that there is no way to lose fat in a specific place.
Therefore, the ideal is to combine activities that reduce the percentage of fat as a whole along with muscle strengthening.
Read more: Exercises to lose belly: how to do, aerobic and abdominal
For example, doing sit-ups to strengthen and define your belly, in addition to aerobic classes such as dancing, fighting or even the treadmill.
The frequency of the exercises will depend on the availability and physical conditioning of the practitioner, however, it is recommended that physical activity be performed at least 3 times a week.
Because they are modalities that generate high caloric expenditure, among the most recommended for drying the belly are:
- Jump;
- Step;
- Walking / running;
- Spinning;
- Jump rope;
- Functional training.
Aerobic exercises to lose weight
As we said earlier, aerobic exercise is ideal when the goal is to lose weight or burn calories. The modalities are the most varied, being able to alternate between more moderate or more intense, where an increase of the heartbeat occurs and, consequently, the burning of fats.
However, it is important to always remember to stretch beforehand.
Read more: Maintaining weight: exercise can be more efficient than diet
Some suggestions are:
HIIT
Known as High Intensity Interval Training, this type of aerobic exercise aims to alternate the heart rate quickly to cause the burning of calories and lead to fat loss.
In general, the training begins with a warm-up, followed by a combination of 12 repetitions of high intensity, alternating between movements with less effort. In general, HIIT training takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Burpees
A good option of activity are the burpees. This is because this exercise can be performed anywhere during your day, since you will only need your body, without the need for accessories or equipment.
The movement follows a sequence of squats, in which you stretch your legs backwards, in a flexed position. Then, squatting back, jumping up with your arms raised.
Jump rope
Skipping rope is a fun and easy way to lose body fat. The ideal is to do repetitions of 30 seconds jumping and 30 seconds at rest, until reaching about 1 hour of training. Police yourself to keep both feet together and your abdomen contracted.
Exercises for beginners
It is never too late to start being active and healthier. But people who want to start a sport or a physical activity must first seek medical advice or physical monitoring to confirm that there are no restrictions on carrying out the activities.
As soon as you receive the endorsement to start training, it is important to have someone who will accompany you for the first few days to guide the correct execution of the movements and avoid injuries.
Read more: Calisthenics for beginners
Exercises for seniors
Some activities for the elderly promote greater social interaction, in addition to providing benefits for joints and cardiac development.
In general, the activities performed must be of low impact, always taking into account the mobility capacity of the elderly.
Among the options recommended for seniors, we can mention:
- Walk;
- Water aerobics;
- Stretches;
- Yoga;
- Pilates;
- Ride a bike;
- Swimming.
Aerobic workouts
When we think about physical activities, we usually think about the gym and treadmill hours. But to do aerobic exercise you don’t necessarily have to be enrolled in a gym.
To do at home
There are options for activities that can be done at home. Some even without the need for accessories.
Among the best activity options to do at home, we can mention:
- Jump rope;
- Climbing ladder;
- Make jumping jacks;
- Practice burpee.
To do in the pool
Performing activities in the pool is a good option for those with arthritis , osteoarthritis or related pain. This is because the exercises performed in the water end up having a lesser impact on the body joints.
Among the options, we can mention swimming and water aerobics, capable of strengthening the cardiorespiratory system.
Water aerobics
This exercise can be performed by people of any age group, as it is considered a low risk activity compared to other modalities.
Water aerobics is known for improving the physical and cardiorespiratory fitness of the practitioner, in addition to increasing blood circulation, resistance and muscle strength.
Can I exercise while fasting?
Also known as AEJ, fasting aerobic exercise has as its main objective, the fastest weight loss. Performed in the morning, lasting about 30 to 60 minutes, fasting exercises deserve attention and care.
Although they are common activities for those who already exercise, such as walking, running and cycling, you must be aware of the risks of exercising without eating.
In general, the risks of dizziness and malaise are greater, and can even cause fainting. So, before trying fasting aerobic exercises, talk to a health professional or physical educator.
Does aerobic exercise lose muscle mass?
It depends. People who seek hypertrophy (increased muscle) often question the practice of aerobic exercise.
However, the problem is not in the practice itself, but in the amount of exercises performed.
That is, the main point is: the more times a week you perform aerobic exercises, the more energy your body will have to separate to recover.
In this way, the organism will be harmed, since the recovery time for muscle hypertrophy will be “occupied” by aerobic exercise.
Tips on how to practice
There is no secret when it comes to weight loss. Likewise, when performing aerobic exercises, there is no magic formula, however, there are valuable tips that can contribute positively to this process. Therefore, we brought some to make your performance even better:
Always stretch
Before performing any type of physical exercise, it is important to stretch and warm up the body to start any sequence of movements.
Stretching promotes a feeling of well-being, as it relaxes the muscles, decreasing pain and tension, in addition to allowing greater awareness of movements and the body. Along with warming up, they reduce the risk of injury.
Be patient and take it easy
Some people may feel the need to perform aerobic exercise on a daily basis. However, the ideal is to have a frequency of, on average, a maximum of 4 days a week, for 30 to 40 minutes. This is because daily constancy can represent a high risk of injury, in addition to the possibility of becoming fatigued.
As we can see, practicing aerobic exercises can increase our quality of life.
It also has positive effects on our social life and personal development, since you put yourself in challenging situations constantly.
If you know someone who needs to start exercising, how about sharing this text and inviting them to a new practice?
It is a great opportunity for new beginnings!
