What are aerobic exercises

The most accessible daily aerobic exercises include fast walking, jogging, medium-low speed rope skipping, swimming, cycling, elliptical machines, aerobics, rowing machines, long-distance slow mountain climbing, square dancing for more than 20 minutes continuously, and even daily activities such as walking 2 kilometers in a hurry and walking home for 15 minutes carrying shopping bags. As long as the corresponding heart rate standard is reached, it can be considered aerobic exercise.

Many friends who are new to sports always have a stereotype about aerobics. They think that you have to wear professional running shoes to go to the playground and get a fitness card to enter the gym to call serious aerobics. This is really not the case. I went to the morning market with my mother a while ago. In order to grab the fresh corn that had just arrived, she walked for almost 20 minutes holding a cloth bag. When she came home, she was panting and said that she was feeling hot. I felt her pulse. It was 118 in one minute, which was right in the aerobic heart rate zone. This trip to buy groceries was like taking half an aerobic class by the way, which is much more useful than many people who apply for a card and go to the gym to take photos for half an hour.

At this point, someone must ask, does HIIT and Pamela count as aerobic? There is indeed no unified conclusion in the current sports circle. The definition of traditional exercise physiology is that exercise with aerobic metabolic energy supply accounting for more than 60% is considered aerobic. If you are doing low-intensity intervals, such as 30 seconds of exercise and 1 minute rest, and the heart rate is stable below 130 during the whole process, it is indeed considered aerobic. However, the other group insists that a steady-state heart rate must be maintained to be standard aerobic. They believe that the proportion of aerobic and anaerobic energy supply in intermittent exercise can only be regarded as mixed oxygen, not pure aerobic. Both statements are supported by experimental data. There is no need for ordinary enthusiasts to worry about this. It is better to keep moving than not to move.

If you have bad knees and are afraid of hurting your joints while running or jumping, you can choose swimming, water walking, or low-resistance elliptical machines that put almost zero pressure on your joints. When I injured my meniscus for the second time last year, the rehabilitation doctor banned me from running and jumping, so I was told to ride the elliptical machine for 30 minutes every day, with the resistance set to the lowest setting, and my heels pressed against the pedals without lifting them. During that time, I didn’t gain weight, and my knees gradually healed up. It was much better than lying down and scrolling through my phone. I also have a 190-pound friend who just started losing weight. His knees hurt after running two steps and he couldn't stand. He went to the swimming pool every day and swam slowly without having to work hard. He swam 50 meters and rested for one minute. He lost 28 pounds in three months and had no problems with his knees at all.

If you are afraid of being bored and unable to sit still, you can choose programs with music such as Zumba and aerobics. You don’t need to pursue 100% standard movements, just keep up with the rhythm and move. I have a Sheniu friend who gave up after running for two days because he was tired. Later, he signed up for a Zumba class in the community and went three times a week. He danced so much that he didn’t care about his crooked movements. In three months, his waist circumference was reduced by 6 centimeters, which is more efficient than many people who insist on running.

Oh, by the way, don't believe the conclusion that "skipping rope is aerobic" said on the Internet. If you jump very fast, more than 180 times a minute, and your heart rate soars to 170, then it is basically anaerobic. If you want to rely on skipping to do aerobics, just jump slowly, about 120 times a minute, jump for 5 minutes and rest for 1 minute. The total duration is 30 minutes, the effect is the same, and it is not easy to hurt your ankle. Some people also ask whether climbing stairs counts. If you climb slowly, rest for two seconds on the first floor, and your heart rate stabilizes at 120 for 20 minutes, then it does not count. If you rush upstairs and cross three floors in one step, and you are breathless after climbing five floors, then you are anaerobic. Don't be rigidly classified.

In fact, there is really no need to worry about which is pure oxygen and which is not. For ordinary people, if you don’t have to worry about speed or intensity, you can move continuously, keep your heart rate stable at 60%-80% of your maximum heart rate (usually 220 minus your age, it doesn’t matter within 10 times), and persist for more than 20 minutes. Whether you are walking the dog briskly or going for a ride in the countryside with friends, it is a proper and effective aerobic exercise.