When it comes to the word 'aerobic', most people only think of the all-time favorite, aerobic dance, or simply “aerobics”. But many more activities also count as aerobic, so let’s delve into some other exercises that fit the description, along with their benefits and the age groups they’re best suited to.
Getting to know aerobics
Aerobic exercise essentially requires the body to use oxygen in the air. We obviously need to breathe when we exercise to bring in oxygen to aid metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. So brisk walking, running, dancing, jumping rope, swimming, cycling, rowing, climbing and other activities that cause the body to inhale are all aerobic.
10 reasons to do aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise provides many benefits. Here are 10 reasons why we would suggest that everyone ought to make aerobic exercise part of the daily routine for the sake of health and vitality.
Aerobic exercise:
1. Helps to sustainably lose weight
2. Increases fitness, strength and stamina
3. Stimulates the immune system to work efficiently, reducing the chance of getting sick with colds and flu
4. Helps to keep you safe from health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, ruptured blood vessels in the brain, and various types of cancer
5. Helps maintain health balance and quality of life for patients with chronic diseases
6. Strengthens the heart
7. Maintains the balance of good fat and bad fat while reducing the chance of clogged arteries
8. Relieves stress and anxiety and helps you sleep better
9. Helps you stay active despite getting older
10. Prolongs your life
Recommended aerobic exercise by age range
Our physical strength varies according to our age. When choosing a type of aerobic exercise, it makes sense therefore to go for something suited to our physique and fitness for purpose. This way we’ll extract maximum benefits without posing any risk to ourselves. Here’s a scan of the main adolescent to adult age ranges and the exercise types that are suitable.
- 13-17 years old: You can do almost all types of exercise, including aerobic dance, cycling, running and swimming but should limit resistance and high impact activities because your bones are still growing. High-impact exercise may hinder development and can cause injuries.
- 17-35 years old: In this age range, you can do all types of exercise.
- 36-59 years old: Due to the onset of physical decline, aerobic exercise is most appropriate as it helps restore and strengthen different parts of the body.
- 60 years old and over: Now’s the time to dial down strenuous aerobic exercise. More appropriate exercise involves gentle rhythms and postures such as walking, physical exercise, yoga, Chinese boxing, and others.
Those with medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and others should consult their doctor for further advice before taking up any form of exercise.
We all know that exercise offers many health benefits. While it may be difficult for some people to exercise regularly, everyone can do some kind of aerobic activity to keep their body strong. After all, you may only have to make little adjustments to your lifestyle in order to burn more energy. It could be something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the lift. Make an easy adjustment and you’ll find yourself aerobicizing and benefiting almost by accident.
Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers interested in health care can check out other articles on the hot topics at https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/health-advisories.
References
· Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital
https://www.siphhospital.com/th/news/article/share/854
· Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
https://www.si.mahidol.ac.th/th/healthdetail.asp?aid=1344
· Paolo Hospital
https://bit.ly/3F9fZWb
· Vejthani Hospital
https://bit.ly/3WcIGIP
· Mayo Clinic
https://bit.ly/3P4AIPq
· Cleveland Clinic
https://bit.ly/3h1o2fJ
