Simply put, it refers to a long-term, rhythmic exercise that uses most of the muscles of the whole body, with moderate or above exercise intensity. In other words, as long as you can persist for a period of time without being tired, it is considered aerobic exercise. We usually mention brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, skiing, Tai Ji Chuan, yoga and even skipping rope are all aerobic exercises.
1968 Dr. Cooper, the "father of aerobic exercise" who founded the world of aerobic exercise, said: Only when we know what aerobic exercise is, can we fully enjoy its benefits, which directly affect our health, wealth and happiness.
You may ask: How to define "anaerobic exercise" compared with aerobic exercise?
The popular understanding is that anaerobic exercise needs explosive power, emphasizing speed, strength and muscles, so it can't last long. Aerobic exercise requires endurance, and oxygen can be absorbed slowly during exercise, so it can last for a long time. For example, running, jogging and long-distance running are all aerobic exercises, but the 100 meter sprint is anaerobic. The familiar weightlifting, sprinting, dumbbell training, push-ups and so on all belong to anaerobic exercise.
Exercise prescription given by Dr. Cooper, the father of aerobic exercise:
1. Do moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 30 minutes every day, five days a week (note: moderate intensity refers to exercise with a heart rate between 50% and 70% of the highest heart rate; The highest heart rate can be simply predicted by "220- age"; Another simple way to determine moderate intensity is to start out a little out of breath during exercise, but still be able to speak);
2. Every time you exercise, you should feel a little breathless and sweat a little;
3. It is best to do it in the morning, because it is better to burn fat on an empty stomach in the morning;
Aerobic exercise should be combined with strength training. There are many benefits of strength training, which will be introduced later.
So, what are the benefits of doing aerobic exercise?
10 benefits of aerobic exercise:
The first is longevity. A large number of studies have proved that people who take part in aerobic exercise for a long time live longer than those who do not. A follow-up study by Cooper Aerobic Center shows that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week can help you live for six years. In fact, it is not only to live long, but more importantly, to live healthier and have a better quality of life. Only this one, everyone should have the motivation to participate in aerobic exercise.
The second is anti-aging. This is also a question of quality of life. People who take part in aerobic exercise for a long time can maintain good self-care ability in their later years, so they can gain more freedom (the elderly can only be free if they can take care of themselves in life). The follow-up study of Cooper Aerobic Center shows that regular aerobic exercise can prolong people's self-care ability for 7 years. Aerobic exercise not only makes people agile, but also sharpens their thinking, so both body and mind benefit. Aging is inevitable, and the most effective anti-aging method is to insist on aerobic exercise for a long time.
The third is to let you relax, keep a good mood, and reduce the symptoms and tendencies of depression, and reduce all kinds of pressures brought about by changes in work and life.
Fourth, insisting on aerobic exercise can make you have a strong heart. Everyone knows the importance of the heart. A strong heart can effectively deliver blood to all parts of the body and is competent. Don't worry about tachycardia, overwork and injury.
The fifth is to improve your endurance. No matter what aerobic exercise we do, it is normal for us to feel tired after reaching a certain level. But as long as we persist, our anti-fatigue ability and endurance will be greatly enhanced. More significantly, while improving people's endurance, we have noticed that the perseverance of many exercisers has been improved.
Sixth, improve cholesterol. A large number of studies have proved that aerobic exercise will increase your "good cholesterol" (HDL) and decrease your "bad cholesterol" (LDL). When your cholesterol rises, your blood vessels will be unobstructed. Although modern technology allows us to use stents and bypass techniques to dredge blocked blood vessels, this is only a temporary solution, not a permanent cure. Exercise is an important pillar of prevention, and prevention is of course healthier and more economical.
Seventh, slow down and improve the symptoms of chronic diseases. Although we emphasize the preventive role of aerobic exercise, moderate aerobic exercise can still play a role in rehabilitation and improvement even for people with chronic symptoms, such as hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. This is different from China's traditional view of "nurturing" diseases. Life lies in exercise, even when you are sick. There is a famous saying in America: Exercise is medicine. It's brief and to the point.
The eighth is to lose weight. As we all know, obesity is closely related to the lifestyle of many modern people. Aerobic exercise combined with scientific diet is the best way to maintain a healthy weight and lose weight.
Nine is to prevent common diseases such as colds and flu. Aerobic exercise can enhance the disease resistance of human immune system. There is an old saying in China, "Walk a hundred paces after a meal and don't go to the drugstore." Although there is some truth, modern health science even advocates that "if you walk 10 thousand steps every day, you won't go to the drugstore."
Ten is to reduce health risks in an all-round way. Insisting on aerobic exercise can greatly reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stroke, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, depression, osteoporosis and some cancers by as high as 58%. In addition, the research of Cooper Aerobic Center found that the aerobic capacity of middle-aged people can directly predict his or her health and medical expenses in old age: