The importance of the intensity level of your aerobic exercise program
Aerobic exercise is a great way to lose weight because it helps you burn fat. To maximize the benefits of aerobic exercise it must be done at a certain intensity level. Exercising at the proper intensity level strengthens the heart and the entire respiratory system which results in good health and it also enhances your performance in all forms of exercise. Aerobic conditioning is the foundation of your fitness program because it prepares your body to handle other high intensity exercises. The intensity level of your aerobic workout is the most important aspect of your aerobic program. Aerobic workouts should remain an important part of any training regimen.
Your exercise heart rate is the best way to measure the intensity of your workout. If you maintain your target heart rate, your body becomes a calorie burning machine. Training below your target zone may not be intense enough to burn sufficient calories, while training above your zone will force your body to burn calories anaerobically (without or lacking oxygen) and inefficiently. Your maximum heart rate is calculated by using the following formula 220-age= Maximum heart rate (the fastest your heart can beat) 60%-80% of this max is your THR zone. A heart rate monitor is a good tool to have so that you maintain the proper target zone. A heart rate monitor is strapped around your chest and it sends the results to a digital watch that you will be wearing. Your individual level of fitness will ultimately determine where you fall within this range. Use the following as a guide for determining your intensity level:
-Beginner or low fitness level. . 50% – 60%
-Average fitness level . . . . . . . . 60% – 70%
-High fitness level . . . . . . . . . . . 75% – 85%
If you workout routine is too intense, you may cause injury to yourself and not see the results that you would like to see. However, if your work out is not intense enough, you will not see any benefits. You’ll have to find an exercise program that has just the right intensity for you so that you can reap the most benefits from your exercise program. You will also need to re-work the intensity of your workout as your tolerance and endurance increases. You will need to examine your exercise routine every week or two and make the necessary changes. You should do aerobic exercise for at least twenty minutes 3-5 days per week. You should gradually work up to exercising 45-60 minutes.
Lynne
I’m in the process of working with the P90X system. I gotta get back in to my pre-injury condition before summer. Six days a week. An hour a day. One of my focuses will be strengthening my quadriceps. The larger and more active those muscles are the more calories they will burn when I’m just resting. Thanks for the blog!
Doug and Judy Kramer
http://www.faithfamilyandfinancialfreedom.com
http://www.intothewilderness.com
I definitely agree with what you said Jay. The intensity of a person’s exercise program definitely influences the benefits you can reap from exercising. I started with 30 minutes of exercise then increased it to 45 then to a full one hour.
Hi Hana,
Just remember that moderation in everything is the key. You can easily over do anything. You need to balance exercise, relaxation, partying, etc., but if you over indulge in any of those, the results are not good.
Jay