What is aerobic exercise? What are the benefits of doing aerobic exercise?

Nowadays, the concept of healthy exercise is accepted by more and more people. People adjust their psychological and mental state through brisk walking, jogging, elliptical machines and other exercises. Aerobic exercise can not only strengthen the body, but also reduce fat. So, what are the types of aerobic exercise? Let's learn about the relevant knowledge with Encyclopedia Knowledge Network!

Contents of this article

1. What is aerobic exercise?
2. What types of aerobic exercise are there?
3. What are the benefits of aerobic exercise?

What is aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercise refers to physical exercise that can fully exchange oxygen, and the heart rate needs to reach 150 beats per minute to be called aerobic exercise. Therefore, aerobic exercise generally belongs to a medium or high intensity exercise, including jogging, walking, sprinting, cycling, swimming, aerobics, skipping rope, etc. These exercises are all aerobic exercises, and aerobic exercise is good for the health of the body.

What types of aerobic exercise are there?

Common aerobic exercise items include: walking, brisk walking, jogging, race walking, skating, long-distance swimming, cycling, Tai Chi, fitness dance, rope skipping/rhythmic gymnastics, ball games such as basketball, football, etc. Aerobic exercise is characterized by low intensity, rhythm, uninterrupted and long duration. Compared with explosive non-aerobic exercise such as weightlifting, running, high jump, long jump, throwing, etc., aerobic exercise is a kind of constant exercise, which is an exercise that can last for more than 5 minutes and still have spare energy.

What are the benefits of aerobic exercise?

1. Relieve stress: Exercise can eliminate stress. Gentle exercise can adjust your mood, resolve negative emotions, and have a catharsis function. It can release psychological depression, forget worries, and also bring physical and mental pleasure.

2. Blood pressure reduction: Studies have shown that after 10 weeks of exercise, systolic blood pressure can be reduced by 10 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure can be reduced by 5 mmHg. New research shows that walking 4 times a day, each time for 20 to 30 minutes, has the best blood pressure reduction effect.

3. Weight loss: Walking can burn fat and reduce weight. Adding dietary adjustments can reduce visceral fat and help lose weight. Taking a walk for 45 minutes after a meal, even a short distance, will be effective. If a person eats a lot of fat and protein at night and exercises the next morning, he can only consume the excess food, and most of the fat has been absorbed.

4. Improve endothelial function: Studies have shown that exercise can improve endothelial function, reduce cytokines in the blood, and prevent arteriosclerosis. Therefore, the above 6 items can prevent the occurrence of arteriosclerosis, stroke, and myocardial infarction.

5. Keep joints healthy: The key to keeping joints healthy is to do specific exercises. The knees and elbows are pivots that allow our legs and arms to move in a plane, just like a door and hinge. If you stretch or rotate your knees and elbows laterally, especially when you use force, you will strain the surrounding ligaments. Simple walking, squatting, climbing stairs, and kicking a ball are all very effective for moving your knees. Walking and riding a bicycle are also good choices for people with knee pain, so that they can exercise without bearing their weight.

6. Prevent osteoporosis: Many people only know that they need to take in more calcium, but ignore other equally important factors, such as doing more weight-bearing exercises. The so-called weight-bearing exercises are exercises that put a certain amount of pressure on the bones, such as walking, running, playing ball, dancing, etc., which can strengthen bones and reduce the chance of fractures. It is generally recommended to do weight-bearing exercises three times a week, at least 15 minutes to half an hour each time, depending on your physical strength.

7. Increase oxygen carrying capacity: The body's oxygen is supplied to the whole body through blood. With proper exercise, the human body inhales a large amount of oxygen, which can help us reduce fatigue and eliminate stress.

8. Prevent diabetes: Brisk walking for half an hour every day can reduce the risk of diabetes. Regular walking or other moderate-intensity exercise and dietary changes can prevent type 2 diabetes in most patients with impaired glucose tolerance. Improving lifestyle is far more effective than metformin treatment. Therefore, walking can increase insulin sensitivity and effectively prevent diabetes and improve its effects.

9. Lowering blood homocysteine: Studies have shown that blood homocysteine ​​is one of the independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and exercise can lower blood homocysteine ​​levels, which is beneficial for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.