Aerobic Exercise Benefits And How To Guide

By Jasmine Greene

Dr. Kenneth Cooper, an exercise physiologist at San Antonio Air Force Hospital, was the first to coin the term "aerobics." He developed a heart rate formula of subtracting your age from 220 and exercising with the heart rate at 60-80% of that number. Originally this formula was designed for astronauts, but the benefits of "aerobics" soon convinced Dr. Cooper that this type of exercise is beneficial to everybody.

Since then studies have demonstrated many benefits of regular aerobic exercise, including:

*Weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight (Aerobic exercise burns fat!)

*Increased long-term energy and stamina

*Improved mood

*Pain relief (by natural endorphin production)

*Stronger heart and better circulation (by keeping arteries clear and preventing heart disease)

*Improved blood sugar control and adrenal health

*Lower blood pressure

*Stronger bones and prevention of osteoporosis

*Stronger immune system

*Longer life expectancy

If you have been battling low energy, poor endurance, aches and pains, too much body fat, stress, or sugar and carb cravings, your body is probably not getting enough aerobic exercise!

The exercise intensity and duration determine whether the muscles work aerobically or anaerobically. Aerobic exercise requires a very specific level of intensity for at least thirty minutes at a time. If the heart rate is too low or too high, the exercise becomes anaerobic instead.

In aerobic exercise, the body burns fat and converts it into energy. Because this process requires oxygen, it is called "aerobic." Aerobic exercise is useful for improving muscle endurance (allowing for hours or days of work without fatigue). This is extra important for the muscles which support posture, joints, and the arches of the feet. So insufficient aerobic exercise will raise the probability of joint problems, injuries, fallen arches, and low stamina.

In anaerobic exercise, the body burns sugar (glucose) for energy. As the name "anaerobic" suggests, oxygen is not required for this type of energy production. Burning sugar is useful for providing short term speed and power. Muscles cannot burn sugar for long, though, and so they fatigue quickly. Most people have no shortage of anaerobic exercise -- even when you're sitting, your body is doing some tasks anaerobically. Plus virtually all sports are anaerobic in nature due to their alternating bursts of high intensity (anaerobic) exercise and rest.

Dr. Phil Maffetone is an internationally recognized researcher who has greatly improved our understanding of aerobic exercise and endurance training. He studied many variables, including heart rate, gait, and muscle imbalances in many athletes before and after workouts. Dr. Maffetone discovered that the athletes who exercised using Dr. Cooper's original formula often ended up over-training and suffering from injuries, pain, joint problems, and distorted posture and body mechanics. His work led Dr. Maffetone to develop a new and improved formula for calculating each person's target heart rate for true aerobic exercise.

Follow these four simple steps to ensure your training is aerobic and to enjoy all the benefits of aerobic exercise:

1. Invest in a heart rate monitor, one with a chest strap as well as a wrist watch. It's not a good idea to exercise without one because you'll have no way of knowing if your pace is correct. There are many brands and models available to you. Polar is an industry leader and is usually a safe bet. If you work out in a gym, make sure your monitor is coded so that there is no electrical interference from other devices nearby.

2. Calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate using Dr. Maffetone's formula. Just subtract your age from 180 to calculate your maximum aerobic heart rate. For example, a 33 year old who wants to exercise aerobically would have a maximum heart rate of 147 beats per minute. Modifiers and exceptions to this formula are as follows:

*Subtract another 10 from the max heart rate if you're recovering from a major illness or surgery, or if you take any regular medications.

*Subtract another 5 from the max aerobic heart rate if you're injured, have regressed in competition or training, suffer from more than two bouts of cold/flu each year, have asthma or allergies, are just beginning to train, or if you have not been training consistently (Dr. Maffetone defines consistency as at least 4 times per week for 2 years).

*Add 5 to the max heart rate if you've trained consistently for more than 2 years without any injuries or problems and have made progress in competition.

*Add 10 to the max heart rate if you're over the age of 65.

*This formula does not apply to those age 16 or younger. The best bet for these athletes is 165 as the max heart rate.

*If in doubt, choose the lower maximum heart rate.

3. Calculate your minimum aerobic heart rate by subtracting 10 from the max aerobic heart rate. For a healthy 34 year old, the max heart rate is 146 and the minimum is 136.

4. Jog, walk, swim, or bike while using the heart rate monitor. Be sure to stay within your aerobic heart rate zone for at least 30 minutes at a time, and at least 3 times per week. Do not exceed 90 minutes at a time without a doctor's supervision.

As you will soon discover, it's amazingly easy to exercise aerobically. It doesn't take much effort to elevate your heart rate to the target zone. This is good news for couch potatoes (Talk about exercising smarter, not harder!), but can be frustrating for athletes who don't want to slow down. However, athletes must train aerobically to protect their bodies. The silver lining for athletes is that, as your heart becomes more aerobically fit, you'll be able to pick up the pace without exceeding the maximum aerobic heart rate. With the aid of your heart rate monitor, you'll soon also discover that any activity other than running, walking, cycling or swimming (at a constant pace) is likely to be anaerobic.

As a chiropractor, acupuncturist, and athlete, I've noticed remarkable benefits with aerobic exercise for both myself and my patients. The immediate and long-term benefits are well worth the effort!

About the Author:

Jasmine Greene is an educator on health, wellness, and holistic medicine. Are you looking for a Glen Ellyn Chiropractor? Consider a visit to Kinesis Healthcare.

How Exercise Fosters Brain Health

by Ram

Fostering Brain Health & Balance by Melina Meza

The concept “use it or lose it” for physical abilities applies to the brain as well. As long as we engage our brain in stimulatory activities, the brain actively grows and rewires itself in response to the stimulation and new learning. Brain fitness, mental fitness, and mental exercise all mean the same thing: it is the act of performing a mentally stimulating task that keeps the brain resilient. Additionally, it is well known that physical exercise can also either prevent or delay the onset of mental and physical diseases. Furthermore, age-associated memory loss can be prevented by physical activity/exercise as well. Engaging in regular aerobic activity leads to structural changes in the brain resulting in improved cognition. 

Physical exercise increases nerve branching and in some cases triggers regeneration of new nerve cells, especially in the memory centers of the brain. Owing to the structural changes, physical exercises help an individual to learn new things and to be more alert and attentive. Scientists believe that physical exercises trigger increased blood flow to the brain. The greater the blood flow, the more oxygen and other important nutrients that reach the brain. This may explain the cognitive improvements associated with exercise. Physical exercises will also help maintain optimal blood pressure, control diabetes, and lower cholesterol levels, all of which are potential mental risk factors.

Personally, my day doesn't feel right if I do not perform some kind of a physical activity. There are days when I feel so tired and my brain refuses to work smoothly towards the end of the day. Being aware of the fact that physical exercise is not only important for my body's health but it also helps the brain stay sharp, I force myself to go for a workout to the local gym. The same antidepressant-like effects kick in after exercising for just 20 minutes. I consider that a regular, well-rounded asana practice is also an excellent form of physical exercise, fostering strength, flexibility, balance, and agility. Several scientific studies point to the benefits of yoga on brain function, emotional well-being, and general mental acuity. Yoga increases brain chemicals such as endorphins and enkephalins that contribute to a feel-good response and ward off mental stress. It is akin to stimulating the brain in a positive way, which results in optimal brain function, which can keep an individual alert and sharp. While a trove of scientific studies supports the idea that physical exercise (including yoga) help the brain grow stronger, exactly how exercise alters and improves the brain was unclear until now. 

A recent study Exercise promotes the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) through the action of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate provides an interesting answer linking physical activity to brain improvement. Although the study was not in humans but in mice, it appears that similar mechanisms may be manifesting inside human brains as well, thus giving additional credence to the study. For several years, scientists and neurophysiologists have understood that the brains of animals and humans who regularly exercise are different than those who are sedentary. Studies conducted in rodents clearly show that exercise triggers neurogenesis, that is, it induces the creation of many new cells in the hippocampus, the area of the brain that is responsible for memory and learning. Exercise also strengthens the growth and branching of these fragile, newborn neurons. Turns out that physical exercise boosts the production of a nerve-stimulating factor called BDNF (brain-derived nerve growth factor). BDNF supports the survival of existing neurons, and stimulates the growth and differentiation of new neurons. It also strengthens nerve-nerve communication. Although the vast majority of neurons in the mammalian brain are formed during birth, some regions of the adult brain retain the ability to grow new neurons in a process known as neurogenesis. Thus, BDNF plays an important role in neurogenesis. The more BDNF there is, the stronger the neuron and the nerve-nerve communication, making the brain more resilient. 

The question these researchers in this particular study asked was, how exactly does exercise turn on the production of BDNF? To get to the bottom of this question, the researchers divided mice into two groups: one group of mice had the luxury of having a running wheel put into their cages and the other was housed in cages without the running wheel. Rodents have a specific affinity for running wheels and can keep themselves busy for long hours on them. The group with the running wheels did just that, running very often and covering several miles a day. The group in cages without the running wheels was comparatively sedentary. After four weeks, the scientists measured the BDNF levels in the hippocampus of both groups of animals. As expected, BDNF protein levels were much higher in the brains of the runner mice compared to the sedentary mice. 

To better understand why the runners had more BDNF protein, the researchers used sophisticated testing methods and closely examined the BDNF gene in the animals’ DNA. To their amazement, they noticed that the BDNF gene was more actively synthesizing the BDNF protein among the animals that exercised than those that did not. How did this happen? Let me use an analogy to better understand the mechanism. To get to the heart of the artichoke, one needs to peel the outer layer by layer to reveal its core. Similarly, the BDNF gene is encapsulated by clusters of a particular molecule called HDAC, which can prevent the BDNF gene from receiving messages from the brain or body to synthesize the protein. In the non-exercising mice, these HDAC molecules clustered so densely over the BDNF gene that messages from the body and brain got blocked and could not reach the gene to activate it. As a result, the BDNF gene of the sedentary mice was subdued, pumping out very little BDNF protein. In contrast, among the runners, the physical activity literally peeled of the dense HDAC molecules covering the BDNF gene, thus exposing the gene to the messages from the brain/body telling it to turn on and produce the BDNF protein. 

Additionally, the physical exercise also triggered the production of ketones, which are a byproduct of the breakdown of fat. During strenuous exercise, the body relies in part on fat for fuel, thus ending up creating ketones, some of which migrate to the brain. Ketones act like molecular scissors, and in this case ripped off the HDAC molecules covering the BDNF gene making it easy for the BDNF gene to now make the BDNF protein. None of this occurred in the brains of the sedentary mice suggesting the importance of physical exercise. 

The question is: does a similar phenomenon happens in humans? While it is still not known whether the same mechanisms that occur in mice occur in our own brains when we exercise, undoubtedly we have more BDNF in our bodies after we exercise. Yoga is also known to increase the levels of BDNF protein (see Age-related changes in cardiovascular system, autonomic functions, and levels of BDNF of healthy active males: role of yogic practice). We also create ketones when we exercise that migrate to our brains to elicit its favorable effects. Thus, physical exercise together with the ketone bodies arising out of those exercises turn on the BDNF gene that in turn triggers the production of BDNF protein, which sustains and protects the neurons and nerve-nerve communication. 

So I’d just say that it is a very good idea to just keep moving or doing your regular yoga sessions.

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Should Women Stick To Cardio Exercise And Stay Away From Lifting Weights

By Russ Hollywood

There is much confusion surrounding women's fitness these days. Should women lift weights if they are trying to build a lean, toned physique? The answer seems to differ depending who you ask. Today you'll get the facts on this subject, as well as finding out what supplements to take in order to keep your fitness journey on track.

The world of exercise and fitness has moved forward incredibly quickly over the last twenty years. Every year there are new developments in sports supplements and training methods, as well as new scientific research on previously unproven theories. It's barely the same world we lived in just 20 yeas ago. Yet despite all of this, there are many people who still have the same mentality which was floating around health clubs and gyms two decades ago.

They'll tell you that women will get big and bulky if they touch weights. They will advise you that carbohydrates are to be treated as the enemy. They'll ignore recent scientific proof in favor of following routines laid out by their favorite television celebrity. Usually, they'll also struggle to see any significant long-term results. [

What do you think, should women lift weights or not? Find out in today\'s video.

]

Thanks to the ongoing scientific research which is carried out many of the old wives tales about fitness have been confined to the 'myths' category. Unfortunately, there are so many people who are still stuck in those old ways that the new research tends to go unnoticed by the majority.

If you have always steered clear of the free weights section at your local gym, get ready for a minor shock. Training with weights is actually great for you! This applies both to women who want to get learner and also those who are prioritizing fat loss. Resistance training is crucial and can dramatically increase your results.

What about the old wives tales? Won't you end up getting huge muscles like a bodybuilding competitor?

No, you will not. Imagine if building lean muscle was as easy as simply picking up some dumbbells a few times per week. Every guy in your workplace would own the physique of Rambo! It's not that easy, and bodybuilders only obtain that type of muscular physique by dedicating their lifestyle to their craft. If you want to bring out the definition in your muscles then you need to start doing some form of resistance training on a regular basis.

You certainly do not need to worry about getting big and muscular, because the female body does not have the testosterone levels to create a bulky physique without the outside influence of supplements. For this reason, you also don't need to be afraid of aiming for relatively low repetitions in your sets. You'll often hear that women should do sets consisting of 25 or more reps, but this is old advice which has been proven incorrect.

Try to stick to compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and lat pulldowns for the first couple of months. This will allow you to significantly increase your strength, while keeping your weight sessions relatively short as you ease yourself into your new lifting lifestyle.

A good supplement plan is very simple. It's easy to over complicate the whole procedure here and end up eating pills with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The truth is when you have a solid diet in place you do not need an endless array of additional products. Ensure you get a top whey protein, but everything else is optional. If your goal is to build more lean muscle than you have right now then you should also look towards adding a creatine monohydrate and glutamine product to that list.

Learning what supplements to take is nowhere near as difficult as it's sometimes made out to be. If your diet and exercise routine is good then you can get great results without needing to take dozens of pills throughout the day! So, should women lift weights? Absolutely.

About the Author:

Next step: Russ Howe PTI answers the question should women lift weights in the gym today. He also shows you what supplements to take to reach your target physique in his latest new material which is available online.

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