by A.R. Posley

Created on: July 02, 2008   Last Updated: August 31, 2010

The leading factor for 60% of Americans getting insufficient exercise is lack of a progressive fitness regimen. In order to become motivated to perform aerobics on most or all days of the week as recommended by the American Heart Association, we can think of it in terms of the snowball effect. We strive to accumulate more and more exercise in the effort to create a resilient "snowman". A thirty minute walk in the park appears insignificant, but the more it accrues, the more our bodies can resist heart disease, obesity, injury, depression, and stress. In other words, continuously indulging in aerobic activity to create a body that can ward off health problems is like constantly packing snowballs together to create a snowman that can withstand heat. Thus, we need to participate in a progressive aerobics program that fortifies our bodies in order to maximize our health benefits.

Aerobics, founded by Kenneth Cooper, is defined as any activity involving the large muscles for rhythmic, controlled movement where oxygen is used. Examples include walking, skating, dancing, biking, and gardening. These activities yield many rewards. In particular, they improve cardio-respiratory endurance by increasing oxygen intake, building a stronger heart, improving circulation, and lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol (LDL). Aerobic exercises also improve muscular endurance that decreases exhaustion when repetitively contracting a muscle; and flexibility that allows greater range of motion. Another advantage of aerobics is the effect on body composition so that we have more lean body mass and less fat. Even more, aerobics produces an increase of endorphins so that we experience a feeling of euphoria or heightened energy as opposed to depression and stress.

Various options are available for us to include aerobics into our lifestyles. The option that exposed me to aerobics was taking a class sponsored by my school. The incorporation of dance, step, and circuit aerobics accompanied by upbeat music made this class enjoyable. This choice is ideal for people who enjoy social activities. Another option that I adopted is investing in aerobics DVDs and video tapes as well as exercise equipment. This is ideal for individuals wanting to exercise in the privacy of their homes. Then, when the weather is nice, we can do outdoor aerobics such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling. With this option, we can either walk alone wearing earphones and portable music or we can walk with pets,

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