Types of Aerobic Exercise

A critical part of a healthy lifestyle is a regular exercise program. The human body was not designed to sit for long periods at a time, but to walk around and burn calories. Unfortunately, modern conveniences have reduced the opportunity for the body to function at its full potential.

Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to keep the body in top shape. Muscles run on fuel and oxygen. The fuel is either carbohydrates or fats, and just like fuel on a campfire or in a car engine must have air to burn, muscles also burn fuel using oxygen. Muscles are far more efficient than internal combustion engines and burn the fuel with far less wasted heat. Unlike a car engine, muscles get stronger with use.

There are several types of aerobic exercise, and most are fairly easy to get into.

Walking is one of the simplest types of aerobic exercise. Start out slowly, and only walk for a short distance if you haven't exercised in a while. If you weigh 130 pounds, a slow pace of 2mph will burn nearly 150 calories in an hour. As you get better at walking, increase the pace and the duration. A brisk walk (3.5mph) burns 224 calories in an hour.

For many people, walking is simply one step on the path to fitness running. These types of aerobic exercise go well together as both can be accomplished in the same place, time and with the same equipment. Running is a less efficient way to travel than walking, so in only 30 minutes a 130lb person will burn 230 calories. This assumes a relatively slow pace of 5mph or a twelve minute mile.

Biking is another popular type of aerobic exercise. It's low impact and is great for people who want a great workout without all the bone jarring of running. Biking is a great way to exercise because of the flexibility in speed and intensity. Walking and running require different styles and techniques when changing speeds, but with biking it's easy to start at a beginning pace and gradually increase as your fitness level increases. Biking even at a slow pace burns 230 calories in an hour, and riding fast (17mph) burns off over 700 calories in an hour.

The key to sticking with any exercise program is to find something that you really enjoy. If you hate running but enjoy biking, you'll burn more calories biking. Even though biking doesn't burn as many calories per hour, if you enjoy it more you'll do it more, and therefore burn more calories.