Serobic Fitness

Aerobics is one of the many options that you can use to get in shape.

Unlike other methods of dieting and exercise in general, aerobics requires an amount of dedication that many people are simply too afraid to provide.

There are many methods that you can do to prepare yourself for aerobics and to get yourself in that happy mood when it comes to this subject of exercise.

Before you begin your Aerobics session, you will want to find some music that you enjoy. Aerobics generally provides the best results when music is played in the background. Your best bet is to find a style of music that will get you in that "active mood". Some genres of music to consider for aerobic activity include Pop, Hip Hop, and Rock. If you attend a aerobics class, you may not have a choice in music.

You will have to take this into consideration as you get into the Aerobics mood. There are lots of different types of portable music devices, in a wide range of cost, that will put you in the aerobic mindset with the help of ear bud headphones.

It is also important to get an ample amount of rest before you start your aerobics session. You want your body to be energized and ready to go by the time the session starts. If you become tired early into the workout, your mood will obviously decrease (as tiredness often does to our mood) and your body will encourage you to stop the workout.

Any beverages that contain a high amount of sugar and caffeine should be avoided prior to participating in aerobic activity. These types of beverages are not good for you, and they also deprive your body of what it needs during exercise. It is best to drink a nice glass of refreshing water before starting your aerobics session in (or anywhere else for a matter of fact).

Being adequately hydrated is yet another way on how you can improve your mood for aerobics activity. Getting in the mood for aerobics is aided by a short stretching session prior to starting.

If you skipped a warm up session, and happened to injure yourself doing Aerobics, you might develop a negative attitude toward Aerobics. In order for your body to be prepared for aerobic activity, it is imperative that you allow your body to stretch out. To maintain a good mood in anticipation for your workout, you should participate in a light stretching session.

An intense stretching session may take energy away that would be better used during your aerobics session. This next tip to help yourself into the aerobics mood may be obvious but many people fail to realize it.

You should only participate in a level of aerobics that you are comfortable in. There is nothing worse for your mood than trying to compete in an advanced aerobics class (or in advanced aerobics activity if you are doing solo exercise) when you need to be doing aerobics at an entry level. Knowing the level of aerobics that you can do without damaging your aerobics mood is key for a good session. Finally, comfortable clothing will be your final push into that Aerobics mood. While participating in aerobics, you should wear comfortable clothing that allows you to easily move. The clothing should be well ventilated as a sweaty person, as you know, is not a person who is in a good mood.

The first questions people will ask when you talk about stair climbing is: can someone really get in shape by simply using stairs? The answer to that question is absolutely! If you have ever walked up more than 10 flights of stairs you can understand what I mean. In fact my discovery of stair climbing came when I had to walk up 19 flights of stairs to visit a friend of mine. At the time I hadn't been able to exercise due to an injury and walking up those stairs just wiped me out.

But as a trainer I thought to myself what an excellent tool for getting in shape. Ever since then I have used stair climbing for myself, my high school students, college athletes, elite professional athletes, and most of my private training clientele. Basically anyone interested in improving aerobic fitness, anaerobic conditioning, muscular strength, power and flexibility. In fact stair climbing proved to be such an incredible conditioning tool for me that I call it real stair climbing. I do this to distinguish it from modifications like the Stair-master and the Step-mill. These pieces of equipment are very valuable but can not compare to what real stair climbing has to offer.

So how can one lose weight, get in fabulous shape and look amazing using real stair climbing. The answer is quite simple: Follow the same principles and guidelines of an exercise program. Usually that calls for aerobic work 2 to 3 times a week combined with strength training 2 to 3 times a week. I myself stick with 2 aerobic/anaerobic sessions combined with 2 strength training sessions a week. In this article I'll discuss ways you can use Real Stair climbing to improve aerobic conditioning.

The following are the stair workouts I have used over the years and a few different ways you can use stairs to improve your aerobic conditioning.

Real Stair Climbing, Jargon, and Definitions:

Real Stair Climbing:

Real stair climbing is the actual use of stairs and stair cases. I do this to differentiate it from modifications like the Stairmaster and Step mill. Although equipment like the Stairmaster and Step mill can have great value they cannot compare to what Real Stair Climbing has to offer.

Climbs or Climbing: The actual act of walking or running up staircases.

Round or sets: From the first floor to the top floor and back down is considered a round of stair climbing. This is not written in stone. Call it what you like. I also sometimes call it a set. Also in my own workouts, I rarely walk downstairs. I usually take the elevator down for safety reasons, but also keep in mind in the high school I work in we have to use the stairs to get back down, but we make it a point not to run downstairs and just walk down and take our time. It is not going to improve our conditioning, but in this case safety takes the precedent over improvement.

Real Stair Climbing for Aerobic Fitness:

Aerobic fitness can be improved by simply walking up stairs. In my experience, I usually have access to 12 to 20 flights of stairs. My first round up to the top serves as a warm-up. I walk up slowly and take my time. Twenty flights takes me anywhere from four to five minutes. When I reached the top I stretch. Usually I'll hold each stretch anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds. In my second round I picked up the pace a bit. One thing to remember is that it does not take much to increase the intensity with Real Stair Climbing. By simply picking up your walking pace just a bit will noticeably raise your workout intensity (it really doesn't take much). An aerobic workout can look something like this:

Round One: Warm-up: 20 flights at a slow pace (4 to 5 minutes) and then stretch* at the top.

Take elevator down.

Round Two: 20 flights at a faster pace (3 minutes 45 seconds).

Take elevator down.

Round Three: 20 flights at a faster pace (3 minutes 30 seconds).

Take elevator down.

Round Four: 20 flights at a faster pace (3 minutes 15 seconds).

Take elevator down.

Round Five: 20 flights at a faster pace (3 minutes).

Take elevator down.

Round Six: Usually my last round at my fastest pace (2 minutes and 30 seconds to 2 minutes and 50 seconds). Relax and stretch a few minutes.

You can gradually increase this workout to 2 to 4 times a week. It all depends on your conditioning level, your schedule and your fitness goals. Doing this workout will improve your aerobic fitness but not do much for your strength. If you want to work on the strength then you will have to set up time for that as well.

The most frequent question I get asked is what if I do not have access to 20 flights. Simple, the less flights you have the more rounds you will need to get a sufficient workout. I think most people can get a great aerobic workout with at least ten flights. If you have five or less flights, it will be tough to get a sufficient aerobic workout, but there are other ways to achieve this goal as I will discuss later.

In part two discover how to take your stair exercise training to a higher level with anaerobic training.

Keeping fit and healthy can never be relied on dieting or eating a proper diet alone. It requires you to go out and sweat a little. For people with more serious fitness and health problem, they may be even required to exercise a little arduous.

When it comes to physical exercises, most would seek professional help from the clubs or the gyms, depending on their needs. Aerobics classes are one of the most popular exercise regimens that most women enroll with.

When you enter these classes you got to be armed with the proper clothing and gears. This is because with this kind of activity you need to be more comfortable than ever as high chances are you would be doing strenuous tasks that would produce tons of perspiration from your body.

Aerobics are great physical activities and one of the easiest exercise routines for the most effective way in keeping you fit and healthy. On the other hand, when you are not properly clothed, you would not enjoy the activity. Most likely, the lack of comfort brought by the improper aerobics clothing may end you up not comfortable with the aerobics moves.


The best way to select the appropriate aerobics clothing is to consider how fit and comfortable it is with you. Contrary to early practice of wearing tight-skinned black leggings and top when doing those exercises, loose, comfortable wear is always a smart choice. Unlike with the former, which would restrict your moves with the particular exercise, loose aerobics clothing will allow you to move with the best blood flow for the most parts of your body.

And while there are great selections of aerobics clothing in the department store, you don't want to limit yourself when choosing. You may include fashion sense in picking your clothing. Aerobics clothing that speaks fashion sense would allow you even greater level of comfort feeling knowing that you can be your own even when you have to gear up for the aerobics classes.

Shoes, pair of socks, aerobics pants and tops, bags, and any other accessories you will be in need for should not be entirely dull because there is an array of these clothing pieces that look fashionable enough without sacrificing sporty-feel and comfort aspects. It doesn't matter what size you are, there are aerobics clothing pieces that will fit your fashion sense and preference.

But, remember that you are shopping aerobics clothing and gear that will allow you to move without restricted range of motions. Hence, consider fabrics that provide ventilation to your body to ensure you get the ultimate comfort even when with the sweat you get from all those tiring aerobics moves.

A good rounded fitness training routine includes four elements which are:

• Aerobic fitness
• Muscular fitness
• Flexibility
• Stability and balance

In part I of this series I will discuss aerobic fitness.

You might be very much into the commitment of fitness and just looking to optimize your results. Or you might have just begun your journey (which is where I am now) to improved health and you want to establish a rounded fitness training routine. Regardless of which category you fit into it is important to base your exercise goals upon these four primary elements of a well rounded fitness training routine.

Aerobic fitness includes any kind of activity you do, from taking a simple walk down a lovely, scenic path to mowing grass and tending flowers in your flower garden. All aerobic activities require oxygen. Regular aerobic fitness exercise increases your body's ability to use oxygen. How well your body uses oxygen is called your "aerobic capacity." Your goal for good health and long life is to keep your aerobic capacity high. An aerobic capacity in high gear delivers large amounts of oxygen throughout your body efficiently through your heart, lungs and blood vessels.

In addition to keeping your major life sustaining organs working properly aerobic exercise helps you in daily activities. Suppose you suddenly need to run to your car in an unexpected rain shower just as you stepped out from one of your favorite department stores or worse yet, right out of the beauty salon. A high aerobic capacity will allow you to rise to this unexpected challenge without leaving you all out of breath. Your joints and bones will also rise to the occasion and help to transport you safely and quickly to your car.

The key to achieving aerobic capacity is to find fitness training activities that you enjoy and can do regularly. I just recently took out a membership in our local YMCA. Thus far, I am still on the treadmill at a moderate speed and duration. I noticed, however, this past Sunday, there was a jazzercise class going on. I thought how wonderful, I might try that later on as I gain more and more aerobic capacity to do so. They were really taking some high steps and they were not all the younger generation either. Many were as me, from the baby boomer generation.

In the gym I also saw one of my old male classmates from 6th grade. I was sorry to see he had let his hair turn grey! However, I suppose in a way, men do look more distinguished with grey hair.

I am keeping my grey hairs covered at the moment! This is not actually a source of pride, I feel, but just a style I feel best in at the moment. We need to continue throughout our lives to do the little things that raise our self esteem.

This is another area I continually have to work on since growing up among a traditional sect of Pentecostal people. For the most part, I have endured more scorning, condemnation and judgments from this tribe of people than any other I have ever been associated with.

I do not believe it is the Good Lord's plan to position tribes or sects of people in this world to continually look out onto others with scorn, condemnation and judgments. I am forever finding ways to set myself apart from those types of sins and unrighteousness. I now call myself just one of God's elect. I claim no other religious affiliation.

However, it seems this certain tribe or sect of people feel like they can put on a dress, never put the scissors to their hair, never bother with the slightest type of make-up to enhance their appearance, and then proceed to scorn, judge and or condemn, use their tongue in all kinds of unkind words of malice toward others, and then leave that person to suffer with the consequences of all that, while they go on about their merry way, with their long dresses and long hair swaying in the wind.

I find myself saying, God forgive them, for they seem to know not what they do to others with that type of behavior. I get back up off the ground or out of the corner where these people have pushed me and proceed to try and live a quiet, healthy life. Every opportunity I find, I do something good to those that do evil to me. Another scripture that comes to my mind at this moment is where it is says: "it is better for a man to live on the housetop than to live inside the house with a brawling woman." Thus, is an example of a traditional Pentecostal woman....... At least in the tribe and sect of people I have been associated with.

At any rate, back to another important part of life is gaining a high aerobic capacity. You need not ever limit yourself to a single activity, such as running or walking. Add variety to increase your motivation to stay active. Try some simple dance classes such as the jazzercise.

Continued in: "Four Important Elements of a Good Rounded Fitness Training Routine Part II."
Source: Mayo Clinic (2005)

Disclaimer: *The information in this article is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about specific medical concerns and especially before beginning any type of exercise routine. The statements in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Health Administration and not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. This article was written 2-2007.

A good rounded fitness training routine includes four elements which are:

• Aerobic fitness
• Muscular fitness
• Flexibility
• Stability and balance

In part I of this series I will discuss aerobic fitness.

You might be very much into the commitment of fitness and just looking to optimize your results. Or you might have just begun your journey (which is where I am now) to improved health and you want to establish a rounded fitness training routine. Regardless of which category you fit into it is important to base your exercise goals upon these four primary elements of a well rounded fitness training routine.

Aerobic fitness includes any kind of activity you do, from taking a simple walk down a lovely, scenic path to mowing grass and tending flowers in your flower garden. All aerobic activities require oxygen. Regular aerobic fitness exercise increases your body's ability to use oxygen. How well your body uses oxygen is called your "aerobic capacity." Your goal for good health and long life is to keep your aerobic capacity high. An aerobic capacity in high gear delivers large amounts of oxygen throughout your body efficiently through your heart, lungs and blood vessels.

In addition to keeping your major life sustaining organs working properly aerobic exercise helps you in daily activities. Suppose you suddenly need to run to your car in an unexpected rain shower just as you stepped out from one of your favorite department stores or worse yet, right out of the beauty salon. A high aerobic capacity will allow you to rise to this unexpected challenge without leaving you all out of breath. Your joints and bones will also rise to the occasion and help to transport you safely and quickly to your car.

The key to achieving aerobic capacity is to find fitness training activities that you enjoy and can do regularly. I just recently took out a membership in our local YMCA. Thus far, I am still on the treadmill at a moderate speed and duration. I noticed, however, this past Sunday, there was a jazzercise class going on. I thought how wonderful, I might try that later on as I gain more and more aerobic capacity to do so. They were really taking some high steps and they were not all the younger generation either. Many were as me, from the baby boomer generation.

In the gym I also saw one of my old male classmates from 6th grade. I was sorry to see he had let his hair turn grey! However, I suppose in a way, men do look more distinguished with grey hair.

I am keeping my grey hairs covered at the moment! This is not actually a source of pride, I feel, but just a style I feel best in at the moment. We need to continue throughout our lives to do the little things that raise our self esteem.

This is another area I continually have to work on since growing up among a traditional sect of Pentecostal people. For the most part, I have endured more scorning, condemnation and judgments from this tribe of people than any other I have ever been associated with.

I do not believe it is the Good Lord's plan to position tribes or sects of people in this world to continually look out onto others with scorn, condemnation and judgments. I am forever finding ways to set myself apart from those types of sins and unrighteousness. I now call myself just one of God's elect. I claim no other religious affiliation.

However, it seems this certain tribe or sect of people feel like they can put on a dress, never put the scissors to their hair, never bother with the slightest type of make-up to enhance their appearance, and then proceed to scorn, judge and or condemn, use their tongue in all kinds of unkind words of malice toward others, and then leave that person to suffer with the consequences of all that, while they go on about their merry way, with their long dresses and long hair swaying in the wind.

I find myself saying, God forgive them, for they seem to know not what they do to others with that type of behavior. I get back up off the ground or out of the corner where these people have pushed me and proceed to try and live a quiet, healthy life. Every opportunity I find, I do something good to those that do evil to me. Another scripture that comes to my mind at this moment is where it is says: "it is better for a man to live on the housetop than to live inside the house with a brawling woman." Thus, is an example of a traditional Pentecostal woman……. At least in the tribe and sect of people I have been associated with.

At any rate, back to another important part of life is gaining a high aerobic capacity. You need not ever limit yourself to a single activity, such as running or walking. Add variety to increase your motivation to stay active. Try some simple dance classes such as the jazzercise.

Continued in: "Four Important Elements of a Good Rounded Fitness Training Routine Part II."
Source: Mayo Clinic (2005)

Disclaimer: *The information in this article is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about specific medical concerns and especially before beginning any type of exercise routine. The statements in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Health Administration and not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. This article was written 2-2007.

By: Connie Limon -

As it has been already said you shouldn't join any elite sport club to become fit and healthy. There are some most simple, nickel-and-dime and natural activities to strengthen your body.

Running is a well-known fitness workout as a way to get fit: it's cheap, can be done anywhere, at any time and, it is very effective. You can't think! It easy to start with, anyone can run. Nevertheless if you have a diagnosis of diabetes, chest pain, angina, asthma, epilepsy, high blood pressure, have had recent surgery or are pregnant, consult your physician first.

Start by walking at a race walking, and then gradually break into a slow running. Don't start more than with ten minutes in total. Then increase the total duration of your running by some minutes every third session, until you can run 30 minutes three times a week. Keep in mind; run even if you're feeling good.

Swimming is another popular way to start getting fit because it is absolutely natural for a human and a very healthy fitness workout. If you're a non-swimmer, or you haven't swum for years you should find a swimming class in any swimming-pool.

Swimming is a great way to tone up and strengthen your musculature, because to swim you need to move your body against the resistance of the water. It is very healthy for spinal column and also helps to prevent hart diseases. Swimming implicates most of the major muscle groups. Swimming is also an effective slenderize exercise. The gross of the people reduce in weight in some weeks they start swimming. The other big advantage of swimming is none-traumatism. You won't fall, hurt or hit yourself, or put smth out. Swimming is appropriate for people with arthritis, brittle bone disease, and osteoporosis because it's not a weight-bearing exercise. If you have nephrons diseases, you should consult you physician before start swimming.

Cycling is a fitness workout that provides healthy heart. A major examination of more than 10,000 people found those who cycle just about 20 miles a week have heart problems a half scarcer as those who don't cycle. Cycling is also effective if you need to train off. An additional point to emphasize is that it is very pleasant. People who start cycling usually come on strong to it for the term of their life.

Dancing is on the verge of aerobic fitness workout that improves the condition of the heart and lungs; it also trains muscular endurance and motor fitness. Many people think they can't dance because they have poor coordination, some people feel shame, but keep in mind: anyone can dance. Dancing is suitable for people of all ages, shapes and sizes, main purpose is to enjoy moving to music. Look for dance classes or dance alone if you feel shy of dancing with other people.

Travel can derail the most dedicated exercise enthusiast. In an ideal world, all planes would be on time and all hotels would have a great gym with everything you need. We all know we're we're a long ways from that ideal. Fortunately, it is possible to maintain your fitness anywhere.

First, check to see what facilities your hotel does offer. You may be pleasantly surprised. Most hotel websites list their facilities, so you might even make the availability of exercise equipment one of your criteria when deciding where to stay.

Also, some hotels have associations with local health clubs, and some clubs will let you pay for a day's use.

Now let's assume the worst - no equipment, no pool, nothing. Not only that, but you're schedule is packed.

You answer is body weight exercise done in a circuit. These can be incredibly challenging when done with some of the variations I'll describe. And you can do an effective workout in 10 to 20 minutes without leaving your room.

First, warm up by stretching and doing slow, controlled repetitions of the calisthenics.

Then do the work out proper.

The simple version is to do circuits of deep knee bends (squats), push ups and sit ups.

You obtain variety and progress by changing the number of exercises per circuit.

For example, beginners might do five repetitions of each exercise and rest between exercises and each circuit. More experienced may increase the repetitions and decrease the rest time.

Also, you may want to perform a different number of repetitions for different exercises.

For example, you might do 8 push-ups and sit ups per round but 15 squats.

One way to increase the intensity as well as tract your progress is to pick an exercise circuit, for examples 10 push ups and 15 squats, then see how many times you can complete that circuit in a set amount of time.

Depending on your fitness level, that time could be from 5 to 20 minutes.

Obviously, you can vary the exercises.

A "tabata" protocol is a very intense, effective approach to exercise. This approach is named after a Japanese researcher who proved the superiority of short intense interval training over long slow training in increasing both anaerobic and aerobic fitness. When I describe it, it may not sound like much. Give it a try before you discount its effectiveness.

A tabata routine involves warming up thoroughly, then doing a given exercise full out for 20 seconds, resting 10 seconds and repeating that interval eight times for a total of four minutes of exercise.

The original study was done with the athletes on an exercise bike, but it can be used with any exercise you chose.

Again, it may not sound like much reading about, but give it a try. The key is full-out intensity during the 20 second exercise period. By the end of the four minutes, those will be the longest 20 seconds you've ever experienced.

For the travel workout, you could "tabata" four minutes of push-ups, four minutes of sit-ups and four minutes of squats. This gives you a resistance workout that simultaneously maintains your aerobic fitness.

Challenging body weight exercises you can do are spiderman push-ups (bring your right knee to your right elbow as you lower yourself, then left knee to left elbow on the next rep) and squat-thrusts (squat and at the bottom, put your hands on the ground and thrust your legs out behind you. Bring you feet back to the squat position and stand up).

An advanced modification of the squat thrust is to do a push-up or two in the bottom position and to leap up from the bottom of the squat, actually jumping in the air.

All of this can be done without any equipment at all and without leaving your hotel room.

If you want to bring a little exercise equipment, I recommend a jump rope. It's light and compact and adds variety to your work out.

With a portable chin up bar, you can work your back and biceps - the only elements missing in the routines above.

But even with out equipment, it is possible to return home fitter than when you left.