Aerobic exercise is a type of cardiovascular conditioning. It can include activities like running, swimming, and cycling.

Aerobic exercise means with oxygen. Aerobic activities will increase your heart rate and breathing rate. Aerobic exercise helps keep your body in shape.

Aerobic exercise differs from anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercises, such as weightlifting or sprinting, involve quick bursts of energy. They’re performed at maximum effort for a short time. This is unlike aerobic exercises. You perform aerobic exercises for a sustained period of time.

You can try aerobic exercises at home and the gym. Before starting a new aerobic exercise routine, talk with your doctor.

Cardiovascular exercises can be done at home. There are many things you can do with little to no equipment. Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before starting.

1. Jump rope

Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers), jump rope

Benefits: Jumping rope helps develop better body awareness, hand-foot coordination, and agility.

Safety: Your jump rope should be adjusted for your height. Stand with both feet on the middle of the rope and extend the handles to your armpits. That’s the height you’re going for. If it’s too long, cut or tie it to avoid tripping on the rope.

Duration and frequency: 15 to 25 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week

man jumping rope
Gifs by Dima Bazak

Following a jump rope circuit is a great indoor or outdoor activity, though you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of space. Your circuit routine should take 15 to 25 minutes to complete.

If you are a beginner.

  1. Start by jogging forward as you swing the jump rope over your head and under your feet. Do this move for 15 seconds.
  2. Next, jog backwards as you swing the jump rope. This move takes 15 seconds.
  3. Finish your set by doing a hopscotch jump for 15 seconds. To do this move, jump rope in place, and as you jump, alternate between jumping your feet out to the sides and then back to the center, similar to how you’d move them while doing jumping jacks. Do this move for 15 seconds.
  4. Rest for 15 seconds between sets.
  5. 18 times.

If you are an intermediate exerciser, you can rest for 30 seconds between sets. The advanced circuit should be performed in 60 seconds at a time.

2. Aerobic strength circuit

Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers), sturdy chair or couch for dips

Benefits: This exercise increases heart and cardiovascular health, builds strength, and tones major muscle groups.

Safety: Focus on proper form with each exercise to avoid injury. Keep your heart rate at a moderate level throughout. You should be able to carry on a brief conversation during this exercise.

Duration and frequency: 15 to 25 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week

This aerobic circuit is designed to get your heart rate up. Perform the following strength exercises for 1 minute:

jog or march for a minute to rest. This is one circuit. The circuit can be repeated 2 to 3 times. You can rest for up to 5 minutes. Cool down with some stretching.

3. Running or jogging

Equipment: running shoes

Benefits: Running is one of the most effective forms of aerobic exercise. It can improve heart health, burn fat and calories, and lift your mood, just to name a few.

Safety concerns: Choose well-lit, populated running routes. Let someone know where you’ll be.

Duration and frequency: 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week

If you’re a beginner, run for 20 to 30 minutes twice a week. Your pace should be conversational during the run. You can alternate between 5 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking to start. To stay injury-free, always stretch after your run.

4. Walking

Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers)

Benefits: Walking daily can reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression.

Safety: Walk in well-lit and populated areas. Choose shoes that offer good ankle support to reduce your risk for injury.

Duration and frequency: 150 minutes per week, or 30 minutes 5 days a week

If you want to get the most exercise out of walking, aim to get 150 minutes per week. 30 minutes of walking a week can be broken down into 5 days. 3 times a day, walk briskly for 10 minutes at a time.

You can keep a record of how many steps you take with a fitness tracker. If you want to walk 10,000 steps a day, you need to start with your base and gradually increase it. You can increase your steps by an extra 500 to 1,000 a day for a couple of weeks.

Add an extra 500 to 1,000 steps after you have identified your base. Increase your daily step count by 500 to 1,000 steps over the next 2 weeks.

Your local gym is a great place to get in some aerobic exercise. They probably have equipment like treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines. There may be a pool for you to swim laps in, too.

“If you don’t know how to use the equipment, you should always ask a trainer or professional.”

5. Swimming

Equipment: pool, swimsuit, goggles (optional)

Benefits: Swimming is a low impact exercise, so it’s good for people prone to or recovering from an injury or living with limited mobility. It can help you tone your muscles and build strength and endurance.

Safety: Avoid swimming alone and, if possible, choose a pool with a lifeguard on duty. If you’re new to swimming, begin by enrolling in swim lessons.

Duration and frequency: 10 to 30 minutes, 2 to 5 times a week. Add 5 minutes to your swim time each week to increase your duration.

If your gym has a pool, try swimming as aerobic exercise. It’s a low impact workout, so it’s a good choice if you’re prone to injury. You’re also increasing your heart rate, toning your muscles, and building strength and endurance — all without adding additional strain to your body.

You can start swimming with one stroke. Add more strokes as you swim. You could do 1 to 4 laps of freestyle followed by 1 to 4 laps of breaststroke or backstroke.

If you get tired, rest on the side of the pool. Follow the guidelines of the pool where you swim.

6. Stationary bike

Equipment: stationary bike

Benefits: This low impact exercise can help develop leg strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Safety: Ask a trainer at the gym for help adjusting the bike so that the seat is the correct height. This will help reduce your risk of injury or falling off the bike.

If you are biking at home, you should adjust the bike seat height to maintain a light bend in your knee before reaching full extension. It reduces the compression on your knee joint. It is not recommended to extend your knee while riding a bike.

Duration and frequency: 35 to 45 minutes, 3 times per week

A stationary bike is an option for low impact exercise. A good cardiovascular workout is done on stationary bikes, which are easy to use. Many studios and gyms offer cycling classes. You can still benefit from a bike workout.

After stretching and warming up, increase your pace to 75 to 80 revolutions per minute and aim for 20 to 30 minutes of steady cycling. Cool down for a while. To finish.

If you want to feel like you are pushing the pedals, you need to keep enough resistance on the bike. For a more challenging workout, increase the resistance.

7. Elliptical

Equipment: elliptical machine

Benefits: Elliptical machines provide a good cardiovascular workout that’s less stressful on the knees, hips, and back compared to the treadmill or running on the road or trails.

Safety: Look forward, not down. Use the handlebars if you feel unsteady or to help you get on and off the machine.

Duration and frequency: 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week

The elliptical machine is easy to use once you get used to it. After warming up for a few minutes, keep your posture upright and use your legs to move the machine.

“Don’t look at your feet, look forward. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged. Cool down and exit the machine.”

The resistance on the machine should be increased.

“A class can provide a supportive environment if you don’t like exercising alone. If you are new, ask the instructor to show you the proper form. If you need to modify the exercises, they can help.”

Group classes are usually held at your local fitness center. If you enjoy the workout, you can always go more frequently.

8. Cardio kickboxing

Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers)

Benefits: Kickboxing is a high impact exercise that builds strength and endurance. It may also reduce stress and improve your reflexes.

Safety: Drink plenty of water throughout the class. Take a break if you feel dizzy.

Duration and frequency: 60 minutes, 1 to 3 times per week

Cardio kickboxing is a mix of martial arts, boxing, and aerobics. Your class may start with a warmup of jogging, jumping jacks, or strengthening exercises, such as There are some things that you can do.. Then expect a series of punches, kicks, and hand strikes for the main workout.

There may be core or strength exercises at the end. You should always finish your workout with a cool down.

9. Zumba

Equipment: gym shoes (sneakers)

Benefits: Zumba is beneficial for heart health, improves coordination, tones your entire body, and may help relieve stress.

Safety: Drink lots of water during the class. Take a break if you feel tired or dizzy. You may want to wear shoes that provide good ankle support if you’re prone to ankle injuries.

Duration and frequency: 60 minutes, 1 to 3 times per week

If you like to dance, Zumba is a fun choice for an aerobic workout. After warming up, your instructor will instruct the class through easy-to-follow dance moves set to upbeat music. You’ll finish with a cool down and stretch.

There are shoes required. Drink plenty of water. If you get tired, you can take a break and come back.

10. Indoor cycling class

Equipment: stationary bike, cycling shoes (optional), padded bicycle shorts or pants (optional)

Benefits: Indoor cycling classes build strength and improve muscle tone and cardiovascular endurance.

Safety: If you’re new or need a refresher, ask the instructor to help you set up the stationary bike. Lower your resistance if you get tired, or take a break if you feel lightheaded.

Duration and frequency: 45 to 60 minutes, 1 to 3 times per week

A cycle class will get your heart rate up. It may include resistance and climb portions. This will help you build strength. You have to clip your shoes into the bike in some classes. You can rent them at your facility.

Most classes are 45 to 60 minutes long and include a warm-up, cool-down, and stretch. Bring water with you to class. If you are new, you can reduce the resistance on the bike and ride lightly for a break if you get tired.

Aerobic exercise is good for your blood pumping and large muscles.

Some benefits may include:

  • Cardiovascular health improves.
  • lowers blood pressure.
  • regulates blood sugar.
  • aids sleep
  • helps with weight management.
  • It increases mood.

The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes or more of aerobic exercise five or more days each week. That can be broken up, though. For example, you can take three 10-minute walks throughout the day.

You should also add in two or more anaerobic strengthening sessions each week that focus on major muscle groups.

If you are new to exercise, see your doctor. They can recommend a fitness routine that is safe and effective for you.

Start with a warm-up and end with a stretch. If it hurts, stop.

You should begin to see improvements in your cardiovascular endurance by practicing these exercises. Make sure your exercise plan includes aerobic and bicyle activities.

Try to practice these exercises for at least 150 minutes each week, and get plenty of rest.

Talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program. If you have any medical conditions or take any medications, this is important.