Aerobic Exercise: What it is and how to practice it at home?

Aerobic exercise: What it is and how to practice it at home?

How aerobic exercise works, in which sports we find it and five examples of different sequences you can do to tone your body … at home!

In the fitness field, aerobic exercise can also be defined as “resistance exercise”, where the duration of the exercise is extended from several minutes to a few hours- such as, for example, in endurance races and marathons.

However, to understand how aerobic exercise works, we must first understand how our body works.

What is Aerobic Exercise?

When the muscular effort over a long period, our energy can no longer rely only on our glycogen reserves (i.e. the source of storage and reserve of glucose to which the body draws in case of need). A much slower exercise is then triggered, but capable of maintaining work for a very long time.

This exercise uses the lipids and carbohydrates in the muscle as fuel and the blood-borne oxygen as fuel. When the lipids present in the muscle come into contact with oxygen they burn, producing energy. This process leaves carbon dioxide and water as waste products, exploded with breathing and sweat.

The walking and running are certainly the most aerobic activities carried out in the world, because they allow you to burn calories, dispose of fat deposits (a few tips here to lose weight running) and by inducing the release of endorphins, to improve mood and free up some is the mind.

Other aerobic activities are swimming, dancing, cycling (also as an exercise bike and spinning), aerobic gymnastics, climbing, and jumping rope.

In addition to the loss of fat mass, aerobic activity increases the body’s ability to resist, improves the functionality of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, stimulates the muscles that are thus more toned and turned. And finally, like all physical activities … it makes you feel good!

A gradual approach is essential for practicing an aerobic effort. The best solution is to create a balanced exercise card, so as to take one step at a time, without exaggerating.

Aerobic Exercise To Do At Home

Here are some examples of an aerobic exercise lasting 15-20 minutes, which you can do at home too.

THE STEP

1- March on site (1 minute)

Warm up the muscles with a light gear in place, keeping your arms close to your chest and your back straight.

2- Get on the step with one foot and come down with the other (10 minutes)

Position yourself in front of a step or a step and you will reach the top using your right foot, then bring your other foot on the step. Get off by bringing your right foot to the ground first and then your left foot. Then it continues alternating the feet with which to climb on the step.

The exercise tones the legs and buttocks and stimulates cardio-circulatory activity. The up and down movement must be repeated without interruption.

3- Skipping rope (10 minutes)

The rope must be of your size, so place your feet on the center of the rope and check that the handles are at least 10 cm higher than your head.

You can start with some simple skips, bringing the right foot forward once, once the left.

Keep your arms wide and remember to rotate your wrists: the force must come from there, otherwise you will produce lactic acid in your biceps!

Starting plan is the best strategy, so remember to breathe well and focus on balance, not speed. You can increase the exercise by also inserting 2 minutes of jumping on one leg, or by inserting some skipping with feet together.

HOPS and CROSSED STEPS

1- Hopping knees up (1 minute)

Try to bring your knees to your chest. To improve balance and posture open your arms sideways and look at a fixed point in front of you.

2- Hopping and arm movement (8 minutes)

Decrease the power of the skips and slowly reduce them to a walk on the spot. Stretch your arms in front of you, at chest level, and once cross your right arm over your left, then your left on your right and so on. Keep your arms outstretched but don’t bend your back forward. Increase the intensity gradually and make a small run on the spot every 2 minutes. This exercise tones the shoulders and promotes the flow of oxygenated blood to the limbs.

3- Leg + arm forward (10 minutes)

Position yourself with legs apart, with your back straight and your hands on your hips. Bring your right leg back, keeping your left hand firmly on your side. In making this movement, it simultaneously rotates the pelvis to the right and, with the right arm, touches the left shoulder. Repeat the movement for five minutes and then change leg-arm.

CIRCLING and IMPULSES

1- Jump rope (1 minute)

Jump with your feet together and your arms wide. Look at a fixed point in front of you: it will help you.

2- Cross arms legs (10 minutes)

Throw your right leg forward as high as you can and try to touch the big toe of your foot with your left hand while keeping your right hand along your side. Repeat with the left leg and the right hand. Remember to rotate your pelvis and look at a fixed point in front of you. Make the movement slowly at first, then increase speed and breath.

3- Circulation of arms with step in place (4 minutes)

Move your knees and walk in place, while swinging your arms close to your body, in a clockwise motion. The movement looks a bit like freestyle swimming and allows the blood to circulate more effectively, it also regulates breathing in steps and promotes the opening of the respiratory tract.

4- Lateral leg thrust (5 minutes per leg)

This last step consists in positioning oneself with the legs apart at the same width of the shoulders, resting all the weight on the right foot, then kicking upwards with the left foot, being careful to remain with the left knee facing forward, not towards the ceiling. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. Don’t overdo the momentum, remember that your muscles must burn, not hurt.

KICKS, SQUATS and PLANKS

1- Arms circumference (1 minute)

As in Exercise 3 of the third workout, swing your arms clockwise and shoot deeply.

2- Kicked kick (10 minutes)

Take a run on the spot, bending the games backwards so as to touch the buttocks with your heels: you can help yourself by resting your hands on your buttocks with the palm facing outwards: this will prevent you from getting hurt and at the same time will help to improve the equilibrium. Look at a fixed point in front of you and stop after five minutes to pause for a few seconds.

3- Squat position and lateral thrusts of the legs (5 minutes)

Squat position: legs slightly spread, arms extended forward and soles of feet fixed to the ground. Remember not to arch your back or raise your heels during movement! Flex your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then go up and finish the squat by swinging your right leg upward sideways. While doing this move bring your arms over your head and stay in balance for 2 seconds. Repeat the squat and then lift the left leg.

4- Plank (3 minutes)

This exercise helps eliminate excess fat on the stomach and develop the quadriceps muscles. Lie down on your stomach, placing your elbows on your shoulders and your toes resting on the floor. Tighten the abdomen and lift the body trying to draw a line to the floor, keeping the back straight and the neck in line with the back. Every 30 seconds, pause for a few seconds, resting your knees on the ground.

HIGH JUMP

1- Run on the spot (2 minutes)

Run on the spot increasing more and more speed, remember to keep your hands on your hips and wear suitable shoes (with a high sole).

2- Momentum forward (8 minutes)

Spread your legs to the same width as your shoulders and stretch your arms sideways, parallel to the floor. Then he throws one leg forward, trying to bring it over the height of the pelvis. Repeat the exercise also for the other leg and increase the speed every 10 leaps. At the same time, bring your arms slowly over your head, this will give you balance and encourage full breathing.

3- Bending to the ground and high jump (5 minutes)

Make small jumping feet together towards the right and left, then reduce the speed and, after each jump, bend your knees and place your hands on your feet. Get the momentum and jump as fast as you can! Make ten jumps and then take a short jog in place for a few seconds, loosening the muscles of the shoulders and arms. Start over, but remember to use a speed that is adequate for your breathing ability.