Aerobics Exercise
Complete Guide on Aerobics Exerciseby Aimy
Aerobics is a system of exercises designed to promote the supply and use of oxygen in the body. These exercises include biking, running, dancing, rowing, skating, and walking (the term "aerobic"means "with oxygen," or "living and working with oxygen"). The system originated and remains primarily a fitness activity, but has also developed into an intense competitive sport: "the toughest two minutes in sport." Aerobic exercise increases cardiorespiratory fitness, the heart's ability to pump blood and deliver oxygen throughout the body. The result is increased endurance, energy, weight control, and ability to manage stress, and decreased blood pressure, heart disease, and cholesterol levels.HistoryThe word "aerobics" is relatively new to sport and exercise. In 1968,Dr.Kenneth Cooper, a U.S.Air Force physician, published a book, Aerobics, based on his research on coronary artery disease. Cooper developed his aerobics exercise program as preventive medicine, to improve health and fitness.Aerobics developed a prescription for exercise. The book identified the quantity, kind, and frequency of desirable exercise. Cooper's books have been translated into many languages, reflecting his belief that aerobics, exercise, and preventive medicine are universal. The Congress of International Military Sports adopted Cooper's aerobics program for the countries of Sweden, Austria, Finland, Korea, and Brazil as well as the United States. The aerobics program spread to civilian populations worldwide. In Brazil, runners ask "Have you done your Cooper today?"when they want to know if you've run or jogged. The same year that Cooper published Aerobics, Judy Sheppard Missett began an aerobic exercise program called "Jazzercise," a highly choreographed group of exercises set to music. The program incorporated muscle group work with new dance trends. In 1969, Jackie Sorenson started "Aerobic Dance," also a choreographed set of dance patterns set to music intended to increase cardiovascular fitness. By the early 1970s, aerobics, aerobic dance, and dance exercise were used interchangeably to describe the combination of exercise and dance movements set to music.Most early participants were women. In the late 1970s, the name "aerobic dancing" was shortened to "aerobics" to attract more men. Coeducational classes were offered, and the aerobics boom followed, soon becoming international. Aerobics classes were held in churches, community centers, schools, and health clubs. Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons contributed to the tremendous growth of aerobics.U.S. instructors began to train new instructors in other countries. In the United States in 1978 an estimated 6 million people participated in aerobics, rising to 19 million by 1982, and 22 million in 1987.Forty-five percent of the aerobics participants were women aged 30-50 who used aerobics as their sole form of exercise. Ten percent of the participants were instructors. Today more than 25 million people participate in the aerobics industry and virtually every community offers aerobics classes. Televised aerobic dance classes are frequent, and aerobics videos are readily available. The social support and reinforcement of the group exercise situation also help account for its popularity. Training and educational organizations emerged to guide this fast-growing industry, develop safe and effective programs, and promote aerobics internationally. In the United States, the International Dance Exercise Association (IDEA) and the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) developed into two of the largest in the world. In 1990 IDEA had over 23,000 instructor members in over 70 countries.
Rules and PlayCooper's original exercise plan has diversified in both content and style while retaining its original purpose. As a fitness activity, a well-designed aerobic dance class consists of five segments: the warm-up or prestretch (10 minutes), the aerobic segment (20-45 minutes), cool down (5-10 minutes), strength work (10-20 minutes), and the final stretch (5-10 minutes). The rhythmic movements also help to develop balance and coordination. Aerobic activity began as "high impact,"with both feet off the floor at any given time, characterized by running or jogging in place, jumping jacks, and small jumps or hops. This placed tremendous stress on the joints, and many participants developed impact-related injuries.Thus, "low impact" aerobics was developed: one foot is always on the floor; the routines are characterized by marching in place and traveling from one side of the room to the other. Next came variable impact aerobics, which combines the intensity of high impact moves with the safety of the low impact variety. Other types of aerobics include water aerobics, sculpting, strength, abdominal, sports conditioning, and circuit or interval classes. Step aerobics, developed by Gin Miller, took the aerobics industry by storm. This style involves stepping up and down from a platform 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) high while performing different step combinations.CompetitionAerobics became a competitive sport in 1983, when Karen and Howard Schwartz created the National Aerobic Championship (NAC). Today its format and rules are the international standard for aerobic competition. In 1989, Howard Schwartz founded the International Competitive Aerobics Federation (ICAF), which became the governing body of the sport and continues to develop new guidelines. The new sport's growth has been impressive. The first World Aerobic Championship was held in 1990,with 16 countries represented. Thirty-five countries were represented in 1994. The World Aerobic Championships have been broadcast to over 150 nations each year since 1995. Championship aerobics has been called the "toughest two minutes in sports." It is a rigorous display of both compulsory and freestyle moves choreographed according to specific rules into a two-minute routine set to music.The performance showcases tremendous strength, flexibility, and endurance as well as creativity and dance. The eight categories of competition are: Novice Men's Individual, Novice Women's Individual, Masters DivisionM(over 35) men's individual,Masters Division M women's individual, Advanced Men's Individual, Advanced Women's Individual,Advanced Mixed Pair (male/female combination), and Advanced Teams (of three; any gender combination). The novelty of aerobics has passed, and, arguably, its popularity has peaked. Nevertheless, as an activity that many people find a practical way to achieve fitness, aerobics seems likely to retain its niche in the world of sports.
Aerobics is a system of exercises designed to promote the supply and use of oxygen in the body. These exercises include biking, running, dancing, rowing, skating, and walking (the term "aerobic"means "with oxygen," or "living and working with oxygen"). The system originated and remains primarily a fitness activity, but has also developed into an intense competitive sport: "the toughest two minutes in sport." Aerobic exercise increases cardiorespiratory fitness, the heart's ability to pump blood and deliver oxygen throughout the body. The result is increased endurance, energy, weight control, and ability to manage stress, and decreased blood pressure, heart disease, and cholesterol levels.
History
The word "aerobics" is relatively new to sport and exercise. In 1968,Dr.Kenneth Cooper, a U.S.Air Force physician, published a book, Aerobics, based on his research on coronary artery disease. Cooper developed his aerobics exercise program as preventive medicine, to improve health and fitness.Aerobics developed a prescription for exercise. The book identified the quantity, kind, and frequency of desirable exercise. Cooper's books have been translated into many languages, reflecting his belief that aerobics, exercise, and preventive medicine are universal. The Congress of International Military Sports adopted Cooper's aerobics program for the countries of Sweden, Austria, Finland, Korea, and Brazil as well as the United States. The aerobics program spread to civilian populations worldwide. In Brazil, runners ask "Have you done your Cooper today?"when they want to know if you've run or jogged. The same year that Cooper published Aerobics, Judy Sheppard Missett began an aerobic exercise program called "Jazzercise," a highly choreographed group of exercises set to music. The program incorporated muscle group work with new dance trends. In 1969, Jackie Sorenson started "Aerobic Dance," also a choreographed set of dance patterns set to music intended to increase cardiovascular fitness. By the early 1970s, aerobics, aerobic dance, and dance exercise were used interchangeably to describe the combination of exercise and dance movements set to music.Most early participants were women. In the late 1970s, the name "aerobic dancing" was shortened to "aerobics" to attract more men. Coeducational classes were offered, and the aerobics boom followed, soon becoming international. Aerobics classes were held in churches, community centers, schools, and health clubs. Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons contributed to the tremendous growth of aerobics.U.S. instructors began to train new instructors in other countries. In the United States in 1978 an estimated 6 million people participated in aerobics, rising to 19 million by 1982, and 22 million in 1987.
Forty-five percent of the aerobics participants were women aged 30-50 who used aerobics as their sole form of exercise. Ten percent of the participants were instructors. Today more than 25 million people participate in the aerobics industry and virtually every community offers aerobics classes. Televised aerobic dance classes are frequent, and aerobics videos are readily available. The social support and reinforcement of the group exercise situation also help account for its popularity. Training and educational organizations emerged to guide this fast-growing industry, develop safe and effective programs, and promote aerobics internationally. In the United States, the International Dance Exercise Association (IDEA) and the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) developed into two of the largest in the world. In 1990 IDEA had over 23,000 instructor members in over 70 countries.
Rules and Play
Cooper's original exercise plan has diversified in both content and style while retaining its original purpose. As a fitness activity, a well-designed aerobic dance class consists of five segments: the warm-up or prestretch (10 minutes), the aerobic segment (20-45 minutes), cool down (5-10 minutes), strength work (10-20 minutes), and the final stretch (5-10 minutes). The rhythmic movements also help to develop balance and coordination. Aerobic activity began as "high impact,"with both feet off the floor at any given time, characterized by running or jogging in place, jumping jacks, and small jumps or hops. This placed tremendous stress on the joints, and many participants developed impact-related injuries.Thus, "low impact" aerobics was developed: one foot is always on the floor; the routines are characterized by marching in place and traveling from one side of the room to the other. Next came variable impact aerobics, which combines the intensity of high impact moves with the safety of the low impact variety. Other types of aerobics include water aerobics, sculpting, strength, abdominal, sports conditioning, and circuit or interval classes. Step aerobics, developed by Gin Miller, took the aerobics industry by storm. This style involves stepping up and down from a platform 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) high while performing different step combinations.
Competition
Aerobics became a competitive sport in 1983, when Karen and Howard Schwartz created the National Aerobic Championship (NAC). Today its format and rules are the international standard for aerobic competition. In 1989, Howard Schwartz founded the International Competitive Aerobics Federation (ICAF), which became the governing body of the sport and continues to develop new guidelines. The new sport's growth has been impressive. The first World Aerobic Championship was held in 1990,with 16 countries represented. Thirty-five countries were represented in 1994. The World Aerobic Championships have been broadcast to over 150 nations each year since 1995. Championship aerobics has been called the "toughest two minutes in sports." It is a rigorous display of both compulsory and freestyle moves choreographed according to specific rules into a two-minute routine set to music.The performance showcases tremendous strength, flexibility, and endurance as well as creativity and dance. The eight categories of competition are: Novice Men's Individual, Novice Women's Individual, Masters DivisionM(over 35) men's individual,Masters Division M women's individual, Advanced Men's Individual, Advanced Women's Individual,Advanced Mixed Pair (male/female combination), and Advanced Teams (of three; any gender combination). The novelty of aerobics has passed, and, arguably, its popularity has peaked. Nevertheless, as an activity that many people find a practical way to achieve fitness, aerobics seems likely to retain its niche in the world of sports.
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