1. Elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories
everyday.
2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a "fit" person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the
day with less fatigue.
3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.
4. Decreases your blood pressure.
5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.
6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.
8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.
10. Increases the strength of the bones.
11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.
12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).
14. Improves control of blood sugar.
15. Improves sleep patterns.
16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.
17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.
18. Decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.
19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.
20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!
CALORIES AND EXERCISE
The first table deals with step aerobics only. Calories are calculated for different step heights based upon a stepping rate of 120 beats per minute for a 120 pound person. If you weigh more than 120 or you are in a faster paced step class, the number of calories you'll burn will be higher than those displayed in the table. If you weight less than 120 or you are in a slower paced step class, you'll burn fewer calories than indicated in the table. The table is just an approximation of the number of calories you expend. If you work at a more intense level (raise your arms above your shoulders, lift your knees all the way to your chest etc...) you will burn more calories than displayed. (Data for this table was taken from Reebok Instructor News, Volume 4, Number 3, 1991.)
Step Height
|
Calories/min.
|
Calories/10 min.
|
Calories/30 min.
|
4 inches
|
4.5
|
45
|
135
|
6 inches
|
5.5
|
55
|
165
|
8 inches
|
6.4
|
64
|
192
|
10 inches
|
7.2
|
72
|
216 |
The second table gives the caloric expenditure after 10 minutes of activity for various body weights. This data was obtained from Reebok Instructor News, Volume 4, Number 2, 1991.
Activity & Calories/10 min.
|
125 lbs
|
150 lbs
|
175 lbs
|
200 lbs
|
Aerobics (traditional at high intensity)
|
95
|
115
|
134
|
153
|
Gardening
|
41
|
49
|
57
|
65
|
Racquetball
|
75
|
90
|
105
|
120
|
Running (9 min/mile)
|
109
|
131
|
153
|
174
|
Shopping
|
35
|
42
|
49
|
56
|
Sitting (reading or watching TV)
|
10
|
12
|
14
|
16
|
Sleeping
|
10
|
12
|
14
|
16
|
Standing (light activity)
|
20
|
24
|
28
|
32
|
Volleyball
|
28
|
34
|
40
|
45
|
Walking (15 min/mile)
|
44
|
52
|
61
|
70
|
Walking upstairs
|
150
|
175
|
202
|
229 |
The third table lists a wide variety of exercises and the caloric expenditures for a 123 lb women and a 170 lb man. Data for this table was taken from Reebok Instructor News, Volume 5, Number 2, 1992.
Activity & Calories/10 min
|
123 lb women
|
170 lb man
|
Basketball
|
77
|
106
|
Cycling (5.5 mph)
|
36
|
49
|
Cycling (9.4 mph)
|
56
|
74
|
Cycling (racing)
|
95
|
130
|
Dance Exercise (High Impact Aerobics)
|
94
|
124
|
Dance Exercise (Low Impact Aerobics)
|
80
|
105
|
Football
|
74
|
102
|
Racquetball
|
76
|
107
|
Rope Skipping (slow)
|
82
|
116
|
Rope Skipping (fast)
|
100
|
142
|
Running (8 min/mile)
|
113
|
150
|
Running (11 1/2 min/mile)
|
76
|
100
|
Skiing (Cross Country)
|
80
|
106
|
Stairmaster
|
88
|
122
|
Step Aerobics (4 inch bench)
|
48
|
66
|
Step Aerobics (6 inch bench)
|
58
|
80
|
Step Aerobics (8 inch bench)
|
67
|
92
|
Step Aerobics (10 inch bench)
|
75
|
104
|
Soccer
|
78
|
107
|
Swimming (back stroke)
|
95
|
130
|
Swimming (breast stroke)
|
91
|
125
|
Swimming (fast crawl)
|
87
|
120
|
Swimming (slow crawl)
|
95
|
130
|
Swimming (side stroke)
|
68
|
90
|
Swimming (treading water)
|
35
|
48
|
Tennis (singles)
|
61
|
81
|
Volleyball
|
28
|
39
|
Weight training (super circuit)
|
104
|
137
|
Weight training (muscular strength)
|
44
|
60
|
Weight training (muscular endurance)
|
58
|
80
|
Walking (3.5 mph)
|
45
|
59
|
The last table displayed below is taken from ACE FitnessMatters, Volume 1, Number 4, 1995. Calories are given for 1 minute of activity. To determine approximately how many calories you burn in 1/2 hour. Find the activity and your weight, then multiply the number displayed by 30. If you want to lose weight, try to burn 300 calories per exercise session.
Activity & Calories/min
|
120 lbs
|
140 lbs
|
160 lbs
|
180 lbs
|
Aerobics (Traditional)
|
7.4
|
8.6
|
9.8
|
11.1
|
Basketball
|
7.5
|
8.8
|
10.0
|
11.3 |
Bowling
|
1.2
|
1.4
|
1.6
|
1.9 |
Cycling (10 mph)
|
5.5
|
6.4
|
7.3
|
8.2 |
Golf (pull/carry clubs)
|
4.6
|
5.4
|
6.2
|
7.0 |
Golf (power cart)
|
2.1
|
2.5
|
2.8
|
3.2 |
Hiking
|
4.5
|
5.2
|
6.0
|
6.7 |
Jogging
|
9.3
|
10.8
|
12.4
|
13.9 |
Running
|
11.4
|
13.2
|
15.1
|
17.0 |
Sitting Quietly
|
1.2
|
1.3
|
1.5
|
1.7 |
Skating (ice and roller)
|
5.9
|
6.9
|
7.9
|
8.8 |
Skiing (cross country)
|
7.5
|
8.8
|
10.0
|
11.3 |
Skiing (downhill and water)
|
5.7
|
6.6
|
7.6
|
8.5 |
Swimming (crawl and moderate pace)
|
7.8
|
9.0
|
10.3
|
11.6 |
Tennis
|
6.0
|
6.9
|
7.9
|
8.9 |
Walking
|
6.5
|
7.6
|
8.7
|
9.7 |
Weight Training
|
6.6
|
7.6
|
8.7
|
9.8 |
Cardio Equipment and Calories Burned
Just a word of warning regarding cardio equipment and calories burned. Many cardio machines don't ask for your weight and tell you that you're burning X number of calories. The number displayed is for a person of average weight (usually average is 150 pounds). For many people, the number of calories is overstated. So, if the machine doesn't have you input your weight, don't believe the number of calories displayed.
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