The word “cardio” is often associated with aerobic respiration, though many people would immediately conjure up images of people jumping up and down to certain dance music. Truth is, this is not the case as this type workout comes in various forms. By definition, this type of workout is any physical activity that elevates your heart rate into a certain target, which means that disciplines, such as walking, running, swimming and cycling, are included in this nature. While this form of exercise is often said to have a positive impact on the cardiovascular system, other people see some drawbacks in it. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of aerobic respiration:
List of Advantages of Aerobic Respiration
1. It is good for the heart.
Exercises for aerobic respiration are regarded as one of the best forms of workout to strengthen the cardiovascular system, which means they keep the heart, lungs and arteries clean and healthy. But to enjoy their optimum benefits, you need to calculate your individual training heart rate zone with the use of recommended formulas to make sure that you are performing them at the right intensity.
2. It improves cognition.
Aerobic exercises require you to memorize a number of steps as they progress, which creates a mental training that can improve your cognitive skills. And if you are using a fast pace, you will be coerced to quickly adapt to the changes in sequence, which will keep you on your toes not only physically, but also mentally.
3. It boosts endurance.
Basically a high-energy workout, aerobic respiration can improve your endurance by optimizing the amount of calories you burn, while keeping your heart rate high throughout a session. Thus, it is ideal if you are trying to tone your muscles and lose weight.
List of Disadvantages of Aerobic Respiration
1. It can include high-impact exercises that could be bad for the body.
The repetitive and high-impact steps in aerobics could not be good if you have ligament or bone problems. As you can see, this type of workout would use steps that can be difficult for you to keep up, if you have joint problems. Basically, most movements performed in aerobics are high-impact, which are not suitable for someone with weak bones.
2. It can result to a body shape you did not desire.
Too much of aerobic respiration can result to a body shape that you did not want, where you can begin to look straight without curves or any undesirable body shape. You could end up having an emaciated, hungry look, though you should have the powerful look of a sprinter.
3. It comes with issues on social environment.
Aerobics are usually held in a class setting, which makes the experience enjoyable if you love working out with other people. But if you are not the social type, then this regimen would not work for you, especially id you are intimidated easily.
For aerobic respiration to work for you, you should make sure its advantages weigh out the disadvantages on your end. It is also important to combine it with other forms of workout to get the best results.
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master's Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.