Aerobic Exercise and Benefits of Walking

By Kendall Wisehart DPT, ATC

What is aerobic exercise?

Simply put aerobic exercise or “cardio” is activity that requires increased activity of the heart to pump oxygen rich blood the muscles.
Examples include walking, running, hiking, and swimming
Aerobic refers to “with oxygen” whereas anaerobic refers to “without oxygen”

Benefits

Mental benefits include increased confidence, emotional stability, memory and brain function
Physical benefits include strengthened heart and lungs, lower cholesterol, improved immune function, and lower blood pressure – among many others!
Fitness benefits include improved muscle tone, stamina, and energy levels for both work and play

Disease Prevention (via ACSM)

Seniors who walk 6-9 miles/week are less likely to suffer from mental decline as they age, including dementia
Walking 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week, along with diet changes, can halve the risk of Type II Diabetes
Walking 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week can halve the risk of heart disease and reduce stress, cholesterol, and blood pressure
Walking can reduce pain and improve function, mobility, mood, and quality of life without worsening symptoms for those with arthritis
Walking triggers endorphins, promotes relaxation, and can help prevent anxiety and depression

Walking 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week can halve the risk of heart disease and reduce stress, cholesterol, and blood pressure

Other benefits of walking (via ACSM)

How do I get started?

If you have health issues – talk to your doctor and ask to see a physical therapist
Choose an activity that you enjoy. It can be as easy as walking or gardening or as intense as hiking or running
Find a friend! Having the support of a friend of family member will help keep you going

How much should I do?

For most healthy individuals: 30 minutes, 5 days a week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise OR 20 minutes of high intensity aerobic exercise
A quick way to gauge intensity is Target Heart Rate. To calculate: 220 – (your age) x 70%. Example: 220 – 45 years old x .70 = 122.5 beats per minute (bpm)
You should be able to carry on a conversation with your walking partner without shortness of breath

Can I over-do it?

Absolutely! Just like a sedentary lifestyle, overactivity can have its own negative consequences like injury and reduced immune function
Developing a consistent exercise routine is key in preventing over-training, this includes rest days
A workout or training session is only as effective as how much you can recover from it

What’s considered “in-shape”?

Everyone will have their own unique definition of fitness, related to their fitness goal
A lower resting heart rate is just one indicator of fitness, normal RHR is 60-100 bpm

Other biomarkers like blood pressure and cholesterol may be used to determine fitness