Aerobics 101

Aerobic Dancing

Courtesy of BMG

Aerobic dancing can be a great way to have fun, start your blood pumping and get your body in shape.

What Is Aerobic Dancing?

The word aerobic means "with oxygen" but aerobics usually refers to any kind of activity that gets your heart pumping and your muscles using oxygen. Aerobic dancing involves any kind of exercise put to music and can include everything from country music line dance aerobics to hip-hop dancing. It's recommended that kids and teens get at least 20 minutes of good aerobic exercise three times a week, so aerobic dancing can be a fun way to stay in shape.You can take aerobic dancing during your P.E. class at school, at a community center or by following along with your choice of aerobic dance video tapes or DVDs.

Aerobic Dancing - What Makes A Good Workout?

Warm-up - Start off moving to something slow for about 5-10 minutes which will prepare you for more vigorous activities. Starting an aerobic routine too quickly can lead to injuries, so make sure you talk to your P.E. teacher or a doctor before starting any new aerobic routine.
High Impact - After warming up, your main aerobic routine should last about 20-30 minutes. If you're just starting your exercise routine, it's better to exercise for a longer period of time at a slower pace than going all out until you feel like you're going to drop dead.
Cool Down - Spend the last 5-10 minutes of your aerobic dance routine cooling down and relaxing. This will give you a chance to stretch your muscles and let your heart rate slowly come down.

Aerobic Dancing - Choosing Tunes

Whether you're doing aerobic dancing during your school P.E. class or dancing to a hip-hop dance video, it's important you choose music which will make your aerobic dance workout fun and exciting. For example, if your aerobics teacher insists on torturing you by making you listen to nothing but old Backstreet Boys tracks and Hilary Duff, you'll quickly lose interest.
If you don't like the tunes in your aerobic class, bring in a CD of your fave music to class or bring along your own MP3 player with headphones and listen to that instead.
Whatever your choice of tunes is, remember to include slower tracks like Usher's Confessions for your warm-up or cool down and faster songs like Outkast's Hey Ya for your main aerobic workout.

Aerobic Dancing - Feet First

A good pair of sneakers is extremely important for any kind of aerobic activity. Choose a pair of shoes with good tread, cushioning and ankle support. Talk to your P.E. teacher or parents to make sure your shoes are suitable for aerobic dancing. Your feet will thank you.