One of the commonly asked questions is what is the best aerobic exercise? My response to that is pretty simple.
In my opinion, any workout that you thoroughly love and enjoy is easily the best aerobic exercise for you and your body. Think about it, if you enjoy something, you are less likely to complain about working out.
If you like something, you will make time for it. I believe that that’s the most important thing in ensuring that you remain driven to work out.
Falling For Advice From Health Columns And Magazines
How many times have you taken advice from health columns and magazines who tell you what is the best aerobic exercise? Did it really work out? Chances are, you managed to stay focused on working out for maybe a few weeks before you got bored.
Hence, I believe that you need to know what is best for yourself. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. It comes with experimenting and trying new things. You can join an aerobics class, sign up for swimming refresher lessons, and follow what books tell you.
But. But. But.
If you are not truly passionate about that particular activity, your interest will die sooner or later.
I don’t want that to happen, therefore I suggest you find that SPARK. Find what motivates you, what drives you. Has there ever been a sport that you wanted to try very badly, but never got around to learning?
Well, this is your chance.
Making The Most Out Of Your Passion
Find something you are passionate about and stick to it. There is no such thing as an inferior workout. One choice of aerobic exercise is not better or worse than another type of exercise.
The only difference is how intensive your workout is. In Defining Aerobics, I talk about how to determine the intensity of your workout by calculating your heart rate.
Your heart rate is what makes each workout different! You can be playing volleyball and your friend might be having a game of badminton. However, if you are not playing volleyball intensively, but your friend is, to a third party, badminton might seem like a better sport!
There is no such thing as a better sport, just a higher heart rate. (smiles)
Don’t Let Others Make The Decision For You
When it comes down to your health and wellness, don’t let others decide for you what they think is the best aerobic exercise. Every individual is unique. What Person A likes might not be Person B’s cup of tea.
I made a huge mistake of letting my friend talk me into doing track. Yes, I like running, but I hate competitive running. Completely took out the fun from running.
Furthermore, thanks to his meddlesome ways, I lost my one chance to learn competitive volleyball, something that I always wanted to learn. Although it was a really long time ago, I know that I do not want you to make the same mistake as I have.
Our friends and family mean well, but your friends are not YOU. You need to decide for yourself what you want to try doing and make a commitment to it. Even after trying it and it doesn’t work out, find something else and give it a go.
Remember, listen to your heart. Your conscience can guide you to do amazing, positive things, and I’m sure it can lead you to discover the best aerobic exercise that you will enjoy for months, even years, to come.
Final Words
Once again, I remind you not to listen to the various health tips that you see and read about, telling you what is scientifically proven to be the best aerobic activity.
Just choose a sport or an activity like swimming, and exercise intensively such that your heart rate is about 60% of your maximum heart rate. With that, you are already lowering the risk of contracting heart disease.
It is so simple! Don’t pull your hair worrying about the various tips and guides that you read about. Exercise was never complicated.
Never has, never will be. It is just thanks to certain… how shall I put it? Certain sources which like to complicate things, and this is why not many people choose to exercise voluntarily.
Too much contradicting information is going around, making it hard to make well-informed decisions. But at Exercise For Beginners, I try to keep things short and sweet. I promise.
I certainly hope this article helped you. Ignore all the noise out there about the supposed best aerobic exercise. Do what you love, and you will reap the benefits.