M A R I E C L A I R E A L C A L A 11 - I

PYRAMID ACTIVITY GUIDE

 What types of exercises that can derive good health benefits?

Aerobic exercise is any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and causes the body to
use more oxygen than it would while resting.[10] The goal of aerobic exercise is to
increasecardiovascular endurance.[11] Examples of aerobic exercise
include cycling, swimming, briskwalking, skipping rope, rowing, hiking,
playing tennis, continuous training, and long slow distancetraining.[10]

Anaerobic exercise, which includes strength and resistance training, can firm, strengthen, and tone
muscles, as well as improve bone strength, balance, and coordination.[10] Examples of strength
moves are push-ups, lunges, and bicep curls using dumbbells.[10] Anaerobic exercise also
include weight training, functional training, eccentric Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

Among the recognized benefits of aerobic exercise are:

Increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)

Improvement in cardiovascular/cardio respiratory function (heart and lungs)

Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen

Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of sub-maximal exercise

Increased threshold for lactic acid accumulation

Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure

Increased HDL Cholesterol (the good cholesterol)

Decreased blood triglycerides

Reduced body fat and improved weight control

Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance

The known benefits of doing regular aerobic exercise include:

Strengthening the muscles involved in respiration, to facilitate the flow of air in and out of
the lungs
Strengthening and enlarging the heart muscle, to improve its pumping efficiency and
reduce the resting heart rate
Toning muscles throughout the body, which can improve overall circulation and reduce
blood pressure
Increasing the total number of red blood cells in the body, to facilitate transport of oxygen
throughout the body
As a result, aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular problems.

In addition to the health benefits of aerobic exercise, there are numerous performance benefits:

Increased storage of energy molecules such as fats and carbohydrates within the muscles,
allowing for increased endurance
Increasing speed at which aerobic metabolism is activated within muscles, allowing a
greater portion of energy for intense exercise to be generated aerobically
Improving the ability of muscles to use fats during exercise, preserving intramuscular
glycogen
 training, Interval training, sprinting, and high-intensity interval training increase short-term
muscle strength.[10][12]

Flexibility exercises stretch and lengthen muscles.[10] Activities such as stretching help to
improve joint flexibility and keep muscles limber.[10] The goal is to improve the range of
motion which can reduce the chance of injury.[10][13]

What changes or adaptation will occur as a result of aerobic exercises?