To understand well the importance of aerobics, experts suggest to have an idea of the benefits of physical activity. Aerobic exercise involves coordinated movements of one or more parts of the body. Gerald Luzindana, a body wellness expert and aspiring health author, says human beings are mobility organisms. He says this is explained by the fact that the body was created with over 360 joints. Any deviation from this arrangement, he says, could result in the body’s inconsistent performance. According to him, aerobics requires one to have a view of other types of physical activity, mainly minor to moderate exercises. There is aerobic exercise, which is a steady-state cardio and low to moderate pace of physical activities with high oxygen supply. Examples, he says, include cardio machine, bliss walking, swimming, stretching, dancing, spinning, jogging, cross country skiing, hiking and kick boxing, to mention a few. Then there is anaerobic activity, an interval training that involves high performance with low oxygen supply. Examples include, sprints, pushes, bicycle crunch, jump squats, mountain climbing, squats, jumping among others. Luzindana says what can’t go unmentioned is the need to understand the body’s requirements for physical activity levels to enhance body performance. BENEFITS Emmy Ntamanga, a Kigali-based nutritionist and consultant, says aerobics helps strengthen the heart, lungs and train your cardiovascular system to manage and deliver oxygen requirement of the whole body quickly and efficiently in and out of the body. He says doing aerobics improves circulation and aids oxygen supply throughout the body. It also increases insurance which makes one work longer without getting tired quickly, with this, it increases energy. Ntamanga says it also helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases through strengthening cardiac muscles for easy contraction and retraction during the systolic and diastolic pressure movements. Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist and dietician at Amazon Cabinet Clinic in Remera, Kigali, says it also helps in reducing body fats, as well as helps in managing stress, anxiety and depression, thereby giving a psychological balance to the body. HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE Physical activity, particular when it comes to the body, Luzindana says, needs moderation. He says 30 minutes every day can improve the state of one’s health. For heart muscles, he says, as one gets fitter, the stronger it becomes. However, he mentions that people should remember that it is important to focus on enjoying the physical activity — they should have a goal — look at it as a journey, a need, like food. CONTRADICTIONS Physical activity is normally recommended by health workers, doctors, physicians, body wellness experts and et cetera. However, experts say little time is spent on offering clear guidelines on the best exercise in line with one’s health state, and also the dangers of bad physical activity practices. Some of the problems include heart blockage and acute congestive heart failure. Kamanzi says older adults should participate in moderate activity for at least 30 minutes, vigorous for only 20 minutes three times a week. For overweight persons, he says, it’s important to take the intensity down a notch. DIET Experts note that nutrition and physical activity go hand in hand. “Actually this needs awareness; many people spend a small fortune in annual subscriptions in gyms and sports facilities, only to fail to register significant achievement or even a little,” points out Luzindana. The puzzle here, he says, is simply incorporating nutrition for sustainability of their efforts. He says nutrition is not malnutrition, nutrition and diet is an art. Nutrition and diet is a basis of a healthy lifestyle, it starts with food and ends with food. “Understanding the role of nutrition and diet for a sustainable routine exercise programme is key to achieving 100 per cent,” he says. He adds that it is, therefore, important for each person on an exercise programme, be it aerobics or anaerobic physical activity, to have a healthy diet. However, visit a specialist for guidelines on an individualised nutrition programme. “Complete wellbeing requires a holistic approach. No single strategy leads to full success, this is what we need to preach,” adds Luzindana.
