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Fitness
Kinds of exercise
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise burns fat, gets your heart rate going (you will be able to feel it beating faster) and makes your heart muscle stronger. It also increases the number of blood cells you have, which helps your blood carry more needed oxygen to blood vessels throughout your body.
Exercise ideas:
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Anaerobic exercise
Anaerobic exercise involves building muscle strength in different parts of your body. This type of exercise goes along well with aerobic exercise because having stronger muscles helps you to burn more calories. This will also help you look toned and feel strong.
Exercise ideas:
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When you think about a new physical activity, ask yourself these questions:
- Will you enjoy it?
- Is it safe?
- Is it available to you?
- Do you have the time to do it?
- Do you have friends who do it, too?
If you answered “no” to these questions, find another activity. It is better to find something that fits into your schedule, that you will enjoy, and that you can do safely. The important thing is that you get moving and there are lots of ways to get started! Walk when you talk on the phone, use the stairs instead of an elevator, and walk to the school. Don’t worry if you don’t have athletic equipment – you don’t need anything special to exercise. You can:
- Use canned foods as weights
- Go for power walks or run around your neighborhood or the school track
- Use your own body weight to strength train by doing push-ups
There are many different exercises to work all parts of your body. This chart shows the specific muscles worked by the different exercises.
Content last updated June 24, 2008
