After about 15 minutes of working on the machines, Gail and Bonita head down to the large, wood-floored room where a dozen other members have gathered for Gail's
low-impact aerobics class.
The new interest in strengthening muscles is seen in the growing number of
low-impact aerobics classes that utilize light hand weights.
Low-impact aerobics: Aerobic exercise improves overall fitness and endurance as well as muscle function and joint stability.
Young At Heart will offer a range of activities including salsa dance, tai chi,
low-impact aerobics, armchair exercise, short walks, gym tours and holistic therapies.
20 minutes of
low-impact aerobics (for example, a Legs Bums & Tums class)
Low-intensity or low-impact cardiovascular exercise like walking, swimming,
low-impact aerobics classes, or special exercise classes for pregnant women are best.
The class activities include
low-impact aerobics, stretching, and strengthening exercises that are tailored for whomever shows up each week, said Shannon Maher, a volunteer instructor for the class and a pharmaceutical sales rep for Eli Lilly.
Suitable activities include brisk walking (not strolling), slow cycling, slow swimming, digging the garden,
low-impact aerobics, dancing and tennis.
Walking, jogging and
low-impact aerobics are similarly beneficial as long as they are comfortable for the participant.
"We arranged for a group of people with moderate sleep complaints to attend a
low-impact aerobics class twice a week and to go out for a brisk 40-minute walk twice a week,' says Abby King of the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention.[9]
Other light exercises good for expectant moms include cycling on a stationary bike, swimming, stretching and
low-impact aerobics. Dr.
Walking and
low-impact aerobics are good options that even provide temporary relief, because these activities help pump the standing blood out of the vein.
