This is the fourth in a series of Active Living columns about aerobic fitness. For previous columns, please see the following issues of Abreast in the West: Winter 2002, Spring 2002, and Summer 2002. Aerobic activities are those that enhance cardiovascular fitness through sustained increase in your heart rate. Previous columns have described ways to get aerobically fit through walking, swimming, and cycling.
As spring is almost upon us, it seemed timely to include aerobic activities that you can do outdoors. These include golf, tennis and badminton, and for the more adventurous roller-skating! Remember that to get the ideal cardiovascular benefit; you should strive to achieve at least 24 aerobic points each week.
Golf is not a highly aerobic sport, even though its fun and gets you out of doors. For every 9 holes of golf (without using a motorized cart), you will accumulate 1.5 aerobic points.
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Therefore, if golf is your only fitness activity, you would need to play 144 holes per week!
Either tennis or badminton, especially singles, will get you aerobically fit a bit quicker than golf. Playing singles tennis or badminton is worth 4 aerobic points/hour. Thus you would have to play 6 hours/week, if this were your only cardiovascular activity. Doubles tennis or badminton is worth only 1.5 points/hour similar to playing 9 holes of golf.
Roller skating at a leisurely pace is worth 4.5 points/hour. However, if you are a speed skater or roller-blader, you can up your points to 13.5 per hour.
For more information on aerobic fitness and the aerobic point system, check out the following web-site: www.cooperwellness.com/aerobicpointsystem.asp
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