The growing popularity of aerobic dance exercise over the past three decades was a major driving force behind the tremendous growth of the fitness industry and the emergence of the modern health club as we know it.
Some classes have unique, catchy names used specifically for marketing purposes. Classes can be highly choreographed, which requires a high level of co-ordination and skill.
Nowadays health clubs and fitness centres usually offer a range of 'aerobics' classes. The classes usually have different names, formats and descriptions and will vary from one venue to the next.
Currently popular 'aerobics' formats include Hi-Lo, Low Impact, Martial Arts-based Aerobics, Kickboxing, Latin, Hip-hop, Funk and Jazz. A variety of equipment-based workouts, such as Step Aerobics and Slide Aerobics, also fall within this category.
When you join a health club or fitness centre, ensure that you are familiar with different classes offered and study the class description carefully. This will enable you to choose the ideal class to go to.
The aerobics phase follows the warm-up. The aerobics section is mainly aimed at improving cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition and uses large body movements performed continuously so that the heart rate remains elevated.
An aerobics class always ends with stretching and relaxation exercises. The cool-down is designed to lower the heart rate, help prevent muscle soreness, enhance flexibility and re-establish homeostasis or equilibrium.
