III.1.7.1. Moves
In the 70s and 80s, inappropriate exercises, bad planning and ignoring the specific needs of the participants led to lots of injuries and permanent disorders. Today’s professionals take into account that their classes are visited by participants of different body weight, fitness level and age. The program is adjusted to the weakest ones. The form of aerobics that, from a preventive standpoint, prefers low-risk practices and ways of execution is called safe aerobics.
Exercises prohibited in safe aerobics:
(It is important to mention that these exercises may be useful in competitive sport, physical education and physical therapy.)
To protect the circulatory/cardiovascular system:
- Workout heart rate close to the maximum (Maximum heart rate: 220-age)
- Finishing class with high heart rate, 60% above maximum
- Bending the neck backwards (circling in 360 degrees)
- Bending the trunk under the line of the waist from a standing position (exception: stretching)
To protect the musculoskeletal system:
- Bending the trunk and the neck back (exception: in prone position 15% torso lifting is allowed)
- Bending the trunk backwards and rotating it quickly (exception: static stretching exercises)
- Exercises that intensify lumbar lordosis (eg.: when lying on the back, lifting and lowering legs, full sit-up from lying, swinging legs back)
- Headstand, handstand
- Flips: Somersault, backflip, cartwheel
- Skipping on one leg more than 4 times continually (in order to protect the joints)
- Exercises executed on tiptoes (in order to protect the fetlock joint).
- Exercises that strain and overuse the joints, e.g. knee turns, knee twists
- Exercises that end up in knee angles smaller than 120 degrees (squat, deep squat) (Katona, 2004).
The program may be arranged according to the main goals:
- Circulation enhancing (cardiovascular) part
- Strengthening part
- Exercises for stretching and cooling down
The circulation part can be further split to exercises for arms and legs.
Legs:
- Low impact exercises: the shock of contact between feet and floor is moderate. One of the feet is always on the floor. Examples: steps, walks, knee raises, kicks.
- High impact exercises: the shock of contact between feet and floor is intense. Both feet leave the ground at the same time (requiring bigger effort). Examples: running, hopping, take-offs, heel and knee raises, leg swings and kicks.
Generally, low impact elements have their high impact pairs. Both can be executed with various intensities.
There are:
- low intensity exercises that require moderate amplitude in movement. For example: touches, heel raise
- high intensity exercises that require greater amplitude in movement. For example: knee raise, leg swing
Arm swings are important in increasing/decreasing intensity:
Types:
- below, on and above the heart level
- arms bent or extended
- alternating or in pairs
- symmetrically or asymmetrically
- combining those above
Rules of using the arms:
- do not hang them on the sides
- movements of the arms and legs should be synchronized
- simple leg movement should be chosen to accompany complex arm movement
- the height of arm lifts should be controlled by the muscles
- elbow must not be placed behind the plane of the body (except for strengthening exercises done behind)