Is Retro 1980s Aerobics Still A Good Workout?
You may love the idea of doing a retro 1980s aerobics class, but you're wondering - is it a good workout?
Yes! Aerobics has a lot of benefits for improving your cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and respiratory systems, toning your muscles, improving your endurance, agility, coordination, balance and even your mental health.
Of course, the effectiveness of any workout really depends on your own fitness goals, the duration and intensity of the workout, and your attention to form. But there’s even one more critical factor to whether it’s a good workout that you may be overlooking.
Read on to learn more about whether retro aerobics is still a good workout.
Affiliate Disclaimer: The Aerobics Channel a participant in affiliate programs, including Amazon.com. This page may include affiliate links that will take you to an external website. Any purchase you make after clicking on one of these links will earn me a small commission at not a cent of extra cost to you. Concerned? Need to know more? No problems. Head to our Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure for more information.
Retro aerobics is a good workout if it's aligned with your fitness goals
In an aerobics class, you'll probably be jumping, jogging, balancing, doing lateral movements, and coordinating arm and leg movements. Some aerobics workouts, like the ones you’ll find on the Aerobics Channel, also do resistance training, core work, and deep stretches at the end. This is great for goals like:
♥ Fat loss
♥ Balance
♥ Agility
♥ Coordination
♥ Strength
♥ Core work
♥ Some flexibility
It's a great all rounder workout for just so many fitness goals. But if your goal is specific to a certain outcome like …
♥ Getting your first pull up
♥ Doing the splits
♥ Getting flexible
♥ Bodybuilding or sculpting muscle mass
… if aerobics is all you do, it won’t help you achieve those goals. That said, it’s still a good thing to add as part of your overall fitness program. It’s important to cross train and add variety to your workout routine. The more variety you have in your workouts, the more well rounded your fitness levels will be and the better your results will be.
How long an aerobic workout should be to get a good workout
Of course, especially if you're new to exercise, any length of movement is better than none. However, aim for a minimum of 10 minutes of aerobic activity at low to moderate intensity (55% of maximum effort), building up to 30 minutes or more at moderate intensity (55 to 75% of maximum effort).
For general health and wellness, current guidelines recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity on most days of the week. For fat loss, aim to exercise for at least 20 minutes. This is because it takes at least 15 minutes for the body to switch to using fat stores for energy rather than glycogen (sugar).
But if you're just starting out remember to go at your own pace. Start with slow (low intensity) and short (10-minute) workouts and build it up with each workout as your endurance improves.
How intense does my aerobics workout need to be to get a good workout?
In order for aerobics to be a good workout, you need to be working at the right intensity. Just like the duration of your workouts, the intensity at which you should do aerobics depends on:
your current fitness levels; and
your fitness goals.
In general, for health and fitness and fat loss in people who are moderately fit, your target heart rate should be between 50-70% of your maximum heart rate.
If you’re new to exercise, your target heart rate should be lower than this, about 50-65% of your maximum (and double-check this with your doctor first).
How to find your target heart rate
To find your target heart rate (THR), first you need to find your maximum heart rate (MHR).To do this, subtract your age from 220. Let’s use me as an example.
I’m 37, so my maximum heart rate would be:
220 - 37 = 183 bpm
Now I don’t want to work out to my maximum heart rate because I might keel over, defeating the purpose somewhat.
We want to reach a percentage of that MHR, known as our target heart rate, which is an indicator of whether we're working at the right intensity.
For the majority of the population, your THR should be between 50-70% of your maximum heart rate.
To find your target heart rate, simply multiply your MHR by 0.5 - 0.7 to find your ideal THR during exercise.
Using me as an example again, this looks like:
183 x 0.5 = 91.5 - 128 bpm
This means during a workout I want my heart rate to reach between 91.5 - 128 beats per minute.
♥♥♥
The easiest way to check your pulse during a workout is to wear a smart watch or fitness watch - these will take your pulse for you. You’ll see in all my workouts I’m wearing my Fitbit Versa 2 and this is so I can monitor my heart rate throughout my workouts.
I can’t speak for Apple, but if you have a Samsung phone, the Samsung Health app also has a function to take your pulse.
If you don’t have either of these readily available, no worries, you can always do it the ole’ fashioned way! You can do this by placing your index and middle finger on your neck, just right under your jaw and to the side of your windpipe.
Using a countdown timer or watch with a second hand, count your pulse for 15 seconds then multiply the result by four. This is your heart rate.
If your heart rate is below your target heart rate, it means you need to up the intensity and put in a bit more effort.
If your heart rate is above your target heart rate, slow down and take it easy. You can do this by walking around slowly, taking long, slow breaths, or doing lower-impact versions of the exercises until your heart rate lowers to the right intensity.
The Number #1 Way to Know If Aerobics is a Good Workout
Want to know what the most important thing is when it comes to knowing whether aerobics is a good workout or not? Whether you have FUN doing it!
You know what, if you find a way to move your body that you love, then automatically, it's a great workout. Because you're gonna want to wake up and do it every day.
If it brings you joy and feels like a great time, you'll be coming up with excuses to DO it, instead of excuses to skip it. And because you're going to be consistent with it, you'll get great results.
Now, this is true whether you love aerobics, or jogging, or krav maga. An exercise that burns a lot of calories that you only do occasionally because you hate it - isn't a great workout. But a workout that burns less calories that you do every day because you love it IS a great workout.
You'll burn more calories and get more health benefits overall.
The exercise you love is the exercise you'll stick to. And the exercise you stick to is going to be the one that gets you results all day long.
So if you've started aerobics, you love it, and you're wondering ... is it a good workout? The answer is a resounding YES. (BTW, aerobics actually does burn a lot of calories. But we don’t count workout calories around here so that's way beside the point.)
Conclusion
Listen, when you’ve got to get fit and time is short, you want to choose a workout that is effective and that will get you results! I mean, sure, aerobics looks SUPER fun, but is it a good workout?
Well, as an aerobics instructor I may be biased but I am here to tell you that aerobics is indeed a good workout - in fact, it’s fantastic! It’s my cardio of choice, and I’m in the best shape of my life in my late 30s!
By working out at the right intensity, for the right duration, with the right form, you’re sure to get a great workout from aerobics classes.
♥ ♥ ♥
Now I would love to hear from you.
What’s your favourite way to work out and why?
Let us know in the comments.
♥ ♥ ♥
Shop my favourite Aerobics Essentials
Save Some for ‘Ron!
Did you like this post? Make sure to pin it to your Pinterest board of fitness tips so you can refer back to it easily later. Just hover over the image below, click the ‘Pin It’ button in the top left hand corner, and Pinterest will walk you through the next steps.
P.S. Now that you know retro aerobics is a great way to work out, want to try it for less than the cost of a cuppa per week? Our home video store is like the Netflix of aerobics - an ever growing collection of retro 1980s aesthetic workouts that you can do from the comfort of your own living room. And we’ll even give you a 3 day FREE trial so you can try it risk free. It’s win-win! CLICK HERE to learn more.
Rhiannon Day
Aerobics Instructor, Host & Founder
Email us | Homepage | Free Resources |