If you have been particularly sedentary in the past or if you have certain medical conditions, this is especially important. You and your doctor can develop an exercise program that is safe and most beneficial for you. Here are some guidelines from the American Heart Association to help you decide. Planning your program You may want an exercise program that will get you sweating and breathing heavily without being out of breath. If so, you need to pick an aerobic activity.
Aerobic activities are best for the healthy heart.
They are brisk, sustained, and regular. They include cross-country skiing, uphill hiking, ice hockey, jogging, jumping rope, running in place, stationary cycling. Aerobic classes, in the water and out, range from moderate to strenuous, depending on the activities selected by the instructor and the length of the session. To help prevent osteoporosis, women should include a weight-bearing exercise among these activities. This excludes swimming, in which the weight of the body is borne by the water.