BY: REFILOE MOHLOKI

Andile Debeshe, the Matholeleng-born instructor of the Mafeteng Aerobics Club, defines aerobic exercises as physical activities that boost the heart rate and the body’s use of oxygen; she claims that they help improve a person’s physical fitness. She also stated that they use various types of music for all of their exercises, as the music provides the rhythm they should follow.

There are many kinds of aerobics, according to Debeshe, including high-low, box, step, and functional training. She continues, “We have different types of aerobics, such as high-low, where we use dance moves as our way of exercising; box, where we use kicks and punches to exercise; step aerobics, where we use steps for our exercises, whereby we dance on the steps; and functional training, where we use either chairs or gym mats for doing squats, planks, and lunges.”

Aerobics are healthy for everyone, according to Andile, and for women, it keeps them fresh, keeps them from feeling weary all the time, and boosts their self-esteem. She went on to say that even children should be introduced to aerobic lessons since it helps them become more active and vibrant. She claims that children who participate in aerobic lessons become healthier and stronger and that their academic performance increases as their memory and concentration improve. “Children who attend aerobic classes are likely to be full of energy and life; they are mostly exciting to be around,” she adds.

According to a study conducted by Andile, aerobic activity lowers the high risk of developing a mental illness. She pointed out, “Aerobics help one to easily forget their problems because they will be around fun people and a fun environment where they get lost in the music they are dancing to when exercising, so that lowers their risk of having any mental illness.”

Andile stated that aerobic exercise also benefits in the management of chronic conditions such as heart and lung problems. “As a result of exercise, our hearts get stronger and better suited to circulate blood throughout the body, which also helps people who have heart and lung problems, as it helps the heart beat normally and also with breathing problems.”

Furthermore, she added that aerobic exercise is beneficial for both pregnant women and the elderly because it makes it easier for them to carry both themselves and their unborn children and because it helps new mothers lose weight and lower blood pressure. It also helps moms who have recently given birth to look better physically.