Following the lead in an aerobics workout

Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Images of curvy Jennifer Lopez and bodacious Britney Spears have certainly given young women a good reason to go to the gym.

A firm midriff and more supple body are among those qualities flaunted by young superstars. It takes regular workouts and a strict diet, but with keen motivation, their shape (depending on your genetic disposition) can also be yours.

One way of losing weight and gaining strength and flexibility at the same time is through a mix of aerobic and weight training, said Dr. Sadoso Sumosardjuno, a sports physician.

"The fitness concept in the '90s is a combination of aerobic and weight training. It's different from the '70s when aerobic training alone was considered enough to keep you fit. But if you want to lose weight, it's better to combine exercises with dieting," he said.

Many people choose aerobics because of its dynamic movement. Weight training usually ensues an aerobic session, because the latter can also serve as a warm-up.

Sadoso, who runs a clinic in the Manggala Wanabakti building complex in Central Jakarta and has a column in a men's tabloid, said that aerobics should be performed three to five times a week, while weight training two to three times a week was sufficient.

"Don't do weight training on successive days because the muscles need about 48 hours of rest for a total recovery. In addition, you'll easily get injured. You can go on with weight training shortly after an aerobic session because if you stay idle for more than five minutes, your body temperature will drop and you'll have to repeat the warm-up to avoid the possibility of injury."

He added that participating in sports without dieting would lead to more pain and less gain, and he dispelled a common myth.

"Although exercising does not reduce your appetite, you will eat less because you tend to consume only as many calories as your body needs."

Senior physical trainer Suprayitno, or Jinoth as he's fondly called, said trainees should commit themselves to dieting if they really want to lose weight.

"They have to discipline themselves. If they take part in a training program, they should also think about what they're eating, and restrain from eating food that contains carbohydrates for dinner."

He said, however, that weight training should be conducted after a trainee had mastered good stamina. "Your stamina is considered good if you don't get tired quickly, and you still have the urge to go on even though your body is hot.

"If you still have a lot of fat but you insist on going into weight training, you'll only inflate your muscles and won't shape your body," said Jinoth, who has also trained singer Krisdayanti.

Sadoso said the best aerobic exercises had movements that encourage impact with the floor.

"Research shows that an aerobic type of exercise that allows the limbs of the body to have impact with the ground is more successful for reducing weight. The stationary bicycle is also a form of aerobic exercise along with skipping, running or walking, but the latter burns more calories."

Jinoth said this kind of aerobic exercise was called high impact training, and was also popularly known as mixed impact. There is also low impact training, but the movements are slower and there is less running and jumping, he said. A variant of low impact training is body sculpting.

During a one-hour aerobic session, Jinoth, formerly a sport aerobic athlete, will give 20 minutes of low impact training, 10 minutes of stretching and 30 minutes of high impact aerobics before ending with relaxation exercises.

Another kind of aerobic exercise recommended by Sadoso and Jinoth was the combination of aerobics with martial arts movements, such as taebo.

Jinoth noted that the more novel type of aerobic exercise that combines aerobics with dances, such as Salsa or Poco-Poco, were only variations and would easily bore people.

"The dance is also aerobic but the movements are limited to the dance," he said.

Sadoso was quick to emphasize that Salsa was fine for young people, but it wasn't recommended for aging beginners who seldom or never exercise.

The popular exercise method of Body Language is also not recommended because some of its movements could lead to injury.

"There is a myth that Body Language training will enrich one's sex life, but the fact is it doesn't. I have seen many female patients who have become Body Language victims. They complained that something was wrong with their waists and their husbands were furious," he said.

Regarding the duration of an exercise session to reach a weight loss goal, Sadoso said that people should train for more than 20 minutes.

"With 20 minutes of exercising, your body will only burn the calories that come from carbohydrates. If you continue your training, you will also burn off fat. That means if you run very fast for 15 minutes and then stop, you won't burn off any fat. Even worse, you'll be really hungry because you'll have used up all your carbohydrates," he said.

Given its many benefits, and also the promise for a vibrant look like the navel-baring Lopez or Spears, our On the Fitness Track participant, Heidi, is continuing her weight training and aerobic sessions at the Life Spa fitness center in the Hilton International Hotel, Central Jakarta.