How to Build a Positive Thinking Mindset

A mindset is essentially your emotional response to normal daily activities. This is important for health and quality of life.^[1] You may be unable to change your job, your family, where you live, or other major constraints that may underlie negative thinking. But you can approach life’s frustrations with positivity by challenging negative thoughts and improving your outlook on life.

EditSteps

EditChallenging Negative Thoughts

1. Identify your negative thoughts. Cognitive behavioral therapy practitioners believe that we have the ability to change our behavior by changing our thoughts. Thoughts are the catalyst that lead to behaviors. The first step in controlling your thoughts is awareness.
   
2. Keep a thought journal. If you have trouble identifying your negative thoughts, consider keeping a thought journal. In this journal, write down the way that you perceive different things: yourself, your work or school, your parents, politics, the environment, and so on.
   
   • This will force you to pay attention to the critical voice in your head and listen to what it’s saying.
   • Take a few minutes every day to recall times when you thought something negative.
3. Quiet your inner critic by focusing on the positive. When you hear the voice in your head say something negative, take a pause and substitute the negative for something positive.
   
   • For example, if your mind keeps saying how much you hate your principal, you can say, “This is a tough job and he’s doing the best he can.”
4. Keep a gratitude journal. Record instances that occur in your life that you are grateful for. Express them in a journal, letter, or other kind of writing. Write down some of the things that you’re thankful for. Write in this journal a couple of times every week.
   
   • Research shows that a gratitude journal is more effective when the person writes about a handful of instances in depth, rather than a laundry list. Spend a few minutes reliving and savoring these moments that you write about.^[2]
   • The gratitude journal will help you remember the positive things in your life.
5. Practice positive imagery. Imagine yourself in successful scenarios with as much detail as possible.^[3] Keep the negative thoughts like “I can’t do this” at bay. Instead, focus on how you can do something: “I can finish this project. I will ask for a little help and it will get done.”
   
   • When you strive to be confident in your activities and outlook, you will increase your potential for actually achieving your goals.

EditImproving Your Outlook

1. Find the positive side of life’s challenges. Keep moving forward and don’t focus on how difficult life can be. Think of the adventures you’re having in life because of these challenges. If things were straight and smooth, your life might be pretty uninteresting. Think about the ways you’ve overcome challenges and become a better person because of them.^[4]
   
   • For example, if you’re mad that you were laid off, think about how you have been able to spend valuable time with your children.
2. Alter your reactions to life’s frustrations. We can often feel like we’re surrounded by life’s frustrations. Perhaps you lost weight and gained it back, or it rained at your neighborhood barbecue. When we get bogged down by frustrating events, we start to notice and get frustrated by minor things, like not finding a parking spot or hitting all the red lights in traffic. But if you alter your reaction to these frustrations, they won’t have such a strong hold over you.^[5]
   
   • Compare the current frustration to similar ones in the past. Will this frustration make a difference in the long run, or are you wasting your energy getting worked up over nothing?
   • For example, let’s say you are unhappy making sandwiches for a job. Put some artfulness into it, arranging the meats colorfully with the vegetables. Think of something nice to say to the customer. Ask the manager if there is something else you can control about the environment, like the music.
   • If you hate traffic, plan ahead and listen to your favorite music in your car.
   • Take action to change the frustrating event. If you hate going to work, you might think this way because you want to have a different career. Make a change to fix the situation.
3. Take time to relax. Oftentimes, we get wrapped up in negativity because we are stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated or angry. When we allow ourselves time to relax and recoup, we can find space to tackle problems with a positive attitude. Set aside time every day for yourself to do something relaxing, whether that’s reading a book, watching your favorite TV show, or talking on the phone with a friend.
   
   • Try meditation or yoga, or spend a few minutes taking some deep breaths.
4. Do activities you’re good at. Frustration and negativity often occur because we feel a lack of efficacy, or a lack of success for our efforts. A productive response is to do something you are good at. When you feel good about your abilities, your mindset will improve in the positive direction. Increase how often you do your favorite activities.
   
   • For example, if you like knitting, take a break and work on a knitting project. You will get positive energy from this activity because you can see your progress. This positive energy will then influence how you feel about other projects.
5. Avoid media that causes negative thinking. Research shows that negative thinking is supported by media with negative comparisons.^[6] If you notice media making you feel negative, one approach is to avoid that media. If you found yourself frequently comparing yourself to a certain model or athlete, avoid magazines, shows, or games that feature them.
   
   • Even temporary exposure to media depicting ideal images has been shown to negatively impact self-esteem and self-image.^[7]
6. Try humor. Having fun and laughing can boost your mood and increase your positive reactions to things and people.^[8]
   
   • Attend a comedy show, watch comedy television, or read a book of jokes. This will help build a sense of humor that is associated with playfulness and positivity.^[9]

EditInteracting With Others

1. Surround yourself with positive people. When a friend is negative, his negativity can have the tendency of rubbing off on you. For example, if this person always talks negatively about your school, you might start to think negatively too. This is because this is all you focus on. If you think about the positive aspects of your school, you’ll start to see those more clearly.^[10]
   
   • Build a network of people who approach life with positivity. Spend less time with those who bring you down.
2. Be positive about other people. Sometimes feeling negative is pervasive and affects all our interactions. Negativity can make people not want to spend time with you, adding to a cycle of feeling negative. A way to break out of this cycle and build a positive mindset is to practice social support. Expanding positive comments towards others can help you build a positive thinking mindset.
   
   • For example, you can help someone feel good about themselves by recognizing him and pointing out something positive.^[11] Compliment him on how well he can sing, for example.
   • Being nice to others is associated with positive outcomes in family, health and career,^[12] which will help build your positive-thinking mindset.
3. Show interest and pride in others. When you interact with others, you can help them feel positively. This will, in turn, increase your own positive mindset. Increase positive thinking in others by showing interest and reinforcing the pride you feel.^[13]
   
   • When you get together with a friend, spend the time talking about what’s new with her. Steer the conversation away from yourself and focus on listening to her.
4. Take note of when you help others. Write down the ways that you have helped someone else and contributed to his or her wellbeing. It sounds somewhat gratuitous or self-serving. But research shows this kind of behavior can help you feel like you’re making a difference by staying positive.^[14]
   
5. Join a social group. Belonging to a social group can help reduce negative thinking. Religious affiliation can, for many people, cultivate a positive mindset. ^[15]
   

EditHaving a Healthy Lifestyle

1. Get enough sleep. It is much easier to handle life’s frustrations and stay positive when you’re not running on empty. Your body needs rest to recover, which will help your mind work more productively and positively. Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.^[16]
   
   • If you have trouble falling asleep at night, try dimming the lights a little while before bed. Turn off all screens (computer, TV, phone) at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. This will help your mind settle down for sleep.
2. Eat well. Feed your body with good fuel that will help you maintain a positive attitude. Avoid processed and fried foods. Eat lots of nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, proteins and whole-grains.
   
   • Eat foods rich in vitamins that are known for their mood-boosting qualities. These include selenium, such as grains, beans, seafood and lean meats; omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish and walnuts; and folate, such as leafy greens and legumes.^[17]
3. Drink plenty of water. Negative moods have been linked to dehydration. Make sure you are getting enough water throughout the day. Aim for 72 ounces of fluids (for women) or 104 ounces of fluids (for men).^[18]
   
   • Some of your daily fluid intake does occur through the foods you eat. It’s a good idea to shoot for about 8 eight-ounce cups of water every day.
4. Exercise regularly. As you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals linked to positive feelings. Regular exercise can ward off stress, depression, and other ailments.^[19]
   
   • Get at least 20-30 minutes of exercise three times a week.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Be a Positive Thinker
• Be Positive when Surrounded by Negativity
• Develop a Can Do Attitude
• Do Yoga and Positive Thinking
• Build a Positive Attitude
• Have a Positive Attitude (for Teens)

EditSources and Citations

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

How to Set SMART Goals

SMART is an acronym that represents a framework for creating effective goals. It stands for five qualities your goals should have. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The SMART method is one of the most popular and effective tools for creating realistic and achievable goals. You might be at the helm of a 300-person organization or you might be a small business entrepreneur. Or, you might be somebody who simply wants to shed 20 pounds. Regardless, learning how to set SMART goals can improve your chances of success.

EditSteps

EditMaking your Goal Specific (S)

1. Decide what you want. Your first step in any goal-setting framework must be to decide what it is you hope to achieve. At this stage, it's okay to be general.
   
   • Whether your goal is long-term or short term, most people start out with only a general idea of what they want. You move from the general to the specific by adding details and defining your terms.^[1]
   • For example, maybe your initial goal is be healthier. Knowing that will be your basis for creating a more specific goal.
2. Get specific. "Specific" is the "S" in SMART. You have a much greater chance of accomplishing a specific goal than a general goal.^[2] So, your task at this stage is to translate your thoughts from step one into something more precise.
   
   • Following the example in the previous step, you would ask yourself what "healthier" means to you? What in your life needs to be better?
   • The goal has to be concrete and clear. Nebulous and fluffy goals like "feel better" or "look better" are not easy to determine progress. Pick a goal that will bemeasurable. Examples:
     • Lose or gain (x) amount of weight.
     • Be able to run a 5K
     • Cut sodium intake in my diet
3. Determine who else is involved. A good way to make certain your goal is specific enough is to answer the 6 "W" questions: Who, What, When, Where, Which, and Why. Start by asking who is involved.^[3]
   
   • If your goal is to lose weight, the answer is probably just you. But, some goals will require you to work with others.
4. Ask what you want to accomplish. This is the basic question of what goal you hope to achieve.^[4]
   
   • If you want to lose weight, be more specific! How much weight do you hope to lose? This means figuring out what is a healthy goal weight for you.
5. Determine where this will happen. Identify a location in which you will do the work of striving for your goal.^[5]
   
   • If you want to lose weight, you could exercise at work (going for a walk during lunch hour), at home (doing a home body weight workout or using weights), and at a gym.
6. Think about when this will happen. Establish a realistic time frame or deadline for achieving your goal.^[6] This will come more sharply into focus later in the process of goal setting. For now, just think about the big picture.
   
   • If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you might be able to achieve that in a few months. On the other hand, if your goal is to get a degree in physics, a reasonable time frame for that might be a few years.
   • This may also mean figuring out when you work out: before work, after school, when the pool is open,
   • This may also mean considering how often to work out?
7. Determine which requirements and restraints will be part of the process.^[7] In other words, what will you need to do to achieve your goal? What obstacles will you face?
   
   • If your goal is to lose weight, the requirements might be exercise and a healthy diet. The obstacles might include your own aversion to exercise. Recognize this, and consider how and why do you want to overcome that?
   • Other obstacles: You may not have money for a gym, or a bad knee, or it is not a great neighborhood to walk outside at night. How can these be worked around?
8. Reflect on why you are setting this goal.^[8] Jot down the specific reasons and benefits of accomplishing this goal. Understanding the "why" can be crucial to knowing if the goal you've set will actually satisfy your desires.
   
   • For example, imagine your goal is to lose 50 pounds. You reflect on your reason for that and determine that it is because you hope to have more friends. But getting more friends has no direct correlation with weight loss. In that case, work on trying to be more outgoing, rather than on your appearance.
   • But if losing 50 pounds will greatly benefit your health, and you know why, write the reasons down.

EditMaking Your Goal Measurable (M)

1. Create a "yardstick" for measuring outcomes. Your task now is to establish a criteria for success. This will make it easy to track your progress and know when you have achieved your goal.
   
   • Your criteria can be quantitative (numbers based) or descriptive (based on describing a certain outcome).^[9]
   • When possible, put concrete numbers in your goals. This way you'll know without question if you're falling behind or if you're on track.
   • For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you might make your goal quantitative by saying you want to lose 30 pounds. Knowing your existing weight, it will be easy to determine when you've met your goal. A descriptive version of this goal might be "I want to be able to put on a pair of jeans I wore five years ago." Either way, your goal is measurable.
2. Ask questions sharpen your focus. There are number of questions you can ask yourself to make sure your goal is as measurable as possible. These include:
   
   • How much? For example, "how much weight do I hope to lose?"
   • How many? For example, "how many times a week do I want to go to the gym?"
   • How will I know when I've accomplished the goal?^[10] Will it be when you step on a scale and see you've lost 30 pounds? Or 40?
3. Track and measure your progress. Having measurable goals makes it easy to determine if you are making headway.
   
   • For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds, and you've lost 18, you know you're almost there. On the other hand, if a month has passed and you've only lost a pound, this might signal that it's time to change your strategy.
   • Keep a journal. This is a great way to keep track of the efforts you've made, the results you've seen, and your feelings about the process. Aim to write in it for about 15 minutes a day. This can help you keep things in perspective and can also release stress you might be feeling about your efforts.^[11]

EditMaking Sure the Goal is Attainable (A)

1. Assess your limitations. You want to make sure that the goal you have set can actually be achieved.^[12] Otherwise, you may become discouraged.
   
   • Consider the restraints and obstacles you've identified and whether you'll be able to overcome them. To achieve any goal, you will face challenges. The question to consider here is whether it's reasonable to think you'll be able to accomplish the goal in the face of these challenges.
   • Be realistic about the amount of time you have to devote to your goals as well as your personal background, knowledge, and any physical limitations. Think about your objective realistically, and if you do not think you can reasonably achieve it given your current life situation, set a new one that is attainable for you in the present.
   • For example, imagine your goal is to lose some weight. If you can commit even a small amount of time to exercise each week and are willing to make some dietary changes, losing 20 pound in 6 months is probably achievable. Losing 50 pounds might or might not be, especially if there are obstacles that could prevent you from exercising regularly.
   • It's a good idea to write down all the foreseeable constraints you face as you make this assessment. This will help you develop complete picture of the task you face.
2. Assess your level of commitment. Even if a goal is theoretically achievable, you must be committed to making the efforts necessary to reach it. Ask yourself the following questions:
   
   • Are you prepared to make the commitment to reach your target?
   • Are you willing to dramatically alter or at least adjust aspects of your life?
   • If not, is there a more achievable target you are willing to work for?
   • Your goal and your commitment level should match up.^[13] You might find it easier to commit to losing 20 pounds for starters, but 50 pounds might seem more overwhelming. Be honest with yourself about the changes you are willing to make.
3. Set a goal you can achieve. Once you've considered the challenges you face and your level of commitment, adjust your goal as necessary.
   
   • If you decide your existing goal is achievable, you can move one to the next step. But, if you conclude that it's not really a reasonable goal, consider revising it. This doesn't mean you have to give up altogether. It just means adjusting your goal to fit your reality.

EditMaking Your Goal Relevant (R)

1. Reflect on your desires. Closely related to a goal's attainability is its relevance. This is the "R" in SMART. The question to ponder here is whether this goal will be fulfilling for you as individual.^[14]
   
   • This is a moment to revisit the "why" question. Ask yourself whether this goal will truly fulfill your desires or if there's a different goal that's more important to you.
   • For example, imagine you are considering what you want to do after high school. You might be capable of getting your medical degree at a large, prestigious university. The goal is achievable for you. But, if your goal is to be a Broadway dancer, it does not matter what you could do. Getting into a pre-med program will hinder your dance career, and you would not succeed in the medical field, either.
2. Consider your other goals and circumstances. It's also important to consider how your goal fits with other plans you have in life. Conflicting plans can create problems.^[15]
   
   • In other words, its important to determine if your goal fits in with the rest of what is going on in your life.
   • For example, imagine your goal is to go to an ivy league college. But, you also want to take over the family business in the next couple of years. Especially if the business isn't located near an ivy league college, this creates a conflict. You will need to reconsider one of both of these goals.
3. Adjust your goal for relevance. If you decide your goal is relevant and and will work well with your other plans, you can move on to the last step. If not, you'll need to make some more revisions.
   
   • When in doubt, go with what you're passionate about. A goal that you care deeply about will be both more relevant and achievable than one you're only sort of interested in. A goal that will fulfill your dreams will be much more motivating and worthwhile to you.^[16]

EditMaking the Goal Time-Bound (T)

1. Choose a time frame. This means your goal should have a deadline or there should be a date set for completion.
   
   • Setting a timeline for your goal helps you identify and stick to the specific actions that you need to take to work towards that goal. It removes the nebulous "sometime in the future" quality that goal setting sometimes encourages.^[17]
   • When you don't set a timeline, there is no internal pressure to accomplish the goal, so it can often end up on the back burner.
2. Set benchmarks. Especially if your goal is very long-term, it can be useful to break it up into smaller goals. This can help you measure your progress and make it manageable.^[18]
   
   • For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds in the next 5 months, you would set a benchmark goal of about one pound a week. This is less daunting and creates an incentive for consistent effort, rather than a big push to lose weight during the last couple of months. You can get an app that tracks your diet and exercise to make sure you're taking the necessary steps to reach your goal every day. And, if this turns out to be too much for you, you can go back and revise the goal to make it more achievable.
3. Focus on the long term and the short term. Consistent progress toward your goals means keeping one eye on today and eye on the future. Within your established time frame, you might ask yourself:
   
   • What can I do today to reach my goal? If the goal is to lose 20 pounds in five months, one daily goal might be getting 30 minutes of exercise every day. Another might be switching to healthy snacks like fruit and nuts, rather than potato chips.
   • What can I do over the next 3 weeks to reach my goal? Here, the answer might involve creating a detailed meal plan or a workout schedule.
   • What can I do over the long term reach my goal? Here, your focus will be on keeping the weight off. Your focus will be on forming habits that promote a healthy diet and active lifestyle over the long term. You might consider, for example, joining a gym or sports team.

EditTips

• List the important milestones along the way to your target. You can pair each milestone with a reward. Small incentives can help you stay motivated.^[19]
• Try making a list of people and resources you'll need to achieve your goal. This can help you be strategic about taking the steps you need to take to attain it.

EditWarnings

• Don't make so many goals that it is impossible to prioritize them. You'll feel like you are not accomplishing anything, and you will likely feel overwhelmed.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Set a Reading Goal That Will Help Accomplish Your Other Goals
• Set Goals for Life
• Keep a Life Changing Resolution
• Visualize
• Form a Plan
• Recreate Your Life
• Achieve Short Term Goals
• Write a Goal
• Set SMART Goals
• Support Others to Set Goals

EditSources and Citations

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

How to Do Aerobics

Broadly speaking, aerobic exercise requires you to work out your large muscle groups like your arms and legs. By raising your breathing and heart rates, you increase oxygen flow to your muscles, while also allowing your blood flow to remove carbon dioxide and lactic acid buildup in your muscles.^[1] The results of regular aerobic exercise are lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improved lung function, a lower resting heart rate and improved cardiovascular health, weight loss, and muscle definition. While this can be achieved through jogging or playing basketball, when we talk about “aerobics,” we’re talking about a specific type of exercise that often incorporates music and dance-like motions to make aerobic exercise fun, keeping you coming back for more.

EditSteps

EditPreparing for an Aerobics Workout

1. Set aside enough time to meet exercise recommendations. Regardless of your goals — losing weight or just improving overall health — you won't see or feel any change in your body unless you exercise regularly.
   
   • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get at least 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic exercise (low-impact aerobics) or 75 minutes of strenuous aerobic exercise (high-impact aerobics) per week.^[2]
   • So one hour-long low-impact aerobics class per week isn't enough to meet professional standards for a healthy lifestyle. Set aside enough time throughout the week to reach your exercise goals.
   • Another way to approach your routine is to elevate your heart rate for half an hour every day, taking a day off here and there.^[3]
   • If you are trying to lose weight, you should increase the amount of time you dedicate to exercise, as these recommendations are a minimum guideline for healthy living.
2. Pre-prepare a workout plan. Regardless of what type of aerobics you're doing, you want to make sure you're working out your entire body in a thoughtful manner. Of the five recommended elements of physical activity — aerobic exercise, strength training, core exercise, balance training, and flexibility — aerobics itself is simply one piece of the overall picture.^[4] However, with a little bit of pre-planning, you can incorporate steps and tools into your workout plan that help you achieve the recommended balance.
   
   • Aerobic exercise: obviously, you want to keep your heart rate elevated throughout. This is why aerobics instructors ask you to march in place in between steps rather than stopping and taking a break. If you can speak easily, you're not working out hard enough.
   • Strength training: Holding hand weights while performing your aerobics routine will help build muscles in the arm, while adding ankle weights will build leg muscle.
   • Core strength: Incorporate moves that target the muscles in your abdomen — windmills, for example. The addition of hand weights while performing windmills will result in an even better core workout.
   • Balance training: Many moves in aerobics require you to shift your weight from one foot to the other. Focus on the slow, deliberate transfer of weight and the balance of your body when doing these steps. Hamstring curls and ski jumps, for example, are a good opportunity to focus on balance.
   • Flexibility: When performing steps that require stretching, commit all the way to the stretch. Windmills are a great example of an exercise where you may not be able to reach your feet at first due to poor flexibility. With some attention and practice, your flexibility will increase over time.
3. Wear clothes that let you move. Aerobics will lead you through a wide range of motions, so don’t wear stiff clothes that will keep you from moving your arms and legs comfortably. You’ll also sweat a lot, so wear clothes that won’t make you overheat — athletic shorts and a t-shirt will work just fine. Make sure you’re wearing shoes designed for exercise, not flats or work shoes.
   
4. Prepare a large, clear area. You’ll be swinging your arms, kicking your legs, and moving around while doing your aerobics routine. You don’t want to knock things over, so pull tables and chairs into a corner, clearing a large space where you can move freely without having to worry about breaking something or hurting yourself by running into a table.
   
5. Make a good workout playlist. Studies have shown a correlation between a good workout playlist and increased workout efficiency.^[5] Because the main point of aerobics is to raise your heart rate, choose only music that has a fast rhythm, so you’ll have to work hard to keep up with the beat. Only choose songs that you like, though! The more you enjoy the music, the more you’ll get into the steps you’re doing, and the better your workout will be. Furthermore, if you enjoy the workout because of the music, you’ll be less likely to get bored and stop working out after a couple of sessions.
   
6. Stretch out your major muscle groups before exercising. If you don’t stretch before physical exertion, you can overstress your muscles and cause more damage than good.
   
   
   • From a standing position, try to touch your toes. Keep your knees and back as straight as possible.
   • Put your toe up against a wall and lean forward, stretching out your calf muscles.
   • Do side-squats to stretch out your hamstrings.
   • Standing on one leg, pull your foot up toward your bottom to stretch out your quadriceps.
7. Keep a water bottle handy.^[6] As you’re sweating during your workout, your body will begin to dehydrate. If you don’t replenish your body with water throughout your workout, you can overexert and hurt yourself, so keep water nearby and drink whenever you get thirsty or need to cool down a little.
   

EditDoing Low-Impact Aerobics

1. Do low-impact aerobics if you fall into the recommended category. The more aggressive style of aerobics (high impact) can cause injury to people who have existing joint problems or who are unprepared for high-impact exercise. Low-impact aerobics is designed to minimize the risk of leg injuries, and is recommended for seniors, pregnant women, and overweight people.^[7] If you fall into one of those categories or have joint problems you should not attempt high-impact aerobics at all, unless you doctor approves it for you. If you’re out of shape and want to ease your way into a workout regimen, low-impact aerobics is a great way to get your body used to a range of motions before you start pushing yourself.
   
   
   • Cycle through a variety of different motions. It doesn’t matter what order you go in, but stay in each motion for at least one or two minutes before moving on to the next motion.
   • You should repeat the same motions repeatedly throughout your workout. For example, travel forwards and backwards to cool down between more difficult motions that make your muscles burn. Once your muscles stop burning, go back to the more difficult motions.
2. March in place to warm up. Don't begin your workout in earnest until you've warmed up your body. In warming up, you gradually increase blood flow throughout your body and loosen up the muscle groups you'll be using, reducing the risk of muscle stress.^[8] Use the rhythm of the music you’re playing to guide your steps, but the music should be fairly fast-paced to make sure you’re moving fast enough to get your heart rate up.
   
   
   • Your arms can hang naturally at your sides, or you can swing them in a sharp, but controlled motion to work out your arm muscles as well.
   • Make sure to lift your knees enough to cause your legs to burn over a period of time. Simply shuffling in place will not make you sweat!
   • Do this for at least two minutes to warm your body up in preparation for a wider range of more demanding movements.
   • Get into the music! Clap your hands if you feel like it. The more fun you’re having, the more likely you’ll be to continue exercising.
3. Travel forwards and backwards. Walk forward three steps, swinging your arms energetically at your sides; on the fourth count, tap your foot on the ground and clap your hands. Repeat this motion moving backwards, so you end up where you began.
   
   • Repeat motion for as long as you’d like, until you get bored of it and want to move on to a new movement.
4. Perform heel digs.^[9] Staying in place, extend each leg forward and tap the heel of the foot against the ground, alternating legs to the beat of the music. Lift your hands to shoulder or chest level every time you draw a foot back, and fully extend your arms downward with every foot extension. Keep your motions controlled and deliberate to make sure that you’re engaging your muscles instead of letting gravity do all the work for you.
   
   
5. Do step-touches.^[10] Take a wide, but comfortable step to the right (don’t lose your balance!), then bring your left foot to your right foot and touch the ground with it. Move your left foot back out to your original position, then touch your right foot to the ground by your left foot.
   
   
   • You can combine this with any number of arm movements, from controlled arm swings to shoulder rolls.
   • A shoulder roll is simply when you pull one shoulder forward slightly, then roll it up and back. Alternate shoulders to the beat of the music, working out your shoulder and back muscles.
6. Do duck walks.^[11] A duck walk is a lot like marching in place, but you do it with your legs bent at the knees. This increases the burn in your thighs. Remember to pump your arms in a controlled manner at your sides.
   
   • It’s important to keep a straight back during this step to prevent back pain.
7. Do grapevines.^[12] Take a comfortably wide step to the left, but when you bring your right foot over to meet it, cross your right foot behind and past your left foot; with your weight on your right foot, bring your left foot over to the left to stand comfortably for a beat before bringing your right in to tap your left foot. Then repeat the process to the right side.
   
   • Kick your leg out to the front on the last beat (when you would normally simply tap one foot to the other) to increase your activity rate.
   • Begin the movement to the left with your arms down, and slowly lift them out to your sides and up over your head in a deliberate, wide motion, with your hands meeting over your head on the fourth beat.
   • Bring your arms down during your movement to the right so the return to their beginning position.
8. Perform hamstring curls.^[13] Take a comfortably wide step to the right, the lift your left heel behind you, bending at the knee. Don’t swing your entire leg, just bend your heel back toward your bottom. Bring your foot back down, then repeat the motion on the left side, alternating sides to the rhythm of the music.
   
   
   • You can push your arms forward as though pushing the air away from your chest on the leg curl, then pull your arms back into your chest when you return your foot to the ground.
   • You can also do bow-and-arrows with your arms: extend one arm out directly to the side and tuck the other into your chest while keeping your elbow pointed out to the side. Alternate sides to match your feet movement. The motion should look a little bit like using a bow and arrow.
   • To increase the muscle exertion, you can double or triple up on the curls you do on each side before moving on to the other leg. This way, you muscle doesn’t get to relax immediately, and the workout is a little more difficult.
9. Find a low impact aerobics class. There are many styles of low impact aerobic exercise, so you should be able to find a class that works for you. Keep an eye out for:
   
   
   • Low impact step aerobics
   • Low impact Zumba classes: though Zumba, a dance exercise that incorporates Latin and world music, usually involves a good amount of jumping and bouncing that can be stressful on joints, look for a class that offers a low-impact alternative.
   • Power yoga: power yoga is a more athletic form of yoga that was invented in the United States. It's a rigorous exercise that will increase your heart rate without stressing your joints, but make sure to look for a beginner's class.
   • A spinning class: these classes involve riding a stationary bike, but are often set to workout music chosen by the class's instructor^[14]
   • Water aerobics: these classes take place in a pool. The water's natural buoyancy protects your joints, but also provides greater resistance to your movements, resulting in a safe and vigorous workout.^[15]

EditDoing High Impact Aerobics

1. Do high impact aerobics if you have healthy joints and are in shape enough. Research suggests that when healthy bodies engage in activities that exert force on the joints, it can actually help build and strengthen bone, and of course, more strenuous exercise raises the heart rate more.^[16] Again, do not attempt high impact aerobics if you have joint or bone pain, unless your doctor permits it. If you think you’re in good enough shape to jump right into high impact aerobics, this is a great way to get your heart rate pumping harder and shape your muscles more than low impact aerobics.
   
   • Just as with low impact aerobics, you will create your own combinations and routines from a range of steps, all performed to high-paced music.
2. Warm up. Warm up just as you would for low-impact aerobics, by marching in place. This is just to get your body ready for physical exertion. You’ve already stretched, but that’s not necessarily enough to keep your muscles from cramping up from too much immediate effort. March in place for about two minutes before beginning your combinations.
   
3. Do scissor steps. This motion calls for you to jump, moving your legs back and forth in a scissoring motion. You can keep your hands on your hips or swing them in a controlled motion at your sides, as you normally would during walking or running, but with a more exaggerated range.
   
   • From a standing position, jump so your left foot is forward and your right foot is back.
   • Jump again, switching the position of your feet.
   • You should switch foot position for each beat of the song you’re listening to.
   • Make sure to center your balance. Put your arms out to the side to stabilize yourself if you feel like you’re going to fall.
4. Do windmills.^[17] This motion is stationary, in that your feet are set, but it’s still a difficult motion and you can lose your balance if you’re not careful. Begin with your feet about shoulder-width apart, in the “stride” position. Extend your arms out directly to your sides, making sure they stay parallel to the ground.
   
   • Keeping your arms straight through the elbow, reach your right arm down to touch the instep of your left shoe. Do you best not to bend your knees.
   • Your left arm should swing behind your body, and your face should rotate to look out to the left.
   • Return to your original position, then repeat on the other side, touching your left hand to your right shoe.
   • Keep your back as flat as possible instead of letting it slump and get rounded.
5. Jog in place. Let your arms swing naturally at your side as they would during a normal jogging motion. If you want to make this motion more difficult, bring your knees up higher. Alternate between normal jogging and high-knee jogging to keep your heart rate up without wearing yourself out completely.
   
6. Do ski jumps.^[18] Begin in a position like you do when you’re skiing, with your knees bent, your torso leaned forward slightly, and your hands at your chest with your elbows tucked in.
   
   • From your bending position, jump up and to the right side, making sure you jump with both feet at the same time, then land with both feet at the same time. Balance your weight over your heels and sink down into your bent stance again.
   • The jumping movement should be completely lateral, not forward and back.
   • As you’re completing the jumping motion with your legs, bring your hands up to the sides of your head as you extend into the jump, then bring them down to your sides, keeping elbows bent, as you land and go back into your bent position.
   • Jump from left to right, repeating this motion.
   • To increase the level of difficulty, place an object next to you to jump over. By increasing the required height of the jump, you’ll get a better workout.
7. Do grasshopper jumps. From a standing position, jump to the right, extending your left heel out to the side with the toe pointed up. Jump back to your starting position, crossing your feet with your right foot in front, then jump to the left, extending your right heel out to the side with the toe pointed up. Exaggerate the jumping motion as much as possible.
   
   • You can keep your hands on your hips during this, or alternate reaching your hands toward the ceiling with each beat.
8. Do repeater movements of basic steps. Regardless of which step you’re doing — from hamstring curls to windmills — repeat each motion three times before switching sides. This increases the level of difficulty and makes your muscles burn more quickly, since you don’t get a chance to rest that side of your body immediately after performing a movement.
   
9. Find a high impact aerobics class. There are many styles of high impact aerobic exercise, so you should be able to find one that meets your liking. Some examples of classes to keep an eye out for include:
   
   • Step aerobics
   • Zumba, a dance exercise that incorporates Latin and world music^[19]
   • Crossfit training, a demanding exercise program that cycles you through a wide variety of exercises and styles^[20]
   • Capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts form that incorporates dance and acrobatics set to music^[21]
   • Tae Bo, an aerobic exercise form that combines elements of Tae Kwon Do, karate, boxing, and dance.
   • Call your local gyms and inquire into the high impact aerobic classes they offer.

EditVideo

EditTips

• If your muscles are sore, take it easy.

EditWarnings

• Do low impact aerobics if you are out of shape or injured.
• Consult to your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

EditThings You'll Need

• Comfortable exercise clothes and sneakers.
• Water bottle.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Do Water Aerobics
• Use Exercise to Help You Lose Weight
• Maintain Aerobic Endurance
• Select the Right Footwear for Step Aerobics

EditSources and Citations

• Videos provided by Body Project

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found