Aerobic exercise

Description
Aerobic exercise is physical exercise of low to high intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic
energy-generating process. "Aerobic" means "relating to, involving, or requiring free oxygen", and
refers to the use of oxygen to adequately meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic
metabolism.

Here are some examples of aerobic exercise:

 Take a brisk walk (outside or inside on a treadmill)
 Go dancing.
 Take a low-impact aerobics class.
 Swim or do water aerobic exercises.
 Try ice-skating or roller-skating.
 Play tennis.
 Ride your bicycle outside.
 Ride your stationary bicycle indoors.

Exercises for Aerobic Capacity

GEORGE W . CITRONER UPDATED ON JANUARY 19, 2018

Increased aerobic capacity means having an easier time getting around. Whether it a
flight of stairs or running after the kids, better aerobic capacity will make it a breeze.
What can you do (and how much do you need to do it) for better aerobic capacity?
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Most people should do 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic training, five days per
week to maintain optimal cardiovascular fitness, according to guidelines from
the American Heart Association. The AHA adds that only 20 minutes of high-intensity
aerobic exercise (the perceived exertion level feels high) three days per week will also
maintain good health and help reduce the risk of experiencing chronic disease.
Moderate-intensity aerobics, which means being able to speak (but not sing) should be
performed at least 150 minutes per week to see health benefits.

To get the most benefit from aerobic workouts, it's best to reach and stay at 60 to 80
percent of the maximum heart rate during exercise. Use the heart rate
zone calculator from the American Council on Exercise to easily figure it out. Take a
look at these four exercises for increased aerobic capacity and try them out to keep
some variety in the exercise program and avoid boredom.
1. Aerobic Walking
According to a study in the September 2010 Current Opinion in Cardiology, research
suggests that walking can play a key role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Walking is an activity that's easily included in daily activities. Try parking farther away or
get off mass transit one stop early and walk the rest of the way. Also, try walking to
destinations within a mile of home and walking during breaks at work.

To get your heart rate between 60 and 80 percent of its maximum, it's important to walk
faster than normal. The key to walking aerobically isn't in the legs but in the arms.
Because the arms and legs act as pendulums while walking, increase the walking pace
by just increasing the frequency of your arm swings. Try it! If the arms are swinging
more rapidly than step frequency, the legs will start moving faster to catch up.

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2. Jogging and Running
Jogging and running are convenient ways to train for greater aerobic capacity. Other
than running shoes and a place to go, there isn't much else someone needs to start.

There are different approaches to running for aerobic fitness: Jogging at a comfortable
pace (slower than 6 miles per hour), running for long distances and sprinting at high-
intensity.

Research published in the February 2016 issue of the World Journal of

Cardiologyconcludes that all three approaches to running as exercise are valid means
of improving aerobic capacity, but running at high-intensity (sprinting) has been found
better at improving the blood lipid profile in exercisers.

Regardless whether running is done outdoors, indoors using a treadmill or running in

place anywhere convenient, it's a fantastic way to build aerobic capacity and reduce the
risk of heart disease.

3. Bike Riding
Bike riding has some advantages over walking and running. It's relatively low-impact, is
easy to incorporate into a daily commute — and it's really fun!

A 2009 study published in Sports Medicine concludes that both running and bicycling
provide very similar improvements to both V02 max and muscular endurance. So,
mixing up an aerobic training program with both activities is one way to fend off
boredom while reaping the benefits of heart health and increased aerobic capacity.

Bike riding is also a healthy alternative to mass transportation or driving for a daily
commute. Many bus lines make provisions for passengers with bikes by providing
storage racks in front of or behind the vehicle. This makes it easy to both ride and bike
the distance to work if it's too far for your current fitness level.

If the weather is bad, consider using a stationary bike in front of your favorite show to
keep building aerobic capacity no matter what's happening outside.
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4. Swimming
A study in the December 2005 issue of the British Journal of Sports
Medicinedetermined that swim training produces unique benefits to aerobic capacity not
found with other exercises. Don't just swim laps, mix it up to by changing the stroke
often (crawl, breast, back, etc.). Try varying swim speeds during a pool session from
sprints to steady laps to improve speed, aerobic capacity and better overall fitness.

Although regular pool or open water access may be an issue, it's still an excellent way
to build aerobic capacity. Make sure that you swim in the presence of a lifeguard and
are competent enough in the water to avoid getting into trouble.
Aerobic exercise
In physical exercise, aerobic exercise is complementary to anaerobic
exercise.
Aerobic literally means "with oxygen", and refers to the use of oxygen in muscles' energy-generating
process.
Aerobic exercise includes any type of exercise, typically those performed at moderate levels of
intensity for extended periods of time, that maintains an increased heart rate.
In such exercise, oxygen is used to "burn" fats and glucose in order to produce adenosine
triphosphate, the basic energy carrier for all cells.
Initially during aerobic exercise, glycogen is broken down to produce glucose, but in its absence, fat
metabolism is initiated instead.
The latter is a slow process, and is accompanied by a decline in performance level.
The switch to fat as fuel is a major cause of what marathon runners call "hitting the wall." There are
various types of aerobic exercise.
In general, aerobic exercise is one performed at a moderately high level of intensity over a long
period of time.
For example, running a long distance at a moderate pace is an aerobic exercise, but sprinting is not.
Playing singles tennis, with near-continuous motion, is generally considered aerobic activity, while
golf or doubles tennis, with their more frequent breaks, may not be.