AEROBIC ENDURANCE: CHARACTERISTICS, BENEFITS AND EXAMPLES - ARTE - 2024

The aerobic endurance is the ability of an individual to develop physical activities of medium or high intensity for a while prolonging a process accompanied by oxygen consumption. If a person supports muscle fatigue by performing long-term exercise, it can be said that they have good aerobic endurance.

Aerobic endurance depends on how efficiently the lungs, heart, and circulatory system deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, so that the muscles produce energy and the body is able to keep itself functioning efficiently while exerting sustained effort in time.

Swimming is one of the exercises that increases aerobic endurance. Source: pixabay.com

This type of resistance makes it possible for a person to comfortably perform activities of daily life such as walking, climbing stairs, jogging, dancing or any other physical exercise that requires the consumption of oxygen.

Other shorter physical activities that require the use of force and require low oxygen consumption - such as lifting weights - are associated with the concept of anaerobic resistance.

characteristics

The word aerobic comes from the following Greek words: aero (air), bio (life) and ikos (related to). The term can be translated as anything related to breathing. In other words, any biological process that takes place in the presence of oxygen is, by definition, aerobic.

From the chemical point of view, the energy acquired from exercise or aerobic effort is the product of the combustion of glucose, which uses the oxygen obtained in respiration to break down its molecule and thus obtain ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

ATP is the energy measure that the body's cells can take advantage of; this process is called glycolysis.

During aerobic resistance exercises, both the respiratory system (mainly lungs and bronchi) and the cardiovascular system work at their maximum capacity to constantly supply oxygen to the blood, which will be responsible for transporting it throughout the body and thus obtaining energy where as necessary.

As measured?

A very effective way to quantify the intensity with which you perform aerobic exercises is to measure your heart rate. It can be done manually by palpating the radial artery in the wrist or the carotid artery in the neck (below the jaw), and counting the number of beats for one minute.

Benefits

Among the many benefits of improving aerobic endurance, the following can be listed:

Strengthens the heart and immune system

A healthy and strong heart doesn't need to beat fast to pump oxygenated blood, it just has to do it efficiently.

Good aerobic endurance guarantees better blood supply. In addition, it lowers blood pressure and increases the production of blood components (leukocytes, lymphocytes and red blood cells), which strengthens the immune system.

Control excess weight

When oxygen reaches muscles more efficiently, they also work more efficiently, breaking down fat and carbohydrates so they can be eliminated quickly.

Lowers mortality risks

A high aerobic resistance allows preventing chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension or diabetes, as well as osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, heart problems, strokes and even some types of cancer.

Improves quality of life

The practice of physical activities to increase aerobic endurance generates at the same time a decrease in fatigue when performing daily activities.

Likewise, the levels of the stress hormone (adrenaline) decrease and endorphins increase, which, in turn, are responsible for causing the feeling of well-being.

Keeps arteries clean

The so-called "good cholesterol" or HDL increases its levels with the practice of aerobic exercises, while the "bad cholesterol" or LDL decreases its proportion for the same reasons.

This results in a reduction in the accumulation of plaques in the arteries that, over time, would lead to arteriosclerosis.

Improve sleep

The increased amount of oxygen in the blood helps the muscles and other organs of the body work with less stress. Additionally, physical exercise contributes to improving the quality of sleep.

Proper rest contributes not only to keeping the body healthy from the physical point of view, but also in the mental and emotional areas.

Slows the effects of aging

Aerobic exercises keep muscles strong, helping to maintain mobility and stability as the body ages. This reduces the risk of falls and other physical injuries.

Due to the increase in the amount of oxygen in the blood - and, consequently, in all the organs of the body, including the brain -, it helps to keep the mind clear, while protecting memory and thinking, and slowing down the impairment of cognitive activities that naturally decline over time.

With aerobic physical activity, diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and even senile dementia can be prevented (and, in many cases, improved).

Examples of aerobic resistance exercises

There are a large number of cardiovascular exercises that can be practiced not only to improve aerobic endurance, but also to lose weight. These types of exercises can be performed in open spaces, in gyms or at home:

Walk

Walking is one of the easiest ways to increase aerobic endurance. Not only is it one of the least aggressive there is, but it can also be done anywhere.

Because it is a low-impact activity, none of the lower body joints (lower extremities) is at risk of injury, making it ideal for anyone, regardless of their physical condition or age. It is ideal for losing weight and is one of the exercises that can be done during pregnancy.

Those who are new to physical activity are recommended to start walking for thirty minutes a day at a moderate intensity, and as the days go by, the time can be progressively increased. Then you can increase the intensity and even add difficulty, including going up and down stairs.

To run

Any place and time is ideal for running. Like walking, most of the body is exercised and can be practiced easily.

However, you have to be more careful because it is a high-impact exercise and not everyone can do it, since the risks of suffering some type of injury are greater.

The most frequent injuries are generated in joints such as the knees or ankles, and you can suffer from pain in the calves. To prevent this, you should run on dirt tracks or in the field, and avoid asphalt. Suitable footwear should also be worn.

Running burns more calories than walking, and calorie loss occurs in less time. Cardiopulmonary capacity increases, endurance is improved and weight is lost more efficiently.

Swimming

Swimming is an ideal exercise to improve aerobic endurance for people who have obesity disorders or have an injury to their joints, since it places very little stress on the body.

In addition to exercising cardiopulmonary capacity, the muscles of the back, arms, shoulders and, to a lesser extent, the legs are toned during swimming. Furthermore, flexibility is also remarkably improved.

It is one of the exercises that is also recommended to practice during pregnancy and the risk of injury to the joints, muscles and ligaments is quite low compared to other activities.

Cycling

Like swimming, cycling is one of the aerobic exercises that has the least impact on the joints.

This exercise does a double function: it tones and improves the strength of the legs and buttocks, and it also serves as a recreational activity. It can be practiced at home with an exercise bike, or outdoors.

Boxing

While boxing is not a simple physical activity, it is an excellent aerobic exercise that not only strengthens the upper body of the body, but also helps to keep stress levels low.

To perform this activity correctly you must be in good physical shape, have strength and have a good capacity or cardiopulmonary resistance.

Dance

Activities such as dancing to fast rhythms or styles such as zumba, Latin American, African or jazz dances, contribute in a very positive way to improving aerobic endurance.

Likewise, they help to reduce stress levels and improve the resistance of the bones, and allow to improve flexibility and coordination.

Differences with anaerobic resistance

Unlike aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance consists of performing physical activity for a short time and in the total or partial absence of oxygen. That is, the body makes an effort in which the oxygen demand is lower than the amount that is provided by the cardiovascular system.

This category includes physical activities such as lifting weights, sprints or very short races of 50 or 100 meters, or work on the abdominal muscles. Anaerobic resistance works with any exercise that requires a lot of effort in a short time and has a high intensity.

Anaerobic exercises are practiced when the person needs to increase their power and gain muscle mass; at the same time, the musculoskeletal system is strengthened.

References

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