Definition of Aerobic Exercise
Your body is a complex yet very efficient machine that runs on three different engines. All three engines use different fuels that we get from our diet.. Like a car that is shifting gears, different engines will kick in when we want the body to accelerate or slow down.
- Engine one: used when lifting weights. It is responsible for quickly providing a large amount of energy to your muscles in a very short amount of time. This engine is relatively small and runs on a protein called creatine phosphate. Engine one does not require oxygen; therefore, it is anaerobic..
- Engine two: used during a half-mile run. It is very similar to engine one, except that it takes a little more time to rev up. That's because engine two is larger and runs on the sugar glucose instead of creatine phosphate. Again, like engine one, it does not require oxygen to run.
- Engine three: used when running a marathon. If engine one is a Mini and engine two a Mustang, then engine three is the Mack Truck of engines. It provides the most energy to your muscles but takes the longest to get started. Engine three runs on the carbohydrate glycogen and does require oxygen to produce energy; therefore, it is aerobic.
Aerobic exercise is defined as exercise that primarily uses engine three. This includes brisk walking, jogging and other, more-intense types of exercise performed for more than 10 minutes.
Typical Training Goals of Aerobic Exercise Programs
Why do you choose to perform aerobic exercise? If your answer is weight loss, aerobic exercise is an excellent choice. It burns more calories over a longer period of time. Other responses might be to improve overall health and cardiovascular fitness. With engine three, your heart and lungs work harder to increase the blood circulation.. Aerobic exercise may help prevent obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression. It can also turn your day around; if you're blue, go for a run or bike ride, and you may find yourself feeling better.
Some of you may also want to do regular aerobic exercise to increase performance in endurance sports, like triathlons. The training benefits of an aerobic exercise program are many. However, in order to achieve your desired goals, you must understand the important factors in any aerobic exercise program.
