Aerobic exercise
Encyclopedia : A : AE : AER : 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 starts to decompose instead. This 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." Paradoxically, if one wants to lose fat, the most efficient way to do this (according to some scientists), is by executing prolonged exercises when feeling weak and hungry.
Anaerobic exercise, in contrast, refers to the initial phase of exercise, or any short burst of intense exertion, where the glycogen or sugar is consumed without oxygen, and is a far less efficient process. Operating anaerobically, an untrained 400 meter sprinter may "hit the wall" after only 300 meters.
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.
Health Benefits
Aerobic exercise confers many health benefits. Burning calories effectively and increasing the basal metabolic rate, accomplished by regular aerobic exercise, both aid in weight loss. Although the benefits of exercise per se have long been apparent, aerobic exercise programs specifically were first promoted by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, in the 1960s, as a type of training designed to strengthen the heart and lungs. When test subjects participated in regular, vigorous aerobic exercise, they gained a number of health benefits, which he collectively called the aerobic 'Training Effect'. These benefits include:
- Strengthening the muscles involved in respiration, to facilitate the flow of air in and out of the lungs;
- Strengthening the heart muscle, to improve its pumping efficiency and reduce the resting heart rate;
- Toning muscles throughout the body, which can improve overall circulation and reduce blood pressure;
- Increasing the total number of red blood cells in the body, to facilitate transport of oxygen throughout the body.
Aerobic exercise versus 'aerobics'
'Aerobics' is a particular form of aerobic exercise. Aerobics classes generally involve rapid stepping patterns, performed to music with cues provided by an instructor. This type of aerobic activity became quite popular after the 1970 publication of Dr. Cooper's book The New Aerobics, and went through a brief period of intense popularity in the 1980s, when many celebrities (such as Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons) produced videos or created television shows promoting this type of aerobic exercise. Group exercise aerobics can be divided into two major types: Freestyle Aerobics and Pre-choreographed Aerobics.Aerobic capacity
Aerobic capacity describes the functional status of the cardiorespiratory system, including, for example, the heart, lungs or blood vessels. Aerobic capacity is defined as the maximum volume of oxygen which can be consumed by ones muscles during exercise. It is a function both of ones cardiorespiratory performance and of the ability of the muscles to extract the oxygen and fuel delivered to them. To measure maximal aerobic capacity, an exercise physiologist or physician typically directs a subject to exercise on a treadmill, first by walking at an easy pace and then, at set time intervals during graded exercise tests, gradually increasing the workload. The higher a cardiorespiratory endurance level, the more oxygen transported to exercising muscles and the longer exercise can be maintained without exhaustion. The higher aerobic capacity, the higher the level of aerobic fitness.History
Both the term and the exercise method, was developed by Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., an exercise physiologist of the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Cooper, an avowed exercise enthusiast, was personally and professionally puzzled about why some people with excellent muscular strength were still prone to poor performance at tasks such as long-distance running, swimming, and bicycling. He began measuring systematic human performance using a bicycle ergometer, and began measuring sustained performance in terms of the ability to utilize oxygen.His groundbreaking book, Aerobics, was published in 1969, and included scientific exercise programs using running, walking, swimming and bicycling. The book came at a fortuitous historical moment, when increasing weakness and inactivity in the general population was causing a perceived need for increased exercise. It became a best-seller.
Cooper's scientific data provided the scientific baseline for almost all modern aerobics programs, most of which are based on oxygen-consumption equivalency.
Critiques
When generalized fitness is a professional operational requirement, as for athletes, combat services, police and fire personnel, aerobic exercise alone may not provide a well-balanced exercise program. In particular, muscular strength, especially upper-body muscular strength, is usually neglected. Also, the metabolic pathways involved in anaerobic metabolism, glycolysis and lactic acid fermentation, are not exercised at peak rates, and these are important for peak performance of many tasks. Aerobics is, however, an extremely valuable component of a balanced exercise program.Some persons suffer repetitive stress injuries with some forms of aerobics and then must choose less-injurious, "low impact" forms.
Aerobics notably does not increase the resting metabolic rate as much as some forms of weight-training, and may therefore be less effective at reducing obesity. However, this form of exercise also allows for longer, more frequent activity and consumes more energy when the individual is active.
Commercial success
Aerobic exercise has long been a popular form of weight loss and physical fitness, often taking a commercial form.
- Tennis and jogging gained prominence and popularity in the 1970s
- Judi Sheppard Missett largely helped create the market for commercial aerobics with her Jazzercise program in the 1970s
- Richard Simmons hosted an aerobic exercise show on television, beginning in the 1980s
- Billy Blanks's Tae Bo helped popularize cardio-boxing, workouts that used martial arts movements in the 1990s
- The Nia Technique, also called Neuromuscular Integrative Action, was developed in the 1980s as a form of "non-impact" aerobics (the original words in the acronym). In the 1980s, impact injuries and "no pain no gain" attitudes came to dominate traditional aerobics classes. By contrast, the Nia Technique is based on "the body's way" -- moving with ease and pleasure, to follow a personal journey to not only physical but also mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness.
References
- Cooper, Kenneth, Aerobics, 1969
- Donatelle, Rebecca J. Health: The Basics. 6th ed. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc. 2005.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.