Aerobic Training
When it comes to exercise and training, there are typically two routes to go: aerobic and anaerobic training. Aerobic and anaerobic are terms that indicate how the body produces energy – with oxygen and without oxygen respectively. Biologically, during aerobic training, the exertion of large muscle groups pushes the heart to pump harder and faster, transferring and burning energy through transported oxygen, stored carbs, and fats. While many are familiar with anaerobic training and seek it for its intense properties, aerobic training is equally beneficial. Aerobic training exercises include any of those that raise heart rate and make breathing difficult.
Training:
Also known as cardio, the rhythmic, continuous, and repetitive movements help with muscle strength and endurance. Different exercises put more stress on varying muscle groups and joints. Common exercises include:
Walking
Running
Hiking
Biking
Swimming
Rowing
Skiing
Jump Rope
Stair Climbing
Martial arts
Playing sport games
Walking, biking, and particularly swimming apply minimal stress on joints, which is a good option for those injured or in the process of recovering from an injury.
Ideally, individuals should train 3 to 5 times a week, for around 20 to 60 minutes with a warmup and cooldown period. If one is inexperienced in exercising regularly, they should gradually transition into it; slowly increasing the intensity, resistance, and duration of their workout over the course of a few weeks is optimal for building gradual strength, rather than risking injury due to overexerting the joints. Good indications that exercises are at an appropriate intensity (to be considered aerobic training) include being able to comfortably say a few words during the workout, their heart rate being between 60% to 90% of their maximum heart rate (to calculate maximal heart rate: subtract age from 220), and being able to judge the difficulty level of their exercise as ranging from 2 to 7 on the Borg Scale of perceived exertion.
Benefits:
Aerobic training has many benefits such as increasing stamina and strength, decreasing resting heart rate, burning fat, increasing levels of good cholesterol in the body, developing better heart, lung, and muscle fitness, reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, stroke, diabetes, and improving mood. One of its most notable benefits is its ability to improve endurance. As mentioned earlier, aerobic training works by increasing the rate at which oxygen is distributed and used as energy by the body. Due to the fact that aerobic training involves performing physical activity for extended periods of time rather than short 1 to 2 minute energy bursts, it trains the body to build endurance. As athletes engage in aerobic training, they will experience less muscle fatigue, more energy, slower heart and breathing rates, and increased recovery time. These improvements can be measured quantitatively by testing the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) while doing cardio in a laboratory setting.
Injury Prevention:
To prevent injuries, proper warmup and cooldown activities lasting around 5 to 10 minutes should be performed. Stretching should only be done during the cooldown session, as doing it during warmup can actually increase the chances of injury–think about the difference between stretching a cold rubber band compared to a warm one. Warmups should include easy exercises that increase blood flow to muscles, which will help prepare the body for aerobic training. Similarly, cooldowns should help the body transition out of such physical activity. It is also beneficial to engage in cross-training by alternating through different types of exercises. For example, running one day, swimming the next, and cycling the day after that. This will challenge different parts of the body at different times, reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
Sources:
“Aerobic Training.” HealthyChildren.Org, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/Aerobic-Training.aspx#:~:text=Aerobic%20training%20exercises%20are%20any,Walking%20or%20hiking. Accessed 7 July 2024.
professional, Cleveland Clinic medical. “Aerobic Exercise.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise. Accessed 7 July 2024.
view, Log in or sign up to. “What Are Aerobic Exercises?” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/what-are-aerobic-exercises. Accessed 7 July 2024.