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".

Anaerobic exercise, in contrast, refers to the initial phase of exercise, or any short burst of intense exertion, in which 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.

Among the recognized benefits of doing regular aerobic exercise are:

    * Strengthening the muscles involved in respiration, to facilitate the flow of air in and out of the lungs
    * Strengthening and enlarging 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
    * Increased storage of energy molecules such as fats and carbohydrates within the muscles, allowing for increased endurance
    * Neovascularization of the muscle sarcomeres to increase blood flow through the muscles

As a result, aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular problems. In addition, high-impact aerobic activities can stimulate bone growth, as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis for both women and men.

...More at Wikipedia

Related Links:

• Mayo Clinic

Recent Hope Cube Blog Entries For Aerobic Exercise

• And so it continues... Fri, July 27, 2007 - [view]
  So I pulled my right groin over 3 months ago in a fantastic feat of amazing athletic ability...not. But it's still bothering me. Took anti-inflammatories, came back. Got physical therapy, no help. Took Medrol, came back. I have an appointment with an orthopedist in 2 weeks. Hopefully he can fix me up.