We explain what aerobic endurance is, the variety of exercises that can be performed and what anaerobic endurance is.
What is aerobic endurance?
Aerobic endurance is one of the two forms of endurance of the human body, that is, its ability to continuously perform an activity or work for as long as possible.
In the case of aerobic endurance, this capacity specifically refers to the breathing and the internal oxygen balance of the human body, as well as the different endurance rhythms of which it is capable.
Our body consumes oxygen from air to start its processes of breaking down the glucose molecule, which is how we obtain the chemical energy to keep us alive and perform our various daily jobs.
When the body is subjected to an effort, this energy is consumed (stored in the form of molecules of ATP) to keep the muscles operating (stretching and narrowing) and the rest of the body oxygenated.
If our ability to distribute oxygenated blood fails (cardio), or the same thing happens with our ability to oxygenate it in the first place (respiration), then there will be less Energy available to the body and fatigue will occur, forcing us to stop the effort.
Thus, to the extent that our aerobic endurance is greater, we can delay the arrival of fatigue and endure longer periods of effort without running out of oxygen.
To increase or sustain our aerobic endurance, exercises that involve the cardiorespiratory system, also known as exercises, must be performed regularly and constantly.aerobics (from Latin:aero, "air"; Ybio, "life"). These exercises are characterized by presenting a low intensity, but a long period of weather.
Aerobic resistance exercises
Some exercises that promote aerobic endurance are:
- Aerobics. It consists of a session of rhythmic movements, often accompanied by music, which keep the body constantly movement and the heart beating at a high but regular rate.
- Walk. The simplest of all aerobic exercises, it does not involve walking with a rhythm stopped, but to walk steadily and at a good pace for at least half an hour. It is perfectly combinable, however, with recreation and walks or excursions, even within the town.
- Jogging. The more intense and impactful version of walking has a higher heart rate and is therefore much more demanding. Also, if it is not executed well, it can cause damage to the knees and lower joints.
- Swimming. When submerged, the human body must hold the breath for seconds and then renew the air of the lungs during the moments when the head is out, thus programming the body to use oxygen to the maximum and improve its lung capacity.
- Bike. Another aerobic classic, which can be done on a real bicycle, pedaling towards a destination that we like, or in a stationary one, like the ones we can find in gyms.
- Jump the rope. What seems like a child's game is a great aerobic exercise. Keep the body in constant suspension, pushing with the feet successively against the I usually, requires a sustained effort from the heart and lungs that also uses both the lower and upper muscles.
Anaerobic resistance
The resistance that does not involve the consumption of oxygen and neither the respiration, but physical efforts of great intensity in short periods of time, during which the oxygen is consumed quickly and does not allow time to maintain the energy consumption that the effort demands.
There are two types of anaerobic resistance:
- Alactic anaerobic resistance. It involves very short and very intense efforts (from 0 to 16 seconds), in which the presence of oxygen is almost zero. However, the use of ATP does not by-produce waste substances.
- Lactic anaerobic resistance.When involving little intense efforts but of medium duration (from 15 seconds to 2 minutes), the absence of oxygen must be compensated with some process of obtaining energy, which in this case is through the fermentation lactic (hence its name). The drawback of this emergency energy process is that it byproducts lactic acid, which, when accumulating in the joints or muscles, causes the very rapid arrival of fatigue.