Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise, a term attributed to this kind of exercise because of its various benefits in cardiovascular health, refers to exercise that involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body. Aerobic means "with oxygen", and refers to the use of oxygen in the body's metabolic or energy-generating process. Many types of exercise are aerobic, and by definition are performed at moderate levels of intensity for extended periods of time. This intensity can vary from 50-80% of maximum heart rate.
- Stronger heart: the heart muscle is strengthened and enlarged, to improve its pumping efficiency and reduce the resting heart rate.
- Increase of the total number of red blood cells in the body, to facilitate transport of oxygen throughout the body.
- Improved breathing: the muscles involved in respiration are strengthened, to facilitate the flow of air in and out of the lungs.
- Improved muscle health: Aerobic exercise stimulates the growth of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in muscles. This helps our bodies more efficiently deliver oxygen to muscles, can improve overall circulation and reduce blood pressure and remove irritating metabolic waste products such as lactic acid from the muscles.
- Weight loss: Combined with a healthy diet and appropriate strength training, aerobic exercise may help lose weight.
- Disease reduction: Extra weight is a contributing factor to conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer. As weight loss occurs, the risk of developing these diseases decreases. In addition, weight-bearing aerobic exercise, such as walking, can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and its complications. Low-impact aerobic exercises, such as swimming, cycling and pool exercises, can help keep fit in those who have arthritis, without putting excessive stress on joints.
- Improved immune system: People who exercise regularly are less susceptible to minor viral illnesses such as colds and flu. It is possible that aerobic exercise helps activate your immune system and prepares it to fight off infection.
- Improved mental health: Regular aerobic exercise releases endorphins, our bodies’ natural painkillers. Endorphins also reduce stress, depression and anxiety.
- Increased stamina: Exercise may make us feel tired in the short term, i.e., during and right after the activity, but over the long term it will increase stamina and reduce fatigue.
Anaerobic exercise
Anaerobic exercise is the type of exercise that enhances power and builds muscle mass. Muscles trained under anaerobic conditions develop differently, leading to greater performance in short duration, high intensity activities, which last up to about 2 minutes.
The most common form of anaerobic exercise is strength exercise. Strength exercise is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common of which are weight and resistance exercise. These two types of exercise use gravity through weight stacks, plates or dumbbells, or machines to oppose muscle contraction, and the terms can be used interchangeably.
When properly performed, strength training can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being including increased bone, muscle, tendon and ligament strength, toughness and endurance, improved joint function, reduced potential for injury resulting from weak muscles, improved cardiac function and elevated “good” HDL-cholesterol. It can also help maintain lean body mass (important for individuals attempting weight loss), decrease the risk of osteoporosis and develop coordination and balance.
Flexibility exercise
such as streching imporve the range of motion of muscles and joints.
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