What is aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercise is any activity that you can sustain for more than just a few minutes while your heart, lungs, and muscles work overtime.

What are the benefits?

Your heart gets stronger and pumps more blood with each beat. Greater stroke volume means the heart doesn't have to pump as rapidly to meet the demands of exercise. Fewer beats and more stroke volume mean greater efficiency. Downstream from the heart are your muscles, which become more efficient at consuming oxygen when you do regular aerobic exercise. Mitochondria inside the muscles increase in number and activity. Mitochondria, the powerhouses of your cells, do all the heavy-duty work to keep you moving. They use oxygen to burn the fat and carbohydrates that give you energy.

Aerobic exercise also helps prevent or treat some cancers, osteoporosis, depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

How much aerobic exercise do you need?

All adults should have a total of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, if not all, days of the week.

What types of aerobic exercise provide the benefits?

Dancing, biking, walking, hiking, climbing steps (two at a time for a more vigorous workout), low-impact dance classes, kick-boxing, and cycling are just a few examples of good aerobic exercise.

How should I get started?

Keep it simple, practical, convenient, specific, and, above all, realistic. Don’t try to make up for years of inactivity all at once. Select an activity and timeframe that you are highly motivated to stick with. The classes offered at Pro Fitness are a great way to start your aerobic exercise routine.