Humans evolved to walk and run vast distances to hunt, gather, escape from danger and survive. Today it is essential that we move our bodies-not to escape predators but rather to escape the dangers of poor health associated with sedentary lifestyles. In the United States, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death. Scientific evidence has shown that aerobic exercise has outstanding health benefits and is the primary means of prevention for CAD. (1)

Health benefits and/or physiological adaptations from aerobic exercise include: improved cardiorespiratory fitness, parasympathetic tone, glucose tolerance, blood lipid profile, economy of breathing, body composition, increased cardiac output, workload, and oxygen consumption during exercise, plasma volume, density and number of capillaries and mitochondria, use of fat as a fuel source, lactate threshold, ATP, CP, and glycogen stores, reduced fatigue in daily activities, blood pressure at rest and at exercise, heart rate, risk for obesity and certain cancers, reduced risk for obesity, type II diabetes, anxiety and depression. (2,3)

Aerobic Fitness—not to be confused with ‘aerobic dance’ popularized in the early 1980s—
refers to the capacity of an individuals aerobic energy system. Aerobic Fitness development is determined by training loads and the subsequent physiological adaptations in the cardiorespiratory system and musculoskeletal tissue. The cardiorespiratory (or cardiovascular system) includes the heart, lungs, blood and blood vessels and is responsible for delivery and extraction of oxygen and other materials to tissues. (4) Oxygen is delivered by the cardiorespiratory system and extracted at the working limbs. Chronically trained arms and legs exhibit cellular and enzymatic changes including increased oxidative capacity. This suggests that the physiological characteristics associated with aerobic fitness are both central—the cardiorespiratory system and peripheral—the limbs. (5)

ATP sustains life, grows, and maintains our bodies’ tissues and systems. ATP fuels the work of cells using anaerobic energy systems and aerobic energy systems. The aerobic system drives muscle contraction by oxidative phoshphorlyation; meaning that the biochemical process requires oxygen, or is aerobic. (6) The aerobic energy system can facilitate self- sustained motion lasting longer than 1-2 minutes and up to several hours or days by regeneration of the molecule adesoine triphosphate (ATP). Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) is used to quantify aerobic fitness. An individual with a high a VO2max value has a superior ability to inspire, transport, and utilize oxygen.(7)

Walking and running are examples of weight-bearing exercises while swimming and biking are non-weight bearing. (8) Aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to expend calories and consequently maintain a healthy bodyweight. Aerobic exercise also facilitates the delivery of metabolic nutrients to muscles and organs and the removal of metabolic waste. (9) Aerobically fit individuals have a strong drive from their parasympathetic nervous system and may be able to deal with daily stresses in a controlled fashion.

To achieve the health benefits associated with aerobic fitness, aerobic exercise must be performed on a regular basis. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) standards are:

30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week or 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 days per week.

MEP and your aerobic fitness
After baseline measurements are measured during the the fitness assessment, we can develop workloads to obtain heart rate training zones based on the Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) model and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). The baseline measurements will determine the proper intensity to start your program, and we’ll use that information to safely develop progressions.

At MEP, we can help you discover which aerobic activities you enjoy. If you maximize the development your aerobic fitness you will achieve a higher level of overall health and well-being.

(1) Thompson, Paul D. M.D. Exercise’s Role in Contemporary Cardiology. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health & Fitness Summit & Expostion: Dallas, TX, 2007.

(2) ACSM. ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer, 2nd ed., Lippincot Williams & Wilkins, 2007.

(3) ACSM. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription. 7th ed. Baltimore: Lippincot Williams & Wilkins, 2006.

(4) Powers & Howley. Exercise Physiology, McGraw- Hill, 1997.

(5) ACSM. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription. 6th ed. Baltimore: Lippincot Williams & Wilkins, 2000.

(6) Houston, Michael, Biochemistry Primer for Exercise Science, Human Kinetics, 2006.

(7) Vigil, Joe, The Physiology of Training the Distance Runner. National Distance Running Summit. Grinnell College, Jan, 2007.

(8) ACSM. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription. 7th ed. Baltimore: Lippincot Williams & Wilkins, 2006.

(9) ACSM. ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription. 4th ed. Philadelphia. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2001.