BENFITS OF AEROBIC (CARDIOVASCULAR) TRAINING
Aerobic training is the foundation upon which your health and performance goals are built,
whether you are a world-class athlete or a beginner exerciser. Aerobic training increases
aerobic capacity and builds a sound fitness foundation. Below are 10 good reasons to train
aerobically (though there are many more):
1.
It increases heart size. Aerobic training causes an increase in the hearts’ weight as
well as its volume. The left ventricle is the hardest working chamber of the heart.
With aerobic training the wall thickens and the chamber size increases. These
changes occur gradually over months or years of training.
2.
You pump more blood through the body with every beat. Aerobic training
increases the amount of blood ejected from the heart - the benefit of this is more
efficient heart.
3.
Resting heart rate drops. The resting heart rate decreases about one beat per
minute for every 1-2 weeks of aerobic training (the effect drops off after about 10-20
weeks)
4.
It improves cardiac output. This is the primary indicator of how well the body
works. Cardiac output is determined by the heart rate and by the quantity of blood
ejected with each heart beat. Aerobic training increases cardiac output.
5.
It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that sedentary
individuals have six times the incidence of heart disease than individuals who
engage in regular physical activity. There is a substantial amount of evidence
showing that regular aerobic exercise protects against heart attack and other
cardiovascular diseases. Research has also shown that an efficient oxygen transport
system, lungs, cardiac output and enzyme system within the muscles - all benefits of
aerobic exercise- lead to an efficient heart and thus a lower risk of disease.
6.
The body becomes more efficient at utilizing fat. Studies have shown that with
regular aerobic training people will become more efficient at utilizing fat. As aerobic
training improves, so does fat burning, giving the body unlimited supplies of energy
and decreasing the size of fat deposits around the body and in the arteries.
7.
It increases aerobic capacity. An individual’s aerobic capacity is the body’s ability
to store and transport fuel. A high aerobic capacity also allows for faster recovery
after training sessions.
8.
It speeds up oxygen delivery to working muscles. The transport and storage of
oxygen within the muscle cell is aided by myoglobin. With regular aerobic training,
myoglobin increases significantly, making for faster delivery of oxygen to the working
muscles.
9.
You feel better after a workout. Aerobic training sessions are energizing, giving
exercisers more vigor for the entire day.
10.
It reduces stress and anxiety. Doing aerobic training will help the body ‘absorb’
and alleviate stress and allow it to adapt to a higher fitness level.
Adapted from Exercise and Sport Science