Not too many people know aerobic exercise for its name, but it is just another word for a cardio workout. This form of exercise requires lots of oxygen. Aerobic exercise (long-distance running, biking, swimming, dancing, and similar exercises) is the opposite of anaerobic exercise, which include strength training and short-distance running. The difference between the two types of exercise is that aerobic exercises are moderately intense and are performed for minutes or up to hours. Anaerobic exercises are highly intensive that extend only for a few seconds to a few minutes. It may be stated that each individual should be doing both forms of exercise regularly to maintain their fitness.

When doing aerobic exercises, you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs, and hips as you breathe faster and more deeply. In addition, your heartbeat will increase. All of this movement maximizes the amount of oxygen in the blood and increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs. The capillaries, or small blood vessels, expand to bring more oxygen to your muscles and discard waste products like carbon dioxide.

One may accumulate many health and fitness benefits if aerobic exercise is performed regularly. Here are a few health benefits for getting out there and pushing your heart to the limit with cardio exercises:

1. Burns calories
2. Assists in weight management
3. Decreases overall body fat
4. Improves muscular and cardio endurance
5. Reduces the risk of long-term illnesses like heart disease and diabetes
6. Improves sugar tolerance and reduces insulin resistance
7. Improves heart conditioning
8. Improves the probability of surviving a heart attack
9. Decreases resting heart rate
10. Helps lower blood pressure
11. Increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol)
12. Decreases blood triglycerides
13. Increases bone density in weight-bearing activities, like walking
14. Reduces the risk of some cancers like breast cancer and colon cancer
15. Helps improve balance and mobility of activities of daily living
16. Helps reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis
17. Improves lung function
18. Helps you develop new brain cells
19. Improves memory and cognition
20. Relieves symptoms of depression (sometimes, as effectively as any medication or psychotherapy)
21. Can make you live longer

If you are new to aerobic exercise, then talk to your healthcare provider about which activities to participate in. Some individuals with constricting health conditions may not be able to perform certain activities and can get advice on suitable alternatives to maintain their health and fitness. For example, individuals with arthritis may find aquatic exercises easy on the joints. Many experts suggest that aerobic exercises be performed for at least twenty minutes, three or more times per week.

Additional Resources:

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Helpful Peer-Reviewed Medical Articles:

Dimeo, F., Bauer, M., Varahram, I., Proest, G., & Halter, U. (2001). Benefits from aerobic exercise in patients with major depression: a pilot study. British journal of sports medicine, 35(2), 114-117.

Guiney, H., & Machado, L. (2013). Benefits of regular aerobic exercise for executive functioning in healthy populations. Psychonomic bulletin & review, 20(1), 73-86.

Whelton, S. P., Chin, A., Xin, X., & He, J. (2002). Effect of aerobic exercise on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Annals of internal medicine, 136(7), 493-503.

Madden, K. M., Lockhart, C., Cuff, D., Potter, T. F., & Meneilly, G. S. (2009). Short-term aerobic exercise reduces arterial stiffness in older adults with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Diabetes care, 32(8), 1531-1535.

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Davis, C. L., Tomporowski, P. D., Boyle, C. A., Waller, J. L., Miller, P. H., Naglieri, J. A., & Gregoski, M. (2007). Effects of aerobic exercise on overweight children's cognitive functioning: a randomized controlled trial. Research quarterly for exercise and sport, 78(5), 510-519.