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Cardio (or aerobic exercise) 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. (Note: For the sake of simplification, I will use the term aerobic and cardiovascular interchangeably.)
Many types of exercise are aerobic, and by definition are performed at moderate levels of intensity for extended periods of time. For example, running a long distance at a moderate pace is an aerobic exercise, but sprinting is not.
Playing singles tennis, with near-continuous motion, is generally considered aerobic activity, while golf or doubles tennis, with brief bursts of activity punctuated by more frequent breaks, may not be predominantly aerobic.
Some sports are thus inherently "aerobic", while other aerobic exercises, such as aerobic dance classes, are designed specifically to improve aerobic capacity and fitness. Generally speaking however, cardio/aerobic exercise is any exercise that uses large muscle movement over a sustained period of time keeping your heart rate to at least 50% of its maximum level.
Terminology
- Aerobic: The Aerobic training zone is the training intensity where you are burning fuel with oxygen. Long, low-intensity sports like jogging, walking, marathons are aerobic. Aerobic exercises use lipids (fats) with oxygen for energy. Anaerobic exercise use ATP-PC or glycolysis (carbs) for energy. That's one of the reasons you need to eat carbs.
- Anaerobic: The Anaerobic training zone is the training intensity where you are burning fuel without oxygen. Short, high intensity sports like weight lifting and sprints are anaerobic.
- Cardiovascular System: Your cardiovascular system is composed of your heart, blood & blood vessels.
- Target Heart Rate (HR): Your Target Heart Rate is the range of heartbeats per minute at which you should work at in order to best achieve aerobic fitness.
- Maximum Heart Rate: Your maximum heart rate (HR max) is the theoretical number of beats per minute that your heart is capable of producing.
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