What Is Aerobic Fitness?

Your level of aerobic fitness, along with flexibility and strength, is one of the three major components of your overall fitness level. Aerobic fitness is important for your weight management and for the health of your cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

  1. Types

    • You perform aerobic exercise by engaging in and sustaining an activity that works a major muscle groups for at least 15 minutes. Activities such as running, biking and aerobic dance classes use your thighs and hips. Rowing and swimming use your shoulders and back muscles to stimulate an aerobic response.

    Effects

    • Your aerobic fitness is measured by your body's ability to transmit oxygen from your lungs to your bloodstream and ultimately to your muscles. Regular aerobic activity makes this process more efficient and decreases the stress put on your body.

    Considerations

    • Just about anyone can improve aerobic fitness, but age and weight can be limiting factors. Men tend to have greater aerobic capacity because they generally have more muscle and less body fat than women, but men and women train for aerobic fitness the same way.