Exercises That Cause the Body to Use More Oxygen

Oxygen is required for all activities, from sleeping to running an 800-meter sprint. Every activity you perform, no matter how sedentary, causes your body to use oxygen. The amount needed and how your body uses it is what differs from exercise to exercise. Certain kinds of exercise will cause the body to use more oxygen to meet the demands of the activity.

  1. Submaximal Cardio Exercise

    • Submaximal cardiovascular exercise involves training below the level of maximal effort. This type of exercise causes your body to take in extra oxygen at a steady rate, breaking down fats and carbohydrates to continuously supply your body with fuel. Submaximal exercise can be maintained for prolonged periods of time and includes activities such as walking, jogging and other low- to moderate-intensity activities.

    High-Intensity Cardio Exercise

    • High-intensity cardio exercises, like sprinting, running up hills or any other cardiovascular activity that requires maximum effort, uses large amounts of oxygen. During this type of exercise, oxygen primarily breaks down carbohydrates to fuel your body. Due to its high intensity, this type of exercise cannot be sustained for long periods of time. Eventually your body will not able to take in enough oxygen to keep up with the demand of your working muscles; fatigue will ensue and you'll be forced to lower your intensity or stop altogether. A recovery period will allow your body to catch up and replenish the oxygen debt that your body has accrued. Interval training, in which you alternate movement and rest, helps you perform this type of exercise for longer periods of time.

    Short Bouts of High-Intensity Exercise

    • Resistance exercise and short distance sprints rely on the anaerobic energy system, which means they do not require the use of oxygen. As soon as the activity is over, however, your body will take in extra oxygen to replace the energy stores used to complete the activity. This happens repeatedly during your workout session -- you knock out a set of back squats then as soon as you re-rack the bar, you find yourself breathing hard for a minute or so. After your workout is over, your body relies on elevated oxygen intake to help your muscles recover and return to pre-exercise conditions.

    More About Oxygen Intake

    • How much oxygen your body must take in during exercise of any kind is largely based on your fitness level. A sedentary individual is going to require significantly more oxygen to run a mile than someone who regularly runs a mile a day. As you train, your body becomes more efficient with its use of oxygen. After you've completed your workout, your body still continues to take in levels of oxygen greater than those needed while resting. This is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. EPOC helps restore the body to pre-exercise condition, and varies according to the intensity and length of the exercise.