Cardiorespiratory fitness
Encyclopedia
Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to the ability of the circulatory
and respiratory system
s to supply oxygen
to skeletal muscle
s during sustained physical activity. Regular exercise makes these systems more efficient by enlarging the heart
muscle, enabling more blood
to be pumped with each stroke, and increasing the number of small arteries
in trained skeletal muscles, which supply more blood to working muscles. Exercise improves the respiratory system by increasing the amount of oxygen that is inhaled and distributed to body tissue.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is also sometimes referred to as Aerobic fitness.
There are many benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and other diseases. Cardiorespiratory fitness helps improve lung and heart condition, and increases feelings of wellbeing.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise 3-5 times per week for 20–60 minutes per session, at an intensity that maintains the heart rate between 65-90% of the maximum heart rate.
Circulatory system
The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...
and respiratory system
Respiratory system
The respiratory system is the anatomical system of an organism that introduces respiratory gases to the interior and performs gas exchange. In humans and other mammals, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles...
s to supply oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
to skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system- i.e. it is voluntarily controlled. It is one of three major muscle types, the others being cardiac and smooth muscle...
s during sustained physical activity. Regular exercise makes these systems more efficient by enlarging the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
muscle, enabling more blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
to be pumped with each stroke, and increasing the number of small arteries
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
in trained skeletal muscles, which supply more blood to working muscles. Exercise improves the respiratory system by increasing the amount of oxygen that is inhaled and distributed to body tissue.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is also sometimes referred to as Aerobic fitness.
There are many benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and other diseases. Cardiorespiratory fitness helps improve lung and heart condition, and increases feelings of wellbeing.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise 3-5 times per week for 20–60 minutes per session, at an intensity that maintains the heart rate between 65-90% of the maximum heart rate.
See also
- Aerobic conditioningAerobic conditioningAerobic conditioning is a process whereby one trains the heart and lungs to pump blood more efficiently, allowing more oxygen to get to muscles and organs.Aerobic conditioning is a determining factor in performance in events with a duration greater than 2mins...
- Central governorCentral governorthumb|250px|right|The Norwegian mountain runner [[Jon Tvedt]] engaging in a strenuous run: it is suggested that the central governor ensures that such [[exercise physiology|endurance exertion]] does not threaten the body's [[homeostasis]]...
- Outdoor gymOutdoor gymThe outdoor gym is a gym built outside in a public park, with the all-weather construction of its exercise machines somewhat modeled on playground equipment. It is similar to the 1960s-70s proliferation of fitness trails, which continue to be created particularly in the USA and Europe...
- Physical fitnessPhysical fitnessPhysical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
- VO2 maxVO2 maxVO2 max is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual...