The other day I was heading up a trail with loaded pack for a nice aerobic workout when a kind volunteer at the trailhead asked my “what are you training for?”. I replied, “life.” Aerobic endurance training is more than just training for a race or some other objective. These things are fun and are great motivators for keeping you on track in your workouts, but aerobic training is so much more. Aerobic training is training for life.
When we train aerobically, we are producing energy by using oxygen (think sustainable efforts with elevated HR and breathing rates). Aerobic training is the opposite of anaerobic training where we produce energy without oxygen (think short sprints, weightlifting, etc.). Activities like swimming, cycling, running, hiking and ski touring are all examples of aerobic sports.
The benefits of aerobic training are numerous and include:
Cardiovascular strength: Lowers resting heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and decreases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Blood sugar control: Increases insulin sensitivity, which helps manage or prevent type 2 diabetes.
Cholesterol health: Raises “good” HDL cholesterol and lowers harmful triglycerides.
Cognitive preservation: Improves blood flow to the brain, which lowers the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Mood enhancement: Triggers the release of endorphins and reduces the stress hormone cortisol, mitigating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Weight management: Burns calories and aids in the reduction of abdominal fat.
Immune boost: Activates the immune system, making you less susceptible to viral illnesses like the common cold.
So, aerobic exercise is key to living a healthy life and should be part of your daily exercise routine whether or not you have a big triathlon or other objective on the horizon. Get your HR up, keep moving and train for life!
