What Is Aerobic Endurance? - Myprotein™

Aerobic endurance is important for many daily tasks. It impacts your capabilities in the gym, at work, and even around the house, and a higher capacity for aerobic endurance means you can exercise at a greater intensity for longer. Read on to find out what aerobic endurance is, how you can improve it, and how training for aerobic endurance can improve your overall fitness and general cardiovascular health.

You’ll find in this article:

What is Aerobic Endurance?

Aerobic endurance refers to cardiovascular fitness Many believe that it is one of the most vital fitness-related attributes because of its link to cardiovascular health.

Improving your aerobic endurance will improve your body’s capability of meeting higher demands for oxygen during intense exercise.

How Can I Find Out What My Aerobic Endurance is Like?

The best way of measuring aerobic endurance is through a physiological performance test known as a VO2 max test. The test measures the maximum amount (volume) of oxygen (O2) you can use during intense or maximal exercise. Training to improve your aerobic endurance increases your VO2 max as your body uses oxygen more efficiently.

Why is Aerobic Endurance Important?

Aerobic endurance is incredibly important as it affects how efficiently the body can transport oxygen to where it’s needed. Your cardiovascular fitness depends on factors such as age, lifestyle, genes and activity levels. It’s typically at its highest from late teen years to 30s and gradually declines with age.

Maintaining a good level of aerobic endurance is important for everyone — not just athletes — as it generally comes with a range of other health benefits. Your heart is a muscle, and like other muscles, it requires routine training to improve its strength and ability to cope with everything that your body demands of it.