Which of the following would be considered an example of an aerobic activity?

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Which of the following would be considered an example of an aerobic activity?

Exercise experts measure activity in metabolic equivalents, or METs. One MET is defined as the energy it takes to sit quietly. For the average adult, this is about one calorie per every 2.2 pounds of body weight per hour; someone who weighs 160 pounds would burn approximately 70 calories an hour while sitting or sleeping.

Moderate-intensity activities are those that get you moving fast enough or strenuously enough to burn off three to six times as much energy per minute as you do when you are sitting quietly, or exercises that clock in at 3 to 6 METs. Vigorous-intensity activities burn more than 6 METs.

One limitation to this way of measuring exercise intensity is that it does not consider the fact that some people have a higher level of fitness than others. Thus, walking at 3 to 4 miles-per-hour is considered to require 4 METs and to be a moderate-intensity activity, regardless of who is doing the activitya young marathon runner or a 90-year-old grandmother. As you might imagine, a brisk walk would likely be an easy activity for the marathon runner, but a very hard activity for the grandmother.

This table gives examples of light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity activity for healthy adults.

Light

<3.0 METs

Moderate

3.0-6.0 METs

Vigorous

>6.0 METS

  • Walking slowly
  • Sitting using computer
  • Standing light work (cooking, washing dishes)
  • Fishing sitting
  • Playing most instruments
  • Walking very brisk (4 mph)
  • Cleaning heavy (washing windows, vacuuming, mopping)
  • Mowing lawn (power mower)
  • Bicycling light effort (10-12 mph)
  • Bad minton recreational
  • Tennis doubles
  • Hiking
  • Jogging at 6 mph
  • Shoveling
  • Carrying heavy loads
  • Bicycling fast (14-16 mph)
  • Basketball game
  • Soccer game
  • Tennis singles

Reproduced with permission from The Nutrition Source

Aerobic exercise: Top 10 reasons to get physical

Regardless of age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic exercise is good for you. See why — then prepare yourself to get moving.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Regular aerobic activity, such as walking, bicycling or swimming, can help you live longer and healthier. Need motivation? See how aerobic exercise affects your heart, lungs and blood flow. Then get moving and start reaping the rewards.

How your body responds to aerobic exercise

During aerobic activity, you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs and hips. You'll notice your body's responses quickly.

You'll breathe faster and more deeply. This maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart will beat faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs.

Your small blood vessels (capillaries) will widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles and carry away waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid.

Your body will even release endorphins, natural painkillers that promote an increased sense of well-being.

What aerobic exercise does for your health

No matter your age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic activity is good for you. Aerobic activity has many health benefits. As your body adapts to regular aerobic exercise, you'll get stronger and fitter.

Consider the following 10 ways that aerobic activity can help you feel better and enjoy life to the fullest.

Aerobic activity can help you:

1. Keep excess pounds at bay

Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise helps you lose weight and keep it off.

2. Increase your stamina, fitness and strength

You may feel tired when you first start regular aerobic exercise. But over the long term, you'll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.

You can also gain increased heart and lung fitness and bone and muscle strength over time.

3. Ward off viral illnesses

Aerobic exercise activates your immune system in a good way. This may leave you less susceptible to viral illnesses, such as colds and the flu.

4. Reduce your health risks

Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions. These conditions include obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke and certain types of cancer.

Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, help lower the risk of osteoporosis.

5. Manage chronic conditions

Aerobic exercise may help lower blood pressure and control blood sugar. It can reduce pain and improve function in people with arthritis. It can also improve the quality of life and fitness in people who've had cancer. If you have coronary artery disease, aerobic exercise may help you manage your condition.

6. Strengthen your heart

A stronger heart doesn't need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.

7. Keep your arteries clear

Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good," cholesterol, and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad," cholesterol. This may result in less buildup of plaques in your arteries.

8. Boost your mood

Aerobic exercise may ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation. It can improve your mental well-being and your self-esteem. It can also improve your sleep.

9. Stay active and independent as you age

Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Exercise can also lower the risk of falls and injuries from falls in older adults. And it can improve your quality of life.

Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. Regular physical activity may help protect memory, reasoning, judgment and thinking skills (cognitive function) in older adults. It may also improve cognitive function in children and young adults. It can even help prevent the onset of dementia and improve cognition in people with dementia.

10. Live longer

Studies show that people whoparticipate in regular aerobic exercise live longer than those who don't exercise regularly. They may also have a lower risk of dying of all causes, such as heart disease and certain cancers.

Take the first step

Ready to get more active? Great. Just remember to start with small steps. If you've been inactive for a long time or if you have a chronic health condition, get your doctor's OK before you start.

When you're ready to begin exercising, start slowly. You might walk five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening. Any physical activity is better than none at all.

The next day, add a few minutes to each walking session. Pick up the pace a bit, too. Soon, you could be walking briskly for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and reaping all the benefits of regular aerobic activity. You can gain even more benefits if you exercise more. Also aim to sit less and move more during the day.

Short of time? Try a high-intensity interval training workout and enjoy a great workout with similar benefits as a standard aerobic workout in less time. In interval training, you alternate between short periods of intense activity and longer periods of less intense activity.

Other options for aerobic exercise could include cross-country skiing, aerobic dancing, swimming, stair climbing, bicycling, jogging, elliptical training or rowing.

If you have a condition that limits your ability to participate in aerobic activities, ask your health care provider about alternatives. If you have arthritis, for example, aquatic exercises may give you the benefits of aerobic activity without stressing your joints.

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Feb. 17, 2022

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  2. AskMayoExpert. Physical activity (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2021.
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  8. Seidu S, et al. The importance of physical activity in management of type 2 diabetes and COVID-19. Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2021; doi:10.1177/20420188211054686.
  9. Valenzuela PL, et al. Exercise benefits on Alzheimer's disease: State-of-the-science. Ageing Research Reviews. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.arr.2020.101108.

See more In-depth

See also

  1. 10,000 steps
  2. 5K training schedule
  3. Exercise warm-up
  4. Buying athletic shoes? Check your arch
  5. Buying new workout shoes? Get the right fit
  6. Choose the right walking shoes
  7. Do you need to warm up before you exercise?
  8. Exercise: Are you working hard enough?
  9. Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour
  10. Exercise: How much do I need?
  11. Exercise intensity
  12. Exercising? Take it up a notch
  13. Focus on fit when shoe shopping
  14. Walking schedule
  15. How much exercise do you need?
  16. Interval Training
  17. Kids and exercise
  18. Vary your cardiovascular workouts
  19. Exercise and opioids
  20. Aquatic exercises
  21. Step it up with an activity tracker
  22. Time for new walking shoes?
  23. Tired of walking alone? Team up!
  24. Walking for fitness: Overcoming setbacks
  25. Walking for fitness: Staying motivated
  26. Walking for fitness: Warm up, cool down
  27. Walking and trackers
  28. Walking for fitness
  29. Walking with ankle weights? Stop!
  30. Want to get more active? Try an activity tracker
  31. Want to maximize your daily walk?
  32. What's in an athletic shoe?
  33. Whole-body vibration

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Which of the following is an example of aerobic activity quizlet?

Examples of aerobic exercises are walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, water aerobics, and jumping rope.

What are the aerobic activities?

Aerobic Training.
Walking or hiking..
Jogging or running..
Biking..
Swimming..
Rowing..
In-line skating..
Cross-country skiing..
Exercising on a stair-climber or elliptical machine..

What is aerobic activity quizlet?

Aerobic exercise. Continuous, vigorous exercise that increases the body's oxygen demand to produce energy and occurs over an extended time. Examples of aerobic exercise. Cycling, running, swmming, aerobic dancing, rowing, cross country skiing.

What is not an example of aerobic activity?

Examples of non-aerobic exercise include weight lifting, running 100 meters, or climbing a flight of stairs. Non aerobic exercise is typically less than 60 seconds in duration, as opposed to aerobic exercise which is 60 seconds or longer in duration like jogging 5 miles or going for a hike.