Importance of Improving Cardiorespiratory Endurance (CRE)

by Answer is Fitness on February 23, 2021      

The ultimate path to cardio respiratory endurance is by improving your body's efficiency to distribute oxygen. Cardio respiratory endurance, or CRE, also known as aerobic fitness, involves performing exercise at a moderate level of intensity for an extended period. A good routine is starting with a warm up of the muscles, followed by exercising at least 20 minutes and finishing with a cooling down period to return the heart to its resting rate.

Aerobic exercise is different from anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is usually running, jogging, swimming, bicycling or even speed walking because all of these activities get your heart rate up and generally use larger muscle groups. Naturally, your breathing increases as your heart rate climbs and your lungs fill with oxygen. This oxygen is filtered through bronchioles first and then heads to the alveoli (tiny sacs in the lungs that resemble bunches of grapes) where the oxygen is then diffused into the blood. From there the oxygen goes straight to your heart. The heart then sends the blood along with the oxygen and other nutrients throughout your body. Once the oxygen is inside your muscles it burns fat and carbohydrates for fuel. The more fuel the muscles use the more fit we become and the longer we can exercise.

The two types of exercises listed above differ mainly by the duration and intensity of muscular contractions involved. When you begin jogging, running or swimming the glycogen is broken down to produce glucose (sugar), which is then broken down using oxygen to generate energy. Carbohydrates such as fruit, bread pasta and cereals are common sources of glucose. These foods are broken down into sugar in our stomachs, and then absorbed into the bloodstream so that we can read a book, remember names or run a mile.

It is best to exercise beyond 30 minutes (up to 40 minutes or longer) at a moderate intensity since the body begins to metabolize fat after 30 minutes of aerobic activity. That's great news for those of us interested in losing weight since the glucose is used up and the body begins fat metabolism instead. Regular aerobic activity will improve your body's consumption of oxygen.

You can build your cardio respiratory endurance effectively by engaging in Answer is Fitness aerobic activities every day of the week. Even if you are playing a game of basketball, raking leaves, cleaning your house or chasing the kids around as long as you do it for 30 or more minutes. Improving your cardio respiratory endurance will help you burn fat, reduce your blood pressure and reduce stress.

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