Are Cardio and Aerobic Exercise the same thing?

by Answer is Fitness on February 10, 2010

Cardiovascular or cardio exercise refers to exercise that strengthens the cardiovascular system. The term Aerobic just means in the presence of oxygen, and aerobic exercise refers to exercise that you perform long enough to require oxygen. The same types of exercise satisfy both definitions, and the terms cardio and aerobic exercise are used interchangeably. Aerobic/cardio exercise uses large muscle groups (usually legs) in a rhythmic and/or repetitive fashion. Examples are running, walking, bicycling, spinning, swimming, cross-country skiing, rowing, skating, and cardio machines such as stair steppers, treadmills, and elliptical trainers.