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An aerobic workout is a workout that involves heightening the body's consumption of oxygen. When you engage in aerobic exercise, your body uses up oxygen faster than normal, causing you to breathe more rapidly or more deeply. Exercises that are considered aerobic include walking, running, swimming, and dancing. Weightlifting, yoga, and other strength-training exercises are not considered aerobic, as they do not cause you to take in and consume more oxygen than normal. These types of workouts are called anaerobic exercises.



The distinction between aerobic and anaerobic exercises can sometimes be difficult to see. For example, running is considered an aerobic workout, but sprinting is not. In order for your workout to be considered aerobic, you must keep up a high level of oxygen consumption - indicated by a raised heart rate and heavier or deeper breathing - for a relatively long period of time. Sprinting involves short bursts of exertion followed by long periods of inactivity, so your body is only burning extra oxygen for a short amount of time. During a long run, however, you are consistently in motion, and your body is consistently consuming extra oxygen. The key to an aerobic workout is the extended period of time in which you are active.

When planning out an aerobic workout, there are a few important things to keep in mind. An aerobic workout is most effective when you warm up for five to ten minutes, exercise for at least twenty minutes, and then cool down for another five to ten minutes. A warm-up should involve a brief, low-intensity exercise (such as jogging in place for a minute or two) followed by stretching. Stretch all the muscle groups you are going to use in your workout (legs if you are running, arms if you are swimming, etc.) to reduce your chances of pulling or straining a muscle. During the main part of your workout - the aerobic part - you want to make sure that your heart rate is up and that your breathing is heavier than normal. This can be accomplished in countless ways, but you should be moving for the whole workout, and the workout should last at least twenty minutes. After the main part of your workout, you should take the time to cool down. A cool-down involves a few minutes of reduced-intensity movements, such as walking at a slow pace after running, followed by stretching. Stretching after a workout will reduce next-day soreness.