Aerobic Exercise

What is aerobic exercise?

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines aerobic exercise as "any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature." Essentially, aerobic exercise is any activity that gets the heart pumping more vigorously and the lungs working more intensely than they would while sitting at rest. This type of exercise specfically trains the body to pump blood with nutrients more efficiently throughout the areas of the body damaged by cancer and treatment.

How does aerobic exercise work?

Aerobic exercise is exercise that improves oxygen consumption throughout the body. The dictionary definition of aerobic is actually "with" or "using" oxygen, so aerobic exercise is any exercise that uses oxygen. When the heart pumps blood from the lungs to the muscles in the body, the blood carries oxygen to those muscles so they can perform. During aerobic exercise, this process is made more efficient, so blood with oxygen and other nutrients is carried to muscles more efficiently. This type of exercise also develops the most important muscle of all, the heart. As the heart is trained to deliver oxygen to muscles more efficiently, it is also trained to deliver blood with oxygen and nutrients to all other areas of the body. This process is very important for a body recovering from damage due to cancer and cancer treatments.

How much should I be doing?

While the CDC recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per day for all adults, survivors should consult their physician before engaging in any new exercise plan.

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