Any form of prolonged aerobic activity usually uses a large volume of oxygen. Muscles, especially those in the larger muscle groups in the arms and legs, when put into motion for a vigorous period of time, use as much oxygen as the body can take in. This can help develop the staying power of a person who undergoes such activities. Some examples of these workouts include: cross-country skiing, cycling, jogging, rowing, swimming, and even walking long distances.
The very limit as to the volume of that oxygen intake is called aerobic capacity. In other words, this is the state in which the body consumes the most oxygen during these long and vigorous exercise regimens. It is also known as aerobic power, aerobic power, cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular fitness, functional capacity, maximal functional capacity, maximal oxygen intake, or maximal oxygen uptake. There are several important factors that influence it. Some of them include:
- Genetics. According to studies, there are some people who can be trained to improve their ability through a gradually increasing exercise regimen. These people are called high responders. And then there are some people who were genetically born to have low aerobic responsiveness. Low responders are genetically predisposed to have an aerobic capacity that stabilizes at a certain level, and no amount of training can increase that. The best way to tell if a person has a high or low response is through a test called the VO2 max test, in which the person is subjected to a pace of exercise, from walking to running at an increasing speed using a treadmill. Respiration is monitored with a respirometer.
- Current health status of a person. Another of the most important factors that influence it is the current state of health of the person. Unbelievably, some seemingly fit people forgo regular checkups thinking they don’t need them. Unfortunately, there may be some underlying medical conditions that have no symptoms … thus far. People with lung or heart conditions or any ailment that affects the cardiovascular system are likely to have lower capacity. Age also dictates the current state of a person. People with advanced ages tend to have less capacity.
- Current state of daily physical activity of the person. This largely depends on the lifestyle of the person in question. Even seemingly active people who exercise regularly and watch their diets may have lower aerobic capacity than seemingly sedentary people who may not exercise regularly or subscribe to any diet plan, but are almost in a dynamic mode of 16 to 20 hours a day.
- Training is one of the most important factors influencing it. If a person undergoes regular training to increase it, then there is a good chance that the oxygen intake will be maximized as it should. However, training should be done gradually and under the supervision of a professional trainer. Safety is always a concern as the cardiovascular system, like all muscle groups in the body, takes time to strengthen.