Aerobic fitness--the ability to sustain a level of exercise for an extended time--is often considered an important component to overall fitness. There are several unique components of aerobic fitness that depend highly on the efficiency of the respiratory and circulatory systems.
Cardiac Output
Heart rate is a major component to aerobic fitness. The circulatory system--consisting of the heart, blood vessels and blood--is controlled by the heart. During aerobic fitness, cardiac output increases as the heart controls the flow of blood throughout the body and muscles by increasing stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped during each heartbeat) and heart rate (the number of heart beats per minute). With the increased cardiac output, more blood is delivered to the working tissues during fitness and exercise.
VO2 Max
VO2 max is a number that calculates the body's maximal oxygen uptake or maximal aerobic power during aerobic fitness. VO2 max is a common component of aerobic fitness that indicates the current level of aerobic fitness. It's calculated by measuring the amount of oxygen that can be used by muscles during running, biking or other aerobic activities. As the level of aerobic fitness increases, so does VO2 max and the body's ability to utilize oxygen during strenuous aerobic exercise.
Respiratory Function
Respiratory function--the ability to take in and utilize oxygen--is an important component of aerobic fitness. The inability to breathe in oxygen and then efficiently deliver the oxygen to working muscles limits the level of aerobic fitness. During aerobic exercise, large amounts of oxygen are transferred from the lungs to the blood and circulatory system to be used by the tissues and muscles. After oxygen is delivered to the blood, the lungs must exhale and eliminate carbon dioxide. Every breath during aerobic exercise consists of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.
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