Aerobic exercise increases what?

Aerobic exercise increases heart rate. When muscles work continuously, they need more oxygen and nutrients, so the heart beats faster to send oxygen-rich blood around the body and carry away carbon dioxide.

Aerobic activities include brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, and dancing. They rely primarily on the body’s oxygen-using energy systems and usually involve large muscle groups for sustained periods. As fitness improves, the heart can often pump more blood with each beat, allowing a trained person to perform the same activity at a lower heart rate than before.

Heart rate is not the only response to aerobic exercise. Breathing rate, oxygen consumption, body temperature, and sweating also increase. That is why “heart rate” is the standard answer to this short question, but it should not be mistaken for the sole change taking place.

The pulse felt at the wrist or neck is a pressure wave caused by each heartbeat, so pulse rate and heart rate are usually equivalent when measured accurately. Resting heart rate, exercise heart rate, and recovery heart rate provide different information about exertion and fitness.