Expert Football > Training > Soccer Fitness > Aerobic Endurance
In soccer, or fitness training in general, aerobic exercises are designed to improve the cardiovascular system and the efficiency of the heart. Aerobic means "with air". During aerobic activity, the body supplies the muscles with all the oxygen lost during work. The muscles require oxygen for the oxidation of fat and carbohydrates. In order to maintain this balance and keep the muscles supplied, the rate of exercise must be between 50-85% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate more or less equals 220 beats per minute minus your age in years.
When the exercise becomes too intense, the heart will not be able to provide the muscles with the needed oxygen so they will switch to alternative sources of energy. At this point, further activity will be considered anaerobic.
Your aerobic ability is determined by the maximum amount of oxygen, which your body can consume, or VO2 max. VO2 max is measured in milliliters per kilogram per minute or the total amount of oxygen that can be supplied to a portion of your body over a given amount of time. VO2 max is largely dependent upon the efficiency of your body's "Oxygen transport system."
What to practice
The average professional footballer is in motion almost constantly for 90 minutes of play. Having a decent level of stamina is dependent upon what we call aerobic fitness. Aerobic fitness is developed through continuous exercise usually lasting over 30 minutes.