aerobics

Exercises to improve the performance of the heart and lungs, involving strenuous application of movement to raise the heart rate to 120 beats per minute or more for sessions of 5-20 minutes' duration, 3-5 times per week.

For interest and pleasure, a combination of dance, stretching exercises, and running aim to improve the performance of the heart and lungs, but swimming, cycling and race-walking are preferred because they are less punishing to the joints and cause fewer sports-related injuries. Aerobics became a health and fitness pursuit in the 1980s.