You may have heard of the terms aerobic training or anaerobic training used during your fitness journey, but didn’t know what they meant. Alternatively, you may be familiar with these two forms of training, but aren’t sure if or when you should use them for yourself. The purpose of this article is to provide a quick explanation to these two approaches to fitness and if they may be useful for you.
The term aerobic refers to any process involving oxygen. As such, aerobic exercises are physical activities of low to medium intensity in which your body utilizes aerobic metabolism to produce energy in order to function. Aerobic metabolism is the process in which the cells of your body metabolize oxygen and glucose in order to meet your body’s increasing energy needs from a low to medium intensity exercise. As a result of your body’s cells using oxygen and glucose to provide immediate energy, carbon dioxide is produced as a waste product.
Examples of aerobic activities include walking, cycling, or dancing at a low, comfortable pace. While performing these types of activities, you should feel as though you’re exercising at a comfortable pace, but are not becoming out of breath and still able to talk without becoming short of breath. Aerobic exercise is generally most effective in reducing your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
The term anaerobic refers to any process in which oxygen is absent. Conversely, anaerobic exercises are physical activities of higher intensity for a shorter period of time. While performing anaerobic exercises, your body utilizes anaerobic metabolism in order to produce enough energy in order to function. With anaerobic metabolism, your body is unable to supply enough oxygen to its tissues and your body’s cells have used most of its available supply of glucose within the blood. Without sufficient amounts of glucose or oxygen, your body’s cells will adapt by metabolizing glycogen (which is a storage form of glucose) as an alternative source of fuel in order to meet your body’s increasing energy needs from the higher intensity exercise. As a result of your body’s cells using glycogen (remember, oxygen and glucose are not available in sufficient amounts) to provide immediate energy, lactic acid is produced as a waste product.
Examples of anaerobic activities include running, cycling, or dancing at higher paces. While performing these types of activities at a higher pace, you will generally feel as though you’re exercising beyond a pace that’s comfortable. Consequently, you will be breathing more deeply and rapidly, and you will have difficulty speaking without becoming short of breath. Anerobic exercise is generally most effective in improving stamina when repeatedly performing activities in which higher amounts of energy are needed for a short period of time. Such activities would include occupations involving manual labor or high intensity sports such as basketball.
Depending on your fitness needs, we create customized exercise routines specifically for you that may include one or both of these approaches to training. Contact us now for further information!
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