INTRODUCTION TO AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC EXERCISE.
The terms aerobic and anaerobic are essentially used to describe two different energy systems in the body. Aerobic operating in the presence of oxygen, while the anaerobic operates without the presence of oxygen.
WHAT ARE AEROBIC EXERCISES?
The word aerobic is made up of two Greek words: Aeros meaning air and Bios meaning life. Aerobic exercise is vigorous enough to increase the body’s need for oxygen and hence air intake and increase in breathing rate.
Aerobic exercise is done at a pace that allows an adequate supply of oxygen to reach your muscles as you work out. If you can hum to yourself or carry on a conversation as you work out then you are probably exercising aerobically.
This type of exercise can be continued for 20 – 45 minutes without being exhausting. Doing aerobics regularly can decisively improve your heart rate, your body condition, and your state of mind. Over 20 years of research has shown that aerobic exercise is one of the best exercises you can do since it is a safe and complete work out, as well as a fun sport to do.
Aerobics conditions your heart and lungs, help you use oxygen more efficiently and help control weight and reduce stress. A regular aerobics program gives you a sense of responsibility and the assurance of being in control of your body, which are two positive mental attitudes that are necessary to help reduce stress.
Aerobics helps relax tense muscles, and a regular aerobics activity increases the body’s production of endorphins (a natural sedative) and catecholamines (chemical substances that help stabilize moods). So, aerobics can makes you feel happy.
“Aerobic” means literally “with oxygen” in opposition to “anaerobic,” which means without or with little oxygen. Aerobic exercises include jogging, running, brisk walking, cycling, dancing, and canoeing. Really, any activity that elevates heart rate counts as aerobic exercise.
WHAT ARE ANAEROBIC EXERCISES?
Anaerobic exercise is a form of exercise in which energy for the activities performed comes from the sugars present in the muscle cells and not from oxygen in the blood. In fact, anaerobic means “in the absence of oxygen”. Such exercises are basically of short duration and intense.
Anaerobic exercise is a form of exercise in which energy for the activities performed comes from the sugars present in the muscle cells and not from oxygen in the blood. Such exercises are basically of short duration and intense. Examples of anaerobic exercise include sprinting, weight training, high jumping, HITT, sprints. These exercises are suggested to increase muscular size and strength. The effort required for such exercise is intense, it cannot be sustained for long.
There are many factors that contribute to muscle fatigue during anaerobic exercise, chief amongst them is the production of lactic acid when sugars are broken down. The accumulation of lactic acid in the blood is a limiting factor to the extent we can carry out high-intensity activity without oxygen.
If you wish to incorporate anaerobic exercise into your training regimen, it is advisable to go slow and first develop a certain level of aerobic fitness. Anaerobic exercise is typically unable to be carried out for more than two to three minutes at a time. Eventually, muscles will tire, weaken, feel discomfort, and require a break. Breaks within repetitions allow muscles to rest and the exerciser to “catch their breath.” The resting phase is then transitioned to aerobic exercise.
BENEFITS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE.
If you enjoy swimming, running, walking, cycling, or hiking, you enjoy aerobic exercise.
It helps to regulate weight: Aerobic exercise is a popular aid in weight loss due to the number of calories many people burn during cardiovascular activities. By cutting calories while also maintaining a regular aerobic workout, many people are able to reduce the amount of exercise they need to perform in order to lose the same amount of weight.
Improves Cardiovascular Health:
This is because aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and helps it pump blood throughout the body more efficiently.
Lowers blood pressure:
In many cases, aerobic activity can be a more effective way to lower blood pressure than medication. (But this is never an excuse to skip your meds—talk to your doctor about it first)
Regulates blood sugar:
Blood sugar regulation is essential for people who have diabetes or are at risk for it. Regular aerobic exercise can help these individuals regulate and lower their insulin levels and blood sugar.
Reduces asthma symptoms: If you have asthma, you should always check with your doctor before trying a new aerobic exercise. However, studies have shown that some aerobic activity can help reduce the inflammatory proteins in people with asthma.
Aids sleep:
Cardiovascular exercise has been shown to help aid in sleep quality as well. Exercising too close to bedtime may make it more difficult to sleep. However, try to finish your workout at least two hours before bedtime.
Strengthens your immune systems: Regular and moderate aerobic exercise increases certain antibodies in the blood called immunoglobulins that ultimately strengthen the immune system.
BENEFITS OF ANAEROBIC EXERCISE.
Increased VO2 max: studies have shown anaerobic exercise to be more effective at increasing VO2 max due to the improved efficiency at using oxygen to create energy and improved stroke volume from the heart.
Increase in muscle power: muscle power is gained by lifting very heavy weights as quickly as possible. These types of activities include cross-fit type exercises or powerlifting, where the focus is strengthening type II muscle fibers. By training these muscles specifically, you will improve your overall muscle power.
Fast and sustainable results: If you are strapped for time to fit in exercise to your day but still want to gain all the benefits, then choosing anaerobic exercise can help you maximize your results in a shorter time. Anaerobic exercise promotes lean body mass, leading to sustained weight loss. This is one reason why HIIT-style workouts have become so popular and effective.
Improved cardiovascular health: high-intensity resistance training has been found to improve heart rate variability and muscle performance in patients with coronary artery disease.
Gaining bone mass and density: Higher-intensity resistance training may be more effective in improving bone mineral density than low-impact exercise alone.
THE BEST FOR WEIGHT-LOSS, AEROBIC OR ANAEROBIC EXERCISE?
Most of us are interested in losing fat mass when we think about weight loss. Aerobic exercise targets slow twitch muscle fibers and burns a higher ratio of fats (vs. carbs and proteins) in a lower intensity, steady-state manner. However, to burn enough overall calories to lose weight, you’d have to exercise for a long time doing this type of exercise to see results (somewhere between 45 to 90 mins).
Anaerobic exercise has been found to be just as effective (or more) in achieving weight loss goals because it is done at a higher intensity.
Anaerobic exercise builds muscle which increases resting metabolic rate (RMR), helping your body burn more calories at rest. The resistance training done during anaerobic can increase excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), boosting metabolism for hours after exercise.
Anaerobic exercise in the form of HIIT training has also been shown to be a more time-efficient strategy for adults trying to lose weight while improving their cardiovascular and metabolic health.
CONCLUSION
Aerobic exercise focuses on cardiovascular endurance, while anaerobic exercise targets muscle strength and power. So, which one is better for you? At the end of the day, it is not a conversation of “this vs that.”
Instead, aerobic and anaerobic forms of exercise are necessary for achieving weight loss goals, improving blood sugar levels and metabolic health, and sustaining a healthy lifestyle.
However, finding activities you enjoy while being mindful of your current fitness level and other health conditions is important. For example, those with cardiovascular disease or those on high blood pressure medications may want to consult their doctor before starting higher-intensity exercise as it may be contra-indicated.
If you are just beginning to exercise again after a very long time of not exercising or have never exercised, then it is best to choose a lower-intensity aerobic exercise such as walking to start. If you’ve been working out for some time and are not seeing results with just aerobic activity, finding some anaerobic exercise such as weight lifting or HIIT exercises might be necessary. Working with a personal trainer or other healthcare professional can also be very helpful in understanding which exercises are safe and will target your goals.
