What Is The Difference Between Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise?

Athletes aim to have a combination of both aerobic and anaerobic exercises to achieve the best results when training.

Knowing the difference between the two systems can help you achieve your goals faster.

AEROBIC EXERCISE

Aerobic exercise increases your endurance your cardiac health and is made up of low to high intensity exercises performed for extended periods of time.

These exercises use the heart and lungs with more oxygen whilst getting you to breathe harder as well as your heart beating faster for more than ten minutes at a time.

Great examples of aerobic exercise are…

Going for a walk or jogging on a treadmill for a sustained period of time will get the heart pumping, as will swimming and cycling on a road bike or stationary bike.

ANAEROBIC EXERCISE

Anaerobic exercise will not only help you burn fat but also help you gain lean muscle mass.

These are intense exercises performed for short periods of time, typically under two minutes. There is no need for more oxygen in exercises that promote strength, speed and power.

Great examples of anaerobic exercise are…

Weight lifting using free weights and plates is a great way to increase your strength training. Sprinting is often the best to increase your speed and power.

Athletes performing a lot of anaerobic exercise have to be careful of lactic acid build up causing muscle fatigue and interfere with muscle recovery.

During intense exercise, your body needs more energy than it can generate, so to produce more energy, the body metabolises glucose to deliver the extra energy required to the muscles. This glucose is then converted into lactic acid when it accumulates in the blood and muscles in high doses.

Completenutrition.com, an online sports nutrition and fitness community, suggest the way to get relief from lactic acid build up is to keep hydrated and maintain consistent activity getting your body used to it over time.

Those who exercise frequently are more physically fit and require less glucose to burn for energy, which means less lactic acid build up.

WHICH IS BETTER AT BURNING FAT, ANAEROBIC OR AEROBIC EXERCISE?

Quite simply, both will burn fat!

Both aerobic and anaerobic boost the metabolism that will last for hours after the workout, so the ideal solution is to find an exercise incorporating both systems.