A-Z of Fitness and Health: “A” is for Anaerobic (Exercise)
Aerobic means “with oxygen”, so Anaerobic means “with out oxygen”. Anaerobic exercise is short-lasting, high-intensity activity, where your body’s demand for oxygen exceeds the oxygen supply available. Sounds a little scary, right? Well, anaerobic exercise is not only good for you, but it will produce incredible results that aerobic exercise alone does not. In Aerobic Exercise a lot of your energy is found in the oxygen you breathe in. Anaerobic Exercise relies on energy sources stored in your muscles and does not depend on oxygen. Interval training, sprints (cycling, running, etc.), jumping rope, isometrics, or really any exercise that involves rapid bursts of energy constitute as Anaerobic Exercise.
So why do it? Since Anaerobic Exercise is using your muscles intensely for a short period of time, the benefits include:
~Developing stronger muscles
~Improvement of your cardio-respiratory fitness and health (this is accomplished because you are improving your VO2 max–ie. the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise)
~Increase your capacity to withstand the buildup of waste substances (ie. lactic acid) and remove them from the body. This means your endurance and ability to fight fatigue will improve.
Anaerobic exercise helps a person become leaner and manage their weight better because, while it burns fewer calories over all, it does build more muscle mass which uses larger amounts of calories ongoingly. It also greatly benefits the heart and lungs in the same way, by building lean muscle.
Fast, high intensity exercise causes a temporary shortage of oxygen to the muscles. This shortage causes the muscles to work anaerobically and a by product called “lactic acid” is produced. Lactic acid (a good letter “L” in Fitness and Health) causes muscle fatigue when it builds up in muscles. This is why Anaerobic exercises are not long lasting. Over time and with training, the muscles become better equipped to deal with the buildup of lactic acid and the amount of exercise before muscle fatigue is greatly increased. This helps, in the long run, with endurance and strength in both aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
Anaerobic exercise is not for beginners and those who want to incorporate it into their workouts should build a strong base level of fitness beforehand. And for those that are adding Anaerobic Exercise into their routines, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to warm up and stretch.
