Anaerobic exercise — a higher intensity, higher power version of exercise — is different from aerobic exercise and although the term may not be one you’re familiar with, anaerobic exercise is a very common and effective workout. In fact, most workouts we do at The Training Room are anaerobic in nature.
Here’s everything you need to know about this calorie-torching, endurance-building type of exercise.
Types of anaerobic exercises
Anaerobic exercise is any activity that breaks down glucose for energy without using oxygen. Generally, these activities are of short length with high intensity. The idea is that a lot of energy is released within a small period of time, and your oxygen demand surpasses the oxygen supply.
Exercises and movements that require short bursts of intense energy are examples of anaerobic exercises.
These include:
Weightlifting
Jumping or jumping rope
Sprinting
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Biking, and more
The difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise is fairly simple in concept. One uses the oxygen on hand to deliver energy while the other has to pull from other sources to provide energy. Aerobic exercise produces energy using a continuous supply of oxygen to sustain the current level of activity without needing additional energy from another source. But anaerobic exercise prompts your body to demand more energy than your aerobic system can produce.
To produce more energy, your body uses its anaerobic system, which relies on energy sources stored in your muscles.
Slower-paced exercises like jogging or endurance cycling are examples of aerobic exercise. Fast-paced workouts like sprinting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), jumping rope, and strength training take the more intense approach of anaerobic exercise.
One easy way to remember the difference between the two is the term “aerobic” means “with oxygen,” while “anaerobic” means “without oxygen.”
The science behind anaerobic
Oxygen is required for the body to be able to use fat for fuel. Since aerobic exercise uses oxygen to produce energy, it can use both fat and glucose for fuel. Anaerobic exercise, on the other hand, can only use glucose for fuel.
Glucose is available in the muscles for quick and short bursts of movement and can be used when the aerobic system is maxed out for a short period of time.
When you begin to exercise vigorously, there is a temporary shortage of oxygen getting delivered to your working muscles. That means anaerobic exercise must be fueled using glucose through a process called glycolysis.
Glycolysis occurs in muscle cells during high-intensity training without oxygen, producing energy quickly. This process also produces lactic acid, which is the reason why your muscles get so tired after the energy burst.
By engaging in anaerobic exercise regularly, your body will be able to tolerate and eliminate lactic acid more effectively. That means you’ll get tired less quickly.
The benefits
If anaerobic exercise sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. But the benefits that come with the intense fitness regime are enough to make you want to power through your next workout. You can also burn just as many calories during a 10-20 minute anaerobic workout as you do with a 60-minute aerobic workout.
Anaerobic activity — like strength training — can increase the strength and density of your bones. This can also decrease your risk of osteoporosis.
In addition to helping your body handle lactic acid more effectively, by regularly training above your anaerobic threshold, the body can increase its ability to handle lactic acid, which increases your lactic threshold, or the point at which you experience fatigue. That means you’ll be able to work out harder, for longer.
Anaerobic exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight as well as help boost metabolism as it builds and maintains lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn during your next sweat session. High-intensity exercise is also thought to increase your post-workout calorie burn.
Studies show that anaerobic exercise, like strength training, can boost your mood and even fight depression. Consistent anaerobic exercise increases your body’s ability to store glycogen (what your body uses as energy), giving you more energy for your next bout of intense physical activity. This can improve your athletic ability, and your mood.
Takeaway
Anaerobic exercises push your body and lungs to rely on energy sources stored in your muscles. The meaning of the term translates to “without oxygen.”
People may avoid anaerobic training because it is hard. Yet by practicing simple anaerobic exercises, like strength training and high-intensity interval training (two classes we offer here at The Training Room) you can reap the benefits of this powerful workout.
Written by: Jason Goggins
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