Best Exercices for Weight Loss : Aerobic vs anaerobic

Best Exercices for Weight Loss : Aerobic vs anaerobic

A lot has changed since the golden age of aerobics and jazzercise in the 80’s. Nowadays people do not enjoy cardiovascular exercise as they used to even though aerobic and anaerobic exercises still offer multiple mental and physical health benefits.

However, an extensive body of studies suggest that cardiovascular exercise offers exclusive benefits
that strength training alone cannot provide. To understand why let us review the difference between both forms of exercise.

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise can be perfect for your workout routine since they each provide
benefits and help keep you physically fit. The difference between them is the way your body uses energy to do them.

Defining Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

The best way to remember the difference between those concepts is the term anaerobic means with oxygen, while anaerobic means without oxygen.
That’s the key difference between cardio and strength training. Cardio is an aerobic exercise. Strength training is an anaerobic exercise.

Every move we make requires energy to be created and there are three main ways that this is done. One
requires oxygen and two do not require oxygen.

Aerobic means with air and refers to the body producing energy with the use of oxygen which typically
involves any exercise that lasts longer than two minutes.

What Is Aerobic Exercise ?

Aerobic exercise is cardiovascular training that will make both your heart and lungs stronger. This kind of exercise is fueled by the oxygen that you get when you are breathing. Your muscles need more oxygen as you exercise. The oxygen is carried by the blood and causes your heart rate to go up and makes you breathe deeply.

While doing aerobic exercise which includes repeated, continuous movement, your blood vessels carry more oxygen to your large muscle groups (legs and arms…)

What Are the Aerobic Training Benefits ?

When you are participating in a Zumba class or a spin class for instance, the source of energy fueling your exercise is oxygen. You are breathing deeply which causes your heart to pump oxygen-rich blood through your body.

As such, it offers benefits such as :

• lowering your blood pressure and protecting your immune system making you less susceptible to colds or the flu.
• It also strengthens your heart and is good for building endurance and this means that your heart and your lungs become more efficient and stronger.
• allowing you to train longer.

What are the Main Types of Aerobic Exercises ?

It is recommended that you engage in the following aerobic exercises for at least half an hour, at least two times each week :

• Running or jogging
• Walking
• Step aerobics
• Dancing
• Using a treadmill
• Swimming

• Cycling or biking
• Jumping rope
• Stair climbing

Main Health Benefits of Aerobic Exercise vs Anaerobic

One of the main benefits of aerobic exercise is how it impacts your cardiovascular health. This kind of exercise makes your heart and lungs stronger. According to a survey, it is explained by the increased blood flow to the brain while engaging in cardio exercise which helps :

• Protect your body against inflammation
• Eliminate toxins from the brain
• Boost your memory
• Promote the development of new brain cells

Best Way to Maintain or Lose Weight

Right up there with a healthy diet, regular aerobic exercise can help you maintain or lose weight.

It may also help you feel more relaxed and therefore improve your mood since when you exercise, your body releases endorphins, a chemicals in your brain which might lead to a better night’s sleep.

A Couple of Tips

• If you have not been active in a while, it is recommended that you start out slowly.
• You should first warm up for 10 minutes and increase the pace gradually.
• Select your activity of choice and do it for at least 5 minutes adding a more time to your workout routine.
• Make sure you include a cooldown period after every session (such as stretching or walking).

What Is Anaerobic Exercise ?

By contrast, anaerobic means without air and is generally exercise that is performed at a higher intensity. It refers to the body producing energy without oxygen. Anaerobic movements are only intended to be fast and repeated for a short time (seconds) as these are powerful and usually cannot be sustained for long.

There are 2 ways that the body can produce energy anaerobically :

• One anaerobic energy system known as the ATP-CP system provides immediate energy for instantaneous burst of exercise (such as for a throw, sprint or jump and can last from 0 – 10 seconds.)
• The other anaerobic system is known as the lactic acid system and provides energy for very hard efforts lasting roughly 10 – 120 seconds. It is often associated with the feeling of burning in your muscles.

Even though looking at these energy systems in isolation can be convenient, energy will be derived from all three systems when you are exercising. It is just that the focus will change depending on the intensity of the exercise you engage in during your training session.

Aerobic vs anaerobic training basically refer to the energy system you are trying to improve.

What are the Anaerobic Training Benefits ?

Anaerobic training is performed at a harder intensity than aerobic exercise, it uses the energy that’s already stored in your muscles. Which means your body is breaking down glucose to fuel those dead lifts. Therefore anaerobic exercises are also the key to improving your fitness levels and can offer you many benefits (such as burning fat, strengthening your bones or building muscles.)

What are the Main Types of Anaerobic Exercises ?

Since your main goal is to build muscle massn it is worth noting that when you follow an anaerobic exercise routine over the course of several months, your muscles often experience hypertrophy. This causes your muscles to increase in mass through the contraction, stretching and damage suffered by the muscles during the exercise.

Examples of anaerobic exercises include :

• Weight lifting
• Jumps and squats
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

A Couple of Tips

Since you push your body to work at your highest level of effort, to start an anaerobic training, such as weightlifting:

• Warm up for 10 minutes (go for a jog or stretch first).
• First focus on your large muscle groups first, like your arms and legs. Then, select five different exercises to do.
• At the end of thr session, cool down (walk or stretch).

Main Health Benefits of Anaerobic Exercise

Just like during aerobic exercise, you will create muscle mass, burn calories and improve your cardiovascular health. However, there are other benefits to resistance training. Lifting weights, can help keep your bones strong as you get older for instance.

At the end of the day, both types of exercises can provide benefits if you want to allow your body to build more endurance and both should be incorporated in a well-balanced fitness routine.