Walking into any gym you’ll notice a few things. First is that all the different machines and exercise areas are arranged by type. You’ve got the machines and free weights in one area, and the stationary bikes, treadmills, and aerobics section in another. This is because all exercise falls roughly into two categories. Aerobic, and anaerobic exercise. This is article you’ll learn the basics of each one, and which one is best for you.
First of all, what is aerobic exercise? This simply means that your body is primarily using oxygen in the process to turned stored fuel into your body into energy. When you are breathing hard over a long period of time, your body is producing kinetic energy from the stored energy in your cells. Anaerobic exercise, on the other hand, doesn’t use oxygen to create energy. It uses purely stored energy. Energy from anaerobic exercise can only last for a few seconds before it switches over to aerobic exercise. Getting winded after sprinting, or running up some stairs, are examples of the need for oxygen after some anaerobic exercise.
The main purpose for aerobic exercise is to provide fat loss, and cardiovascular health. When you are engaged in aerobic activity, you are likely using your legs to do most of the work, such as jogging, walking, and bicycling. Generally speaking, people that do a lot of aerobic activity are slender and don’t carry around a lot of body fat. They are also incredibly flexible.
Since almost all popular aerobic activities focus primarily on the legs, the upper body doesn’t get much of a workout. Most long distance runners aren’t really known for their six pack abs and stunning biceps. This is likely the main drawback to a pure aerobic activity based exercise plan.
Anaerobic exercises on the other hand, which utilize short bursts of energy, are great for building muscle size and strength. Doing these exercises to target specific muscles can lead to a well proportioned physique. This is the biggest draw to these kinds of exercises.
Some of the drawbacks of pure anaerobic workouts are lack of flexibility, and less cardiovascular health than their long distance running buddies on the other side of the gym. Although lifting weights gives you a better cardiovascular workout than sitting on the couch, it is not nearly as good as long distance running. Also, there are some that think that getting big and bulky may contribute to high blood pressure.
What is likely the best thing to do, unless you are training for a specific event, is to combine both cardiovascular, or aerobic activity, with anaerobic, or weight training. That way you’ll get the best of both worlds, and enjoy all the benefits.
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