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Anaerobic exercise is any physical activity that doesn’t primarily rely on oxygen as its energy source. Instead, anaerobic exercises use short bursts of intense energy to power the body. This is in contrast to aerobic exercise, which uses oxygen to fuel longer, lower-intensity workouts.
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Anaerobic exercise vs aerobic exercise
The key difference between anaerobic and aerobic exercise comes down to the body’s energy pathways. Aerobic exercise utilizes the aerobic energy system, which uses oxygen to convert glucose and fat into energy. This allows for sustained, prolonged physical activity.
Anaerobic exercise, on the other hand, relies on the anaerobic energy system. This system breaks down glucose stored in the muscles to produce energy quickly, without needing oxygen. As a result, anaerobic exercises are characterized by short bursts of high-intensity effort, followed by rest periods.
Some common examples of anaerobic exercises
There are examples of anaerobic exercises include:
- Sprinting
- Weight lifting
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Plyometrics
These types of activities can be done both indoors and outdoors. Outdoor anaerobic exercises like sprinting, hill running, and plyometric drills like box jumps can provide an added cardiovascular challenge compared to their indoor counterparts, further enhancing health and fitness benefits.
While anaerobic exercises don’t rely primarily on oxygen, the body still needs oxygen to function. What anaerobic exercise means is that the body isn’t using oxygen as the main fuel source during the activity itself. Instead, the body breaks down stored glucose to produce a rapid burst of energy.
This process of breaking down glucose anaerobically also leads to a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles, which causes the burning sensation you feel during intense exercise. After the workout, the body needs time to recover and replenish its oxygen stores.
Benefits of anaerobic exercises
Despite the discomfort of that lactic acid burn, anaerobic exercise provides a number of important health and body benefits:
- Muscle building: The intense nature of anaerobic exercise leads to microscopic tears in the muscle fibers. As the body repairs these tears, the muscles grow back stronger and larger, improving overall body composition.
- Improved power and strength: By taxing the anaerobic energy system, anaerobic exercises help to increase muscular strength, power, and speed, which can enhance athletic performance and daily functional movement.
- Increased metabolism: Building more muscle mass through anaerobic training raises your resting metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories even at rest for better weight management.
- Better heart health: Like aerobic exercise, anaerobic workouts strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve circulation, and lower blood pressure. Outdoor anaerobic activities that engage large muscle groups, like sprinting and plyometrics, can be especially beneficial for heart health.
- Enhanced athletic performance: The explosive power and strength gained through anaerobic training can translate to better performance in sports and other physical activities, whether indoors or outdoors. Outdoor anaerobic exercises like hill sprints and agility drills can help athletes develop the speed, power, and agility needed for many sports.
How to incorporate anaerobic exercises
To reap these health and body composition benefits, experts recommend incorporating anaerobic exercises into your fitness routine 2-3 times per week. Some good options include:
- Weight lifting: Focus on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once, like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses (push-ups can also work)
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT): Alternate short bursts of maximal effort with periods of rest or active recovery, either indoors or outdoors on a track or hill.
- Plyometrics: Explosive exercises like box jumps, burpees, and squat jumps that develop power, which can be done in a park or outdoors.
Whichever anaerobic activities you choose, make sure to allow for proper recovery time between sessions to avoid overtraining and injury. Striking the right balance between anaerobic and aerobic exercise can optimize your overall health, body composition, and fitness, whether you’re training indoors or enjoying the great outdoors.
Optimize your anaerobic workouts with the ExoTrails app! Discover outdoor locations perfect for HIIT and plyometrics, and track your progress with ease.
Conclusion
In conclusion, incorporating anaerobic exercise into your fitness routine offers significant benefits, from building muscle and boosting metabolism to enhancing athletic performance. By understanding its principles and integrating it effectively, you can unlock your full fitness potential. Join us on Facebook and let’s make every adventure an unforgettable one! Follow ExoTrails for inspiration, guidance, and connection.
