Nowadays, there is more information available than ever about fitness metrics, given how integrated technology is with active lifestyles. With phones and fitness trackers providing in-depth information, there is a growing interest in knowing the effects of all fitness activities, from something as simple as a walk to as advanced as underwater swimming. This has largely forced people to learn how to interpret metrics as well, including steps, stride, heart rate or bpm, and distance. The other two terms that come back into the fitness term are the aerobic and anaerobic effects of exercise.
Here’s the most basic breakdown of the two terms: “Aerobic exercise involves continuous movement powered by oxygen from the air you breathe. Anaerobic exercise involves short bursts of high-intensity movement fueled by the energy stored in your muscles,” according to a GoodRx.com article titled, Aerobic vs Anaerobic Exercise: Which Benefits You More?
SIMILAR STORIES
Aerobic means with oxygen and anaerobic means without oxygen. The former requires the lungs and heart to maintain and deliver oxygen to large muscle groups during activities that require constant movement, such as walking, cycling, swimming or rowing. The latter uses energy stored in the muscles to create short bursts of movement, such as a sprint or other explosive movement.
However, anaerobic exercise has a major advantage known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). “EPOC is the result of increased oxygen consumption and metabolism (resting energy expenditure) that occurs after exercise as the body recovers, repairs and returns to its pre-exercise state. This could happen within 24 hours, according to some sources,” he points out National Academy of Sports Medicine EPOC Science website.
Last week, after a few sessions of playing squash, I checked my fitness watch and saw a huge difference between two sessions in the anaerobic and aerobic performance of the workout. The first session was 30 minutes long and the practice report said my muscles were working faster than my heart and lungs could sustain for 42 percent of the entire game. Two days later, I played 40 minutes: 58 percent of that was anaerobic, 21 percent was aerobic, and the rest was split between intense, light, and VO2 max breathing states. The question was, is the second workout better than the first?
In order to reap the full benefits of a sport or fitness program, there must be a smart split that keeps the body accustomed to both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic training is uncomfortable—like squat jumps, for example—and if overdone, can lead to injury and burnout, especially if you don’t allow enough time for recovery. In aerobics, like all the 1990s fitness videos you can find on YouTube, the focus is on sustained periods of rhythmic, oxygen-fueled movement for longer periods of time.
Actually a The world of runners the article brilliantly articulates how people fall into the trap of focusing on one and not the other. This suggests that both complement each other. “[Aerobic] adaptations favor anaerobic performance by facilitating faster recovery between bouts of intense exercise. Conversely, anaerobic training that focuses on power and strength can improve the body’s ability to generate force, leading to improved performance in both aerobic and anaerobic activities.
Which brings us to the question of why you feel that classic lactic acid “burn” when you exercise. Dig deeper and the science gets interesting. This is explained quite simply in a VeryWellFit.com article titled Anaerobic metabolism vs. Aerobic metabolism: “When there is not enough oxygen in the bloodstream, glucose and glycogen cannot be completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water. Instead, lactic acid is produced, which builds up in the muscles and impairs muscle function.”
And what happens when excess lactic acid builds up in the muscles? The repetitions slow down, the muscles fatigue, and the amount of contraction it can produce decreases. When this happens, your power goes down and it sends a signal to your brain that you need to stop doing the bicep curl set.
This brings us to the last bit of metabolic science worth knowing for the regular gym goer. The body must produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for such muscle activity. “A molecule of glucose can only produce three ATP molecules in anaerobic metabolism, while it produces 39 in aerobic metabolism,” says the same VeryWellFit.com article, and that’s why it’s probably easier to run for five minutes than it is to sprint for while.
The bottom line would be that with fitness data now available to most people with a few clicks, it makes sense to know how to read it and what it actually means. The key, as always, is to balance the two amazing ways to stay in shape.
Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, podcaster and writer.
