Combine Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercises For Great Health

Many people do not know the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercises. All vigorous exercises are taken to be aerobic in nature. Trainers would tell you that some vigorous exercises are in fact anaerobic and have different effects on the body. Knowing the difference between the two would help you to choose and plan your workouts accordingly.

The fundamental difference between the two is quite simple. While aerobic exercise means ‘with oxygen’ anaerobic exercise means ‘without oxygen’. Aerobic exercise depends on oxygen availability and anaerobic exercise depends more on energy from cellular tissues rather than on oxygen. During aerobic exercise one is engaged in a prolonged activity that needs large amounts of oxygen. During anaerobic exercise, muscles being used rely more on energy-producing processes, which do not require large amounts of oxygen.

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises are highly beneficial to our health: Aerobic exercise actually tones the muscle throughout your body and burns fat. This enhances your good looks. There are a number of health benefits from aerobic exercise:

It improves circulation and lowers blood pressure
Increases lung capacity
Promotes heart health and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Increases red blood cell count which help in transporting oxygen more efficiently
throughout the whole body.

Anaerobic exercise helps in developing muscles differently, which boosts their performance in fast and demanding situations. There are a number of health benefits from anaerobic exercise as well:

It helps to build stronger bones
Slows down muscle degeneration with age
Increases power and speed
Increases muscle strength and mass

Examples of some good aerobic exercises are walking, running, jogging, swimming, cycling, skiing, hiking, etc. Aerobic exercises may be done at home also during your convenient hour. Many busy people ride an exercise bike or walk on a treadmill or even follow an exercise video right at home. Aerobic exercise could be performed indoors on a rainy day or when the whether is very cold.

Examples of some good anaerobic exercise include tennis, jumping, weight lifting, etc. These may also be performed at home or in a gym.

Many of us pursue aerobic activities to get into shape but we forget that anaerobic exercise is a useful complement to aerobic exercise. If you perform aerobic exercise along with anaerobic exercise you could definitely maintain a well-balanced fitness.

Before taking up an exercise regimen it would help you to check with your trainer or physician in planning and scheduling your aerobic and anaerobic activities. Begin your exercise program slowly instead of overdoing it and losing motivation or injuring yourself in the process. You could increase the intensity as you build strength and endurance over a period of time. Enjoy great health benefits by combining both aerobic and anaerobic exercises.