Why is anaerobic fitness important

Anaerobic exercise can benefit both cardiovascular and psychological health. Aerobic Exercises Aerobic exercise allows you to keep your heart rate up for an extended period of time because it can be sustained by your oxygen intake.

Your body continuously fuels the muscles with oxygenated blood to support the exercise. Any type of low- or moderate-intensity exercise is considered aerobic, including walking, running, cycling, dancing, water aerobics, spinning, elliptical exercise, swimming, cross-country skiing, skating, basketball, soccer, hiking, and racquet sports. Benefits of Aerobic Exercise Aerobic exercise burns fat using the oxygen that you inhale.

Aerobic exercise is good for your cardiovascular system because it strengthens the heart and increases the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize, which increases your endurance. Research has shown that aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of developing many health issues, such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, and can also help to alleviate anxiety and depression. Any type of physical activity will benefit your body and mind, but the most effective exercise programs include a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic exercise and incorporate appropriate rest periods.

The ways in which you can get aerobic and anaerobic exercise are nearly limitless, so pick some of your favorite activities, and have fun building a stronger, healthier body.

Sara M. As a former CrossFit gym owner and current fitness lover, Sara has a lot of personal and professional experience inside and outside the gym. She loves to write about various topics related to health, wellness, nutrition, human behavior, and self-mastery.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hit enter to search or ESC to close. Sara M Sara M. X Member Login Username. Forgot Password. How are these types of exercises different? Anaerobic exercises do not rely on oxygen for fuel and do not last as long. How long it takes: Aerobic exercises are typically endurance-type exercises that rely on keeping your heart rate steadily elevated over an extended period of time.

Anaerobic exercises are typically more intense and involve bursts of energy over short intervals of time. The rate of your heartbeat: Both exercises get your heart rate up, the difference lies in how high and how steadily. You will be out of breath, but not so much that you cannot keep up. The benefits of this exercise come from what you can accomplish in those bursts of intensity. Anaerobic activity — like resistance training — can increase the strength and density of your bones.

This can also decrease your risk of osteoporosis. In addition to helping your body handle lactic acid more effectively, anaerobic exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. One study examining the effects of high-intensity training found that while the effect of regular aerobic exercise on body fat is small, HIIT training can result in modest reductions in stomach body fat. It can increase your power. A study conducted on division 1A baseball players found that players who did eight to second wind sprints three days a week saw their power increase by an average of 15 percent throughout the season.

Anaerobic exercise helps boost metabolism as it builds and maintains lean muscle. High-intensity exercise is also thought to increase your post-workout calorie burn. By regularly training above your anaerobic threshold, the body can increase its ability to handle lactic acid, which increases your lactic threshold , or the point at which you experience fatigue. Need a pick-me-up?

Studies show that anaerobic exercise, like strength training, can boost your mood and even fight depression. Gains in strength and bone density attained by high-intensity anaerobic training, like bodyweight squats and pushups, can reduce your risk for diabetes and heart disease.

This can improve your athletic ability. Anaerobic exercises push your body and lungs to rely on energy sources stored in your muscles. People may avoid anaerobic training because it is hard. Yet by practicing simple anaerobic exercises, like high-intensity interval training, sprints, and heavy weight training, you can reap the benefits of this powerful workout.

High-intensity interval training HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with recovery periods. Here are 7 health benefits of HIIT. Are you exercising regularly and still gaining unwanted weight?

It's only natural to want to know why. Our nutrition expert answers your question. A stronger metabolism can help you on your weight loss journey and burn fat more easily, but is three days enough to get your metabolism running…. Learn about the best pre-workout nutrition strategies.