Improve Your Looks Through Aerobic Walking

Aerobic walking contributes both towards health and beauty. You can become slimmer and healthier by walking, which is safe, inexpensive, convenient and needs no special facilities or equipment. Many people are worried about aerobic exercises thinking that they cannot keep up the pace with others. However, aerobic walking is great for all ages and fitness levels, and easy to do.

Of all aerobic exercises, walking has the most advantages. However, it is only moderately aerobic. While ordinary brisk walking uses mostly the calf muscles to power the forward motion, aerobic walking uses the whole leg for power. Using virtually all the muscles of the lower body results in a greater metabolic change and significant improvement in health and appearance.

Using the large muscle groups for power also increases the walking speed and this increases your sense of self-confidence. In addition, the smoothness of the technique minimizes the vertical forces on the joints of the body at every stride, making it a safe exercise.

In most weight reducing programs, people generally set goals of losing a certain number of pounds. However, it is not just the weight that people are interested in. As they lose weight, they are also concerned about the size of waist, thighs and so on. There is yet another focus for reducing weight and that is shape.

Shape is not just slimness. There are slim people who have flabby tissues, a bit of a pot belly and an overall appearance that may not be so appealing. There are others who have flat abdomens, well-shaped arms and legs and full of vitality.

So, what is the difference with the two groups of people? Much of it is in the tone of the muscles. Dieting can help you lose weight and inches, but only exercise can help you get into shape. Besides weight, size and shape, posture, grace and presence add to the whole aesthetic picture.

1. Weight

Weight is not just a function of size. It is also a matter of how much of it is fat and how much is lean tissue. Lean tissue is heavier than fat. In comparing two people with the same weight, you will find that the one with strong muscle and less fat will look smaller than the one with less muscle and more fat. So, small weight differences may not indicate fat gain or loss. Do not allow such little changes to be the cause for elation or dejection. Work at the longer lasting results.

2. Size

Size again is another relative measure. A 22 inch waist on an average height person looks great but the same on a tall person will be cause for concern. Measurements must be relative to height and the body frame.

You should also measure other dimensions besides waist size. Hips, thighs, midriff, abdomen, chest and upper arms all contribute to how you look. Using exercise, specifically aerobic walking, you lose inches faster than weight. The tape measure will be a better way of measuring results rather than the weighing scale.

The easier way is, of course, when you can get into clothes that you have not been able to get into.

3. Shape

Dietary restrictions help in weight and size improvements, but do not help in shape improvements. With dieting, you can lose fat and become thin, but a bulging belly will not be flattened. When dieting, you lose weight not only in fat, but also in water and lean tissue.

In contrast to only dieting, aerobic walking yields a slim figure with only fat loss. There is a slight gain in lean tissue, and cells of vital tissues and organs are better able to utilize water in their metabolism. The muscles used in the exercise become toned and shaped, with no fat to hide them.

4. Posture

A good posture can add to the illusion of not just height but also self-assurance.

Aerobic walking provides mild, sustained exercise for the lower back muscles in balance with the abdominal muscles, which is great for posture. Aerobic walking itself requires one to hold the head high and in line with the body’s center of gravity, which further contributes to posture.

5. Grace

A great shape is enhanced by good posture. This can be taken a step further by adding grace. The smoothness of the stride and strength, yet seeming ease of movement adds life to posture.

The convenience of modern civilization has made sitters of us instead of walkers. Aerobic walking provides the fluid motion that spares the jarring of the knees and spine, enabling even runners with chronic knee problems to get a good workout.

6. Presence

Presence comes from among other things, posture, stride, self-confidence, energy and vitality. While aerobic walking does not directly confer this, it does however bring you the elements that contribute to it.

As you become adept at aerobic walking techniques and start working at levels that bring metabolic change, you can expect

- A slimmer, stronger body

- Tall, proud posture

- Purposeful and effortless movement

- Vitality

- Enhanced self-esteem

To top all of these, aerobic walking bestows a more youthful appearance by granting vitality and a strong stride.

Top 5 Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise (also known as aerobics, cardiovascular exercise, or cardio) is any sustained, rythmic activity that primarily uses your larger muscles, such as your quadriceps and hamstrings, and challenges your heart and lungs.

Aerobic means “with oxygen,” so when you exercise aerobically your body needs an extra supply of oxygen, which your lungs extract from the air. Your body uses the oxygen to produce energy during the exercise. Your heart has to work harder to continuously deliver the oxygen to your body, and this makes your heart stronger.

Here are the top 5 benefits of aerobic exercise:

1. Reduces health risks. Aerobic exercise helps prevent cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and certain types of cancer. Weight bearing exercises, such as walking and running, help prevent osteoporosis. Even if you already suffer from one of these ailments, aerobic exercise can help alleviate the ailment. Aerobic exercise also strengthens the immune system, making you less susceptible to colds and flus.

2. Strengthens the heart. Aerobic exercise strengthens the hardest working muscle in your body – your heart. A stronger heart pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of the body. Improved blood flow results in more oxygen and essential nutrients being delivered to the cells in the body. It also results in more effective removal of toxins and other waste materials from the body.

3. Strengthens the respiratory system. Aerobic exercise improves the efficiency with which the respiratory system can supply oxygen to the body. The cells in the body need a constant and generous amount of oxygen to carry out their vital functions.

4. Decreases body fat. Exercising aerobically is a very effective way to lose body fat. And when combined with strength training and healthy eating, there’s no better way to lose body fat.

5. Helps you stay active and independent as you age. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong and efficient, which helps you maintain mobility as you get older. It also keeps your mind sharp. Research has shown that exercising aerobically three days a week for at least 30 minutes can reduce cognitive decline in older adults.

Basic Aerobic Steps : Jumping Jacks Step Aerobics Exercise

Step aerobics exercises and routines for at-home workouts. Learn how to do a jumping jack step aerobic exercise in this free aerobic fitness video. Expert: Casey Neuwirth Contact: www.gateway-fitness.com Bio: Casey Neuwirth is a professional personal trainer at a local gym in Austin, Texas.

Fitness – Aerobic Training

Fitness in general includes both aerobic and anaerobic aspects. According to the priorities of the sportsman, one or the other of the two aspects will be emphasized, but the second one will not be neglected. The purpose of doing fitness exercises is, ideally, to create a complete athlete, able to face various physical and psychological demands.

The object of aerobic fitness is the so-called cardio training, a term which refers to the cardio-vascular system and the heart muscle (myocardium). We’ll talk about trainings which do not make oxygen duty and which are generally called ‘trainings of aerobic effort’. More exactly, they refer to efforts which take a long time (more than 12 minutes) – usually they take between 20 and 60 minutes and they determine acceleration of cardiac frequency and lung ventilation. Efficiency in training requires a frequency between 60-80% of the maximum cardiac frequency (calculated according to the formula 720-age – in years).

The typical exercises of aerobic fitness come from classic resistance sports (long distance running, cycling, swimming, fast walking, etc.) and from different aerobic training programs (aerobic gymnastics, step-aerobic, tae-bo, dance, etc.).

Aerobic fitness uses specific cardio machines: treadmill, classic or elliptical trainer, stepper,etc. Dosing the aerobic effort depends on the somatic type and the actual objectives of each sportsman.

Normally, the ectomorphic and mezomorphic types, which do not accumulate large quantities of subcutaneous adipose tissue, will need to practice for a rather short time (20-30 minutes per training in two or three trainings a week, in non-consecutive days). This time is necessary for realizing an effective cardiac stimulation, without the risk of losing muscular mass.

For the endomorphic somatic type, ‘benefiting’ of a lot of adipose tissue, aerobic training must last 45-60 minutes and needs to take place 4-6 times a week.

Even if trainings are extended (time, miles) and they are more frequent, their intensity, which is given by the cardiac rhythm per training, must remain high, so finally the body burns as many calories as possible. It is well-known that only after 20-30 minutes the body starts to mobilize the fat ‘deposits’. Before this, at the beginning of the training, the energetic support of the aerobic effort is ensured by the muscular and hepatic glycogen, the same as in anaerobic efforts, which are supported exclusively by the glycogen from the muscles and the liver.

This is one of the main reasons for recommending, in programs designed for losing weight, aerobic exercises – they are the biggest and fastest ‘fat burners’. Of course, the other big benefits of these exercises appear at the cardiovascular, pulmonary, psychological and other levels.

A real euphoria is observed at the psychological level during aerobic training. This is motivated by the big number of endorphins produced in the body by this type of effort. Endorphins, also called hormones of happiness, are not produced in such a big quantity during anaerobic effort. Anaerobic training determines a big release of catecholamine (adrenaline, noradrenalin), which are considered stress hormones.

A disadvantage of aerobic fitness is, first of all, non-developing a strong and fortified musculature, because of the reduced muscle efforts. We can also observe (and must resist) the monotony of the training, which is long and repetitive.

However, generally speaking, the advantages of aerobic fitness are remarkable and irreplaceable.

Aerobic Workout Videos – The Ultimate Guide

I have been using aerobic workout videos for about a year now, and let me tell you – if you have the right setup and the right attitude, they work every bit as well as an actual aerobics class with an expensive personal trainer. Although many people buy aerobic videos, and then leave them sitting there, gathering dust, and never do anything with them, many others use them to embark on a healthier, more successful life. What is the difference? Why do aerobic videos work wonders for some people, but fare horribly for others? Allow me to explain.

You see, the reason is not the aerobics videos at all, but the person watching them. The first and most important thing is attitude. Now, we have all heard that before but I will have to emphasize it again: attitude is everything. The right attitude towards exercise will enable you to find joys in hours of sweat which could otherwise make you give up for the tempting leisures of a potato-couch instead. The right attitude is essential to your success. Right from the onset, you need to set realistic and achievable goals and a constant schedule of exercise that will help you approach your goals. That is no easy task, I know. And nobody or nothing can help you. Motivation can not come from the aerobic videos – it has to come from within.

The most important thing is that you exercise regularly. Doing each aerobic video twice every third Sunday won’t count. Frequency matters more than how much time you spend on each once-in-a-blue-moon session. Even if you never make it all the way through your aerobic videos at first, you have to be using them every day or you will not get the maximum results from them – I doubt that you will get any results at all. Set realistic goals and stick with them. It is no good telling yourself that you will do a two hour workout with your aerobic videos every day, and then compromising that unachievable goal the very next minute. Set little goals, ones you know that you can succeed at, to build confidence and slowly move on to bigger goals.

Equally important is to have a good space to do your aerobics workout. If you live in a tiny one room apartment with clothing spread all over the floor, forget it. You can use some aerobic videos with less space than you might think, but if you don’t at least clear a little room to move around in, you will never reach any of your exercise goals, and that is a terrible excuse. The beginning of your aerobic workout is really setting a time, clearing out a space, and psyching yourself up. Don’t expect immediate success from using your aerobic videos. It will be very hard work and you might feel like giving up at times. But if you persevere, within a month you will notice major changes.

Does Aerobic Exercise Cause Muscle Wasting?

This is a claim you hear often, especially among bodybuilders, but also among some personal trainers. The most extreme version is “aerobics makes you fat”, the reasoning being that it leads to loss of muscle, which lowers your metabolism, causing you to gain fat because you’re now eating too much for your slow metabolism.

These types of claims are based on some truth, as we’ll see, but are highly exaggerated. Your muscles are not going to waste away to nothing because you run half an hour per day.

There are some mechanisms by which aerobic exercise can interfere with muscle growth or cause actual muscle loss. The first is that concurrent aerobic exercise and strength training lead to competing adaptations in muscles. For example, steady state aerobics leads to endurance adaptations such as increased mitochondria (aerobic energy factories) and aerobic enzymes in the muscle cells, while strength training can lead to hypertrophy, or growth in muscle fibers.

The bottom line is that doing both of these activities has been shown to cut muscle growth about in half compared to just doing strength training [Docherty, 2001; Gordon, 1967]. For those of us that are doing strength training for fitness this is not a big deal, it just means it will take longer to build up muscle mass. But for bodybuilders it’s interfering with proficiency in their specialty. So many bodybuilders will minimize aerobics or take measures to reduce the intereference.

I think this is where the seed of this “muscle wasting” idea was first planted. But note that aerobics in these studies has been shown to reduce the rate of muscle growth, which is a far cry from causing muscle loss. Interestingly, the opposite interference does not seem to occur: adding strength training does not interfere with cardio improvements. Many of us that are into aerobic training will supplement it with upper body strength work, and there’s no problem with concurrent training in that case.

There is another way that cardio can interfere with strength training, and that can be by just taking up too much time. I remember a time when I was trying to lose weight so I did about 90 minutes a day of cardio. I tried to do a token amount of resistance training but had little time and was worn out anyway. I had much more success when I cut back to a more reasonable hour per day and left more time to lift.

There are a couple of mechanisms by which excessive aerobics can lead to actual muscle loss, however, due to overtraining and/or poor nutrition. Too much aerobics can lead to increased production of catabolic hormones like cortisol (often referred to as a “stress hormone”), which can subsequently cause breakdown of muscle tissue.

But aerobics in moderate amounts is a relaxing activity, which leads to a net decrease in cortisol. Only excessive amounts of aerobic activity leads to elevated cortisol levels in the bloodstream after the activity is complete.

A study which specifically examined how much aerobic exercise is needed found that cortisol elevations did not occur when running for 40 or 80 minutes, but only occurred in runs of two hours [Tremblay, 2005]. Ironically, high volume resistance training can cause the same effect [Stone, 1998], but I’ve never heard anyone being warned not to lift because it causes your muscles to waste away!

The other mechanism is that if your body does not have enough blood glucose, it can manufacture it by breaking down protein. If not enough protein is available from food, it will get it from muscle tissue [Berning, 1998]. Again this is only likely if you’re training excessively, or undernourished.

The most obvious example of this is “hitting the wall” in the marathon or cyclists “bonking” on long rides. You can get irritable and have impaired judgement as the brain, which can only run on glucose, is not getting enough fuel.

I’ve experienced both of these and they’re no fun. I don’t know if my body broke down muscle for fuel but afterwards it sure felt like my muscles had been broken down, or at least beat up. But both times this occurred to me after about 3 hours of exercise without taking in any fuel.

On the other hand, many people that are into aerobics, thinking of carbs as fuel, will bump up their consumption of bad carbs like white flour products or sugary drinks or “power bars” which are basically glorified candy bars. This can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle of poor nutrition justified by overtraining.

There is a way people who do a lot of cardio can end up protein deficient: endurance exercise increases the demand for protein. You’ve probably heard that cardio is fueled by a mixture of carbs and fat, depending on the intensity level, but there’s a small bit of protein in the mix, too. Protein is also needed to repair any tissue damage caused by the exercise [Noakes, 2004].

Strength trainers are well aware that they need more protein, but people who do cardio often are not. In addition, since many who do cardio are trying to lose weight, they’re probably cutting back on calories at the same time, which if you do it by just reducing portion size can decrease protein intake. The typical recommendation for protein is 0.25-0.45 grams per pound of body weight, but endurance athletes can require more like 0.55 to 0.65 grams per pound [Sharkey, 2001].

So don’t overtrain and don’t underreat, and don’t eat junk. Follow common sense procedures like easy day/hard day, don’t do hours per day of cardio, and don’t try to lose more than about a pound of weight per week. Make sure you’re doing a balance of cardio and resistance training, and your muscles will be just fine.

References

-Berning, J, “Energy Intake, Diet, and Muscle Wasting”, in in Overtraining in Sport, Kreider, R, Fry, A, and O’Toole, M, eds, Human Kinetics, 1998.

-Noakes, T, Lore of Running, Human Kinetics, 2002.

-Sharkey, B, Fitness and Health, Human Kinetics, 2001.

-Stone, M, and Fry, A, “Increased Training Volume in Strength/Power Athletes”, in Overtraining in Sport, Kreider, R, Fry, A, and O’Toole, M, eds, Human Kinetics, 1998.

-Tremblay, M, Copeland J, and Van Helder, W, “Influence Of Exercise Duration On Post-exercise Steroid Hormone Responses In Trained Males”, Eur J Appl Physiol, 94(5-6):505-13, 2005.

Use Breathing to Indicate Your Aerobic Training Zone

Whether you are running, cycling, paddling, performing aerobics routines or using cardio machines, the traditional method for monitoring exercise intensity is to measure heart rate. For the purpose of general fitness improvement, this allows you to determine whether you are working within your aerobic training zone – the intensity that most effectively improves the cardiovascular system without becoming uncomfortable and causing premature fatigue.

However, few people are good at checking heart-rates: they either cannot find their pulse quickly enough to get an accurate reading, or they make any of a number of pulse-taking errors. Also, in order to take a pulse, exercisers generally have to slow down or stop which disrupts their workout.

The other option is to use a heart-rate monitor, but such equipment can be expensive and uncomfortable.

Fortunately, there is an easier, less expensive way to monitor exercise intensity – by simply listening to your breathing.

LOWER AEROBIC ZONE RANGE

You can determine the lower level of your aerobic training zone (that level of intensity is often called the aerobic threshold) by listening to your breathing – when it becomes audible, you have entered the aerobic training zone.

UPPER AEROBIC ZONE RANGE

When are you working too hard? When you are breathing so hard you can no longer carry on a conversation without gasping. This shows that you have passed out of your aerobic training zone and crossed the lactate threshold. You are now in the anaerobic training zone – a level of intensity that results in the buildup, in your bloodstream, of lactic acid and other fatigue-producing by-products of energy metabolism.

BREATHING STUDY

Robert Goode, a respiratory physiologist at the University of Toronto, has confirmed the effectiveness of using breathing to estimate exercise intensity. He performed a study in which 30 subjects pedaled stationary bicycles while heart rates and respiration levels were monitored.

Their heart rates were checked when they were first able to hear themselves breathing. He found that this point corresponded to the lower range of intensity for improving cardiovascular fitness (the aerobic threshold). Even better, this threshold changed depending on the age of the subject – a phenomenon that we know occurs as people age. For example, the aerobic threshold corresponded to about 110 beats per minute for a 65 year-old, and 150 beats per minute for a 20-year old.

Other studies have shown that the lactate threshold corresponds to the level of exercise intensity that causes you to gasp when breathing. The lactate threshold is upper range of the aerobic threshold.

CONCLUSION

If you want to exercise aerobically, work hard enough so you can hear your breathing, but not so hard that you cannot speak without gasping.

REFERENCES

1. Joe Taylor (Editor), Heavy breathing. Active Living, May 1997.

2. Phyllis Gorney Cooper (RN, MN), Editor, for the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, Aerobics: Theory and Practice, HDL Publishing, 1987.

3. Dick Moss, Editor, Physical Education Update, 2008.

Top 7 Benefits From Aerobic Activity

Aerobic activity is any activity that requires oxygen to produce the necessary ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to carry out the activity. Aerobic activity acquires ATP through the Kreb’s Cycle. One time through the Kreb’s cycle produces 36 ATP’s compared to just 2 ATP through glycolysis or anaerobic cycle. Aerobic activity is essential for your cardiovascular health.

Aerobic activity achieves the following:

1. Raises your VO2 max (your maximal oxygen uptake). It does this by increasing the amount of oxygen your body is able to use during normal aerobic activities. If you’re out of shape and run a mile, you might run it in ten minutes or so, but if you have a regular aerobic routine (which could consist of jogging, walking, running, biking, or any cardiovascular activity), you can speed up running the mile by minutes because you’ll be breathing more efficiently.

2.Increases your red blood cells’ oxygen-carrying capacity. This is done by increasing the number of red blood cells. Red blood cells are needed in your body to carry oxygen in their hemoglobin. The more red blood cells you have, the faster oxygen is transported throughout your body.

3. Decreases your resting heart rate (RHR). Aerobic activity does this by increasing the muscle strength of your heart and by actually increasing the size of your heart. Lance Armstrong, Michael Phelps, and any other athlete that is in aerobic sports have huge hearts that pump a great amount of blood in no time. The heart is like every other muscle in your body: it responds to training by increasing in size and strength. Performing aerobic activities regularly can decrease your heart rate by up to 20 beats per minute; a normal heart rate ranges between 60-80 beats per minute. A reduction in beats per minute saves the heart from beating about ten million beats per year.

4.Increases the number of mitochondria. This needs to increase because it is the site for aerobic energy production. So as the number increase it gives the cells in your body potential to produce more energy for muscular work.

5.Increases the number of capillaries. Capillaries in your body are a place for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and cells. The larger the blood vessels dilate, the more exchange of gases can take place. This increases the rate at which oxygen is delivered to the heart.

6.Lowers blood lipids and blood pressure. Regular aerobic activity leads to lower blood pressure which reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks. It also reduces levels of fats and cholesterol in arteries. Fats and cholesterol are the culprits that clog arteries, leading to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and coronary heart disease.

7. Faster recovery time and an increase in fat-burning enzymes. By training regularly, you help your body in recovering faster and staying healthier. You will be less likely to get sick and be healthier and feel good every day. You also increase fat-burning enzymes. By increasing lean muscle mass, that you get from doing aerobic activity, your body burns fat because you increase the number of enzymes so you burn more fat.

Aerobic activity is easy to do just about anywhere, running, jogging, biking, and walking are not your only options. You can increase your activity by just changing little lifestyle habits. You can park farther out in the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or even bike to work if close enough. Doing yard work can also be considered aerobic activity, like mowing, raking, or just any household chore you do for a while. As you can see, there are many benefits for changing your lifestyle; you’ll live longer and feel better each and every day.

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Aerobic Exercises Benefits, Lose Weight With Aerobic Exercises

Aerobics is known to be vital in pepping up cardio-vascular capacity. This means that it amply strengthens the cardiac muscle, lowers hypertension and decreases level of bad cholesterol. It further increases stamina by encouraging more oxygen into the body cells. It also lets the lungs bask in oxygen, even above the vital lung capacity. Overall, aerobics are a pleasant mantra to remain fit….

There is no doubt that most any form of aerobic exercise offers some benefits such as better circulation, improved respiration, better muscle tone and a feeling of well being. However most people are doing aerobic exercise for weight loss.

Everyday, it seems, we hear of some new truths, which may contradict what we have always accepted about a certain element of health and fitness. This can be related to the amount of minerals or vitamins you should or should not consume, the amount of exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, you should have and so on.

Every person out there wants to get his or her body in shape fast. There are several ways to get your body in shape and lose some weight but nothing comes close to aerobics. Aerobics is one of the best and the fastest possible ways to lose weight real fast and burn calories like crazy. Read on to discover some of the most effective aerobic exercises which would help you lose weight real fast…

A good aerobic exercise program can help you live a longer, healthier life and enhance your well being. You get a multitude of benefits if you do your aerobic workout on a regular basis even if the intensity is low or short in duration. It’s fun to keep a log of your workouts that track your progress to see how far you have come in your pursuit of fitness.

Brisk walking- This is another great aerobic exercise which makes you lose weight like anything. All of us walk but there is a way of walking. You see brisk walking burn calories twice as hard and helps you lose weight rapidly. But you might complain that you don’t have the time to walk, in this case the best possible option is to stop driving to the nearest mall or the grocery store. Instead of driving have a brisk walk.

Cycling- Another great way of burning fat fast is to use a cycle. It can be a stationary or a regular bike. The good thing about cycling is that it does not strain the whole body and joints much but at the same time it provides you with a very intense workout which would help you shed a lot of weight real fast.

Climbing stairs- This is yet another very effective aerobic exercise which always gets you results. The good part is that you can do it even when you don’t have much time in your hands. We come across stairs almost everyday doesn’t matter if we are at home, work or some other place. Make sure you climb up two stairs at a time instead of one as that would lead to more intensity and more calories burning in the process which would help you lose weight.

Train All Energy Pathways: Aerobic, Anaerobic and Anaerobic Lactate

Train the anaerobic, anaerobic lactate and aerobic energy pathways for superior conditioning performance… Not just one energy pathway for “specialized” conditioning.

To develop superior conditioning you must train the anaerobic, anaerobic lactate and aerobic energy pathways… not just one energy pathway at the expense of the others.

There are three energy pathways used to provide energy for activity… one aerobic and two anaerobic.

Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen… and any activity that is performed at a low to moderate intensity for more than 90 seconds, allowing oxygen to release energy through metabolism, is usually called an aerobic activity.

The benefits of aerobic activity are…

Increased Cardiovascular Function
Decrease in Body Fat

Well, that sounds pretty good, but the negatives of excessive aerobic training are…

Decreased Muscle Mass
Decreased Strength
Decreased Power
Decreased Speed
Decreased Anaerobic Capacity

Anaerobic means in the absence of oxygen… and any activity that is performed at a medium to high intensity for less than 2 minutes, where energy is derived without oxygen, is usually called an Anaerobic activity.

There are two anaerobic energy pathways…

The Anaerobic System (ATP-CP) is where energy is derived from the re-synthesis of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP) from Creatine/Phosphate (CP) until the stores are depleted… about 5-7 seconds.

The Anaerobic Lactate System (Glycolytic) happens after the (CP) stores have been depleted where the body resorts to the breakdown of glucose for energy.

This results in the production of lactate and hydrogen ions… ultimately leading to fatigue.

The benefits of anaerobic activity are…

Increased Cardiovascular Function
Decrease in Body Fat
Increased Muscle Mass
Improved Strength
Improved Power
Improved Speed
Increased Aerobic Capacity

When I look at the differences between the benefits of Aerobic and Anaerobic Training… I often wonder why the vast majority of Commercial Fitness Programs advocate Aerobic training almost exclusively while completely ignore training the Anaerobic energy pathways.

After all, you will perform how you train!

Are the majority of activities that you perform in sport, work or life long, continuous aerobic activities… or short bursts of medium to high intensity anaerobic activity followed by rest?

I think that it is pretty clear… long, continuous aerobic activity will not prepare you for the majority of activities you perform, and can even decrease performance in certain physical abilities over time.

Short, intense Anaerobic training is the way to go to get the most positive benefits for performance improvement… but remember that it is not exclusive.

You will naturally flow between all three of these energy pathways.

This is very important, you need a solid aerobic base before you can benefit from the more intense anaerobic activities… so you should build up your aerobic base before attempting anaerobic activities.

I know what you are thinking… “I was told that aerobic training was the best way to lose fat.”

Well, you will lose fat through aerobic training… but you will also lose hard earned muscle and physical abilities.

That is not something you want to do on your path to over-all fitness excellence.

After all, the reason you should want to reduce unneeded, unwanted fat in the first place is to improve performance… so why reduce fat at the cost of performance improvement?

You will also lose fat through anaerobic energy pathway training… but you will also gain useful muscle and improve physical abilities.

Furthermore, intense activity will keep the metabolism working hours after you stop the activity… and the useful muscle you gain will use resources from food for their maintenance instead of being converted into fat.

Now, that sounds more like it!