Everyone knows that exercise is important to maintaining a healthy body. Regular physical activity can improve your brain health, maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of some diseases, and strengthen your bones and muscles.
When adding exercise to your daily and weekly routine, it is important to include both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Experts in the medical and fitness communities promote both aerobic and anaerobic exercise, although age and other health factors may limit what types of exercise are safe for you.
Most people are familiar with the term aerobic exercise. They know it refers to various forms of exercise that get the heart pumping while increasing one’s breathing rate. Many also know that there are great benefits from other forms of exercise, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises. These are forms of anaerobic physical activity.
In this post, we will break down aerobic vs. anaerobic exercise so that readers may understand why both forms of exercise are necessary for a well-rounded exercise plan.
What is Aerobic Exercise?
Aerobic exercises use oxygen as their fuel. These types of exercises are often referred to as cardio because both cardio and aerobic exercise increase your heart rate and oxygen intake While they technically refer to two different things, cardio and aerobic exercise occur simultaneously and are often used interchangeably.
For the average person, aerobic exercises are cardio.
There are many forms of aerobic exercise, including jogging, bicycling, dancing, soccer, and swimming. During these types of exercises, one’s rate of breathing increases, and the heart begins to pump faster. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to muscles and other tissues throughout the body. These muscles and other tissues use the oxygen from the blood as their fuel, allowing them to meet the increased demand for movement.
Aerobic exercise is great for strengthening the heart and lungs. During aerobic exercise, body metabolism increases, thus burning additional calories and fat. There is also evidence that a person’s metabolism runs at a faster rate for a certain period of time after they are finished exercising. Aerobic exercise also increases a person’s level of endorphins, which are chemicals that can help improve a person’s mood. It is the increase of endorphins, also known as “runner’s high,” that many people experience after going for a run.
What is Anaerobic Exercise?
The term “anaerobic” actually means “without oxygen.” This form of exercise typically involves intense bursts of activity where the demand for oxygen exceeds the current supply. In the case of anaerobic physical activity, when oxygen supplies are exhausted, the body turns to the glycogen stored in muscle tissue as the primary source of fuel. Through the process of glycolysis, glycogen is converted into glucose sugar in the bloodstream. The glucose is then used for energy by muscles and other tissues.
Anaerobic exercise requires quick bursts of intense energy. Examples of anaerobic physical activity include weight lifting or strength training, sprints, full bodyweight exercises (squats, lunges, push-ups), and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Anaerobic exercise is great for increasing muscle strength and power. Strong, healthy muscles burn more calories even at rest, helping individuals to lose weight more easily. Strong muscles provide endurance for aerobic types of exercise, and they also help individuals perform everyday tasks such as carrying groceries, lifting grandchildren, or doing yard work.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise: How Physical Therapy Can Help
When it comes to the question of aerobic vs. anaerobic exercise, both are definitely beneficial. However, some individuals may be in a position where they cannot engage in regular exercise, at least not on their own.
Some may be suffering a sports injury or an injury stemming from a vehicle accident that makes both aerobic exercise and anaerobic physical activity difficult. Others may be easily injured because they have arthritis and/or their muscles are weak from a sedentary lifestyle. In other cases, while recovering from a lengthy injury, it’s not uncommon for a person to fall into a deconditioned state, meaning they have lost their former state of physical fitness. Regardless of the reason, not everyone is in a position where they can partake in either aerobic or anaerobic exercise.
This is where a series of physical therapy appointments can offer tremendous help. A physical therapist assists individuals who require professional help to recover from an injury. A PT can help decrease one’s pain, thus allowing the individual to move more freely. As a patient feels better, a PT can introduce stretches that will improve range of motion, eventually introducing strengthening exercises designed to combat weakness. If any impairments could possibly reintroduce injury upon a patient’s normal resumption of activity, a trained physical therapist can provide tips and exercises on how to avoid re-injury.
Contact Cawley Physical Therapy
Are you trying to decide between aerobic vs. anaerobic exercise to benefit your recovery? Speak with a professional! A physical therapist can determine when you are ready to engage in normal levels of both aerobic and anaerobic activity.
If you want to know more about how physical therapy can help you prepare for healthy exercise, please contact Cawley Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation at 570-208-2787.
