Most of the time, when we think about fitness, we think about aerobics. This is partially due to the high energy courses available at most of the gyms. However, aerobic exercise is not restricted to those classes. For most people, it is hard to understand the difference between aerobic exercise and non-aerobic exercise? Is it something related to oxygen only or is there something?
In the simplest terms, the main difference is related to oxygen. With aerobic exercise, oxygen is carried from the breath to the muscles. It gives them the energy required to support the effort. However, oxygen is not utilized in non-aerobic exercise.
Now let’s have a closer look at this.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is endurance-type exercises in which a person’s muscles move in a rhythmic and coordinated manner for a sustained period.
Exercise needs energy. When we exercise aerobic, our bodies use glycogen and fat as fuel. You can maintain this low to moderate level of exercise for long periods of time. When you breathe more deeply, carbon dioxide is expelled from your body. Aerobic exercise does not produce lactic acid as in non-aerobic exercise.
Examples of aerobic exercise include:
- Brisk walking
- Running
- Cycling
- Swimming
Benefits of aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise can offer multiple health benefits. This includes a reduction of the risk of heart attack, type 2 diabetes, or stroke.
Some benefits of aerobic exercise include:
1. Keep excess pounds at bay: Aerobic exercise, combined with a balanced diet, helps you lose weight and keep it off.
2. Increase stamina, fitness and strength: You may feel tired when you perform your daily aerobic exercise first. But over in the longer term, you will experience increased stamina and decreased fatigue.
You will also improve your heart and lung fitness and your bone and muscle power over time.
- Ward off viral illnesses: Aerobic exercise is a healthy way to stimulate the immune system. This may make you less susceptible to mild viral diseases, such as colds and flu.
- Reduce health risks: Aerobic exercise lowers the risk of multiple illnesses. This includes obesity, heart attack, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and many types of cancer.
- Weight-bearing aerobic activities: Such as walking help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Risks of aerobic exercise
Almost everyone will benefit from aerobic exercise. But get a doctor’s permission if you have been inactive for a long time or have a chronic illness.
If you’re new to aerobic exercise, it’s important to start moving slowly and steadily. So that you can reduce the chance of injury. For example, start walking for 5 minutes at a time and add 5 minutes per time until you’re up to a 30-minute walk.
Non-aerobic Exercise
Non-aerobic activities are those involving short, intense bursts of physical activity.
These exercises do not require an increase in the absorption and transfer of oxygen. During non-aerobic activity, the body breaks down glucose reserves in the absence of oxygen. This leads to lactic acid build up in the muscles.
Examples of non-aerobic workouts include:
- Sprinting
- Weightlifting
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Benefits of non-aerobic exercise
Non-aerobic exercise will be helpful if you’re trying to work up your body or lose weight. It can also be helpful if you’ve been exercising for a long time. And you are looking to push through the fitness plateau and reach a new goal. It will even help you maintain muscle mass as you age.
Other benefits may include:
- Increases bone strength and density: This activity may improve bone strength and density. It could also reduce the chance of osteoporosis.
- Promotes weight maintenance: This exercise will help you maintain a healthier weight.
- Increases power: It could increase your strength. In a 2008 survey of Division 1A baseball, some players made eight 20-to 30-second wind sprints three days a week. They saw their strength rise by an average of 15 percent over the season.
- Fights depression: Do you need a pick-up? Studies suggest that non-aerobic exercise, such as weightlifting, boosts mood and also fights depression.
- Protects joints: If you build up your body strength and muscle mass, your knees will be better protected. This ensures that you will have more protection against injuries.
Risks of non-aerobic exercise
Non-aerobic exercise can be difficult for the body. On a scale of 1 to 10 for perceived exertion, high-intensity non-aerobic exercise is anything more than seven. It’s not usually recommended for beginners in fitness.
Get your doctor’s permission before you add non-aerobic exercises to your schedule. Work with a licensed fitness instructor. That instructor will help you develop an non-aerobic program based on your medical history and goals. A health professional can also demonstrate the correct movement methods for non-aerobic exercise. Exercise with proper technique is important for the prevention of injury.
Key difference
To sum up, the key differences between aerobic and non-aerobic include:
- The use of oxygen is what helps distance runners to cover several miles for long periods. Sprint runners, on the other hand, use non-aerobic systems to short power distances quickly.
- Slow-twitch muscle fibres are mainly used during aerobic exercise. On the other hand, fast-twitch muscle fibres are contracted during non-aerobic activity.
- Aerobic exercise is performed continuously and is excellent for cardiovascular conditioning and body stamina. Non-aerobic exercise is quick in duration and results in higher strength. However, developing fatigue tolerance during non-aerobic exercise may also improve performance.
Despite the contrasts of each, both aerobic and non-aerobic exercises offer excellent health benefits.
What should you choose?
You need to correctly identify a fitness goal to find the best kind of exercise for yourself. If you’ve just begun to work out, you’ll first do aerobic workouts to develop fitness. If you’ve learned the basics, add non-aerobic exercise to your fitness schedule.
Non-aerobic movements can be taxing on the body, which, in the beginning, may cause fracture or sprain.
How often should you do aerobic vs. non-aerobic exercise?
The American Heart Association suggests that healthier people get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 5 days a week or at least 25 minutes of intense aerobic activity 3 days a week. You should also apply two days a week to your strength training to complete your schedule.
Non-aerobic workouts may be a tax on the body. With the doctor’s permission and the guidance of a licensed fitness instructor, non-aerobic workouts can be added to your weekly workout schedule.
Perform non-aerobic exercises such as HIIT workouts no more than two or three days a week. And always provide at least one full day of rest in between.
Final Thoughts
Aerobic and non-aerobic exercises can be helpful to your health. Depending on your goals and fitness level, you may choose to start aerobic workouts such as walking, jogging, and strength training two to three days a week.
As you build up stamina and strength, you can add more non-aerobic workouts such as HIIT and plyometrics. These workouts will help you gain muscle, burn fat, and improve your stamina.
Check with the doctor before starting some workout regimen. You can also consult with a licensed fitness instructor in your gym or community centre who can recommend the right workout for you.
