When training for a sport, there is often confusion between the benefits of the two categories of exercise: aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic exercises are those which can be sustained for long periods (20 minutes or more) in which the muscles of the body receive sufficient oxygen to continue, and energy is generally drawn from sugars and fats. Anaerobic exercise is exercise that is so intense that it cannot be sustained for a long period of time, and the oxygen demands of the muscles exceed what the body can supply.
Aerobic Training Benefits
Since aerobic exercise can be sustained for long periods of time, it increases the strength and size of the heart and the efficiency of the lungs, and it creates sustained calorie burn which is essential for fitness and weight loss. Aerobic fitness increases the body's endurance and lowers blood pressure. Aerobic fitness also tends to make it easier to recover after exercise and may reduce the occurrence of diabetes and help lower cholesterol. From a long-term standpoint, aerobic exercise is an important part of staying healthy and living an active lifestyle into old age.
Anaerobic Training Benefits
Anaerobic training includes activities like weight lifting, sprinting and boxing which the body cannot sustain and which tend to create a build up of lactic acid, causing muscular soreness a day or two after exercise. Anaerobic training is beneficial since it tends to build up muscle mass, which results in faster calorie-burning during exercise and a heightened metabolism. This allows the body to burn fat more quickly, and it can allow an athlete to eat larger portions of food without gaining weight. Stronger muscles gained from anaerobic training also hold joints more firmly in place (reducing the chance of joint injury) and increase bone density. This can be especially important for those at risk for osteoporosis.
Cross Training Benefits
While aerobic and anaerobic training each carry a unique set of benefits, a well rounded athlete should split their training between both types of exercise. The great thing about aerobic and anaerobic exercise is that they play off of one another well. For instance, strengthening the leg muscles with weight training will allow one to run faster and burn more calories while jogging. On the other hand, aerobic training will increase the amount of oxygen that the blood can bring to the muscles, allowing the muscles to perform better when being overloaded during anaerobic activity. Still, an athlete should keep their sport in mind at all times; a long distance runner will spend more time focusing on aerobic activity, while a weight lifter will spend the majority of their training focused on anaerobic activities.
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