How To Tell the Difference Between Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

There are often problems when it comes to differentiating between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, mainly because they are semantically similar words that are pronounced in a similar way.

Both types of exercise are two totally different types of exercise that involve the use of different types of muscles, fibers, and hormones when performing it because they are two types of physical exercise that are really opposite.

The bad thing about not knowing how to differentiate them is that when it comes to going to the gym and training and saying what you are training, you could say it in an incorrect way, for example saying outrageous things like “my favorite anaerobic exercise is to go for a run”, which will undoubtedly lead to a strange conversation and even to be laughed at for your lack of knowledge.

In addition, by knowing the difference between the two, you will be able to know the key differences when looking for information about a specific type of exercise, since often famous youtube channels use words of this technical type and you could get confused when it comes to interpreting them correctly.

From doncomos.com we’re going to teach you what the key differences are between aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise, so you’ll never get confused again.

What do you need to differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic exercise?

•  Some knowledge about physical exercise, both aerobic and anaerobic.

Instructions for differentiating between aerobic and anaerobic exercise

1. Definition of aerobic exercise:
   First of all, it is necessary to define aerobic exercise, as it is the most well-known exercise of all and one of the most performed in the world. We define aerobic exercise as any exercise that is performed using oxidizable energy sources, that is, that need oxygen in order to be used, since the word aerobic means with oxygen. These sources of energy are the classic macronutrients, which are fats and carbohydrates. In order to use these sources, exercise must be of long duration and low intensity, so that there is always a constant influx of oxygen into our body. Some examples of aerobic exercise are running, cycling, dancing, sports such as soccer, dancing, aerobics, and all cardiovascular exercises.
2. Definition of anaerobic:
   Once we have defined the word aerobic, we must move on to its opposite, that is, anaerobic, in which we are going to explain the differences between one and the other. Anaerobic exercise is defined as any exercise performed with energy sources that do not need oxygen, as the word anaerobic means in the absence of oxygen. Obviously anaerobic exercises are at a very high intensity, in which we cannot breathe, therefore they are also of short duration unlike aerobic exercises which are of long duration and are much longer. The energy sources used range from muscle ATP, to creatine, lactic acid and glycogen. Some good examples of anaerobic exercise would be weightlifting, sprinting, speed trials, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or high-explosive sports like mixed martial arts.
3. Advantages and uses of aerobic exercise:
   Aerobic exercise is normally used to lose body fat and to increase the amount of physical endurance of our body, however, it also has the advantages of being a fun type of exercise, with which you feel great and is also healthy. The drawbacks are that it can catabolize muscle mass (make you lose muscle) and it can slow down your body’s basal metabolism if done too often because the muscle fibers adapt to this type of exercise and become smaller.
4. Advantages and uses of anaerobic exercise:
   Anaerobic exercise is used to gain muscle mass and to increase the basal metabolism of our body, however, it can also help to lose fat if performed at very high intensity. The disadvantage is that they are very hard exercises with which we could suffer a risk of heart attack due to the great intensity with which they are performed and we will finish the exercise very tired in a short time due to the great intensity of them.

Tips for Differentiating Between Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

• Which is better: This is a peculiar question, as it causes quite a bit of controversy when it comes to saying which one is better. My answer is that it depends on your goals, since wanting to define is not the same as wanting to gain muscle mass.
  • If you want to get muscular: Anaerobic exercise is good and anaerobic exercise is bad.
  • If you want to gain stamina: Both exercises are good, as one gives you endurance at long distances and others endurance at short distances, however, anaerobic exercise can cause you to run long distances and run out of energy too quickly.
  • If you want to lose fat: Here both are always good, even the anaerobic one is better because it does not lower the basal metabolism. Aerobics is always good if it’s done the right way (2 or 3 times a week without overdoing it).