Aerobic vs Anaerobic Exercise: Which Is Better?

There was one stupid girl who always thought it had to be 24 hours and 5 minutes as opposed to those who thought 48 hours should make up a day! It took her 5 extra minutes for everything in life – to write an exam, board a bus or train, finish a presentation and whatnot! One day (not so nice day) she was late, as always, to get on her bus home from the office. In a hurry, she got on the wrong bus. Smart enough to recognize her mistake, she got off at the next signal and harassed all bus drivers on the street who asked for the right bus. She struggled again for those 5 minutes to find the bus that would take her home. Finally, after a long walk, she finally got on the right bus. The girl gasped, grabbed a seat, and noticed her cell phone beeping. Mr. Fit had sent a WhatsApp message asking about her workout. She replied that she was going home and out of breath! Mr. Fit replied saying that half of her cardio training is done since she ran after buses so much 😉 The girl replied that cardio was a breeze compared to that anaerobic exercise that made her chase buses that made her gasp so hard. Both started arguing about Aerobic vs Anaerobic Training and Which is Best? ! You know Aerobic vs Anaerobic Training: Which Is Better?

What is aerobic exercise?

The one with intensity and long duration. In short, your 45 minute – 1 hour long, boring, monotonous cardio workout on the treadmill is aerobics in nature! Some examples of aerobic exercise are walking, cycling, cardio on a treadmill or elliptical machine, jogging, etc. Aerobic exercise is known to use fat for energy. During aerobic activity, the body stays in the fat-burning zone unless you push yourself too hard and start exercising at high intensity.

What is anaerobic exercise?

Anaerobic training is high-intensity training that is carried out at short intervals. The body uses glycogen, made from glucose, for energy during anaerobic exercise. Since there is an immediate need for energy, glycogen, which is a simpler structure, breaks down faster compared to fatty acids. Some examples of anaerobic exercise are weight training, sprinting, and rowing. HIIT is also a form of anaerobic exercise. Read more about HIIT and its infinite benefits here.

Aerobic vs Anaerobic Training: Which Is Better?

Anaerobic training sessions require immediate energy reserves. Because of this, anaerobic exercise is prone to burning more Calories from carbohydrates (glycogen) relative to fat, while aerobic exercise does the opposite.

When you exercise at a certain heart rate (around 60-70%), you burn a higher percentage of calories from fat. This is called the fat burning zone. Now you can argue that since your idea is to lose fat, aerobic exercise is better. Um, not entirely true! Let me explain.

It is true that at a lower heart rate, the percentage of calories burned comes from fat. It also means you have been burning maximum fat while sleeping since you wereOur heart rate is the lowest at this point 😛. In theory, sleeping is the best way to reduce fat. Does that happen in reality 😀? If that had happened I would be a bomb shell now

The truth behind the irony above is that during aerobic exercise, while you are burning a higher percentage of calories from fat, the total number of calories burned is much lower.

The most important thing in exercising is to burn calories. More Calories Burned Means More Fat Loss! AAs long as you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. 3500 calories is what it takes to lose 1 pound. This equation still holds true today. However, that doesn't mean you can eat rasgulla as high in calories as your meal and lose weight! All calories cannot be treated equally.

Anaerobic exercise has an advantage over aerobic exercise that will blow you away! Anaerobic workouts put your body into a post-workout phase of oxygen consumption. This simply means that you will continue to burn calories at an accelerated rate for hours after you exercise. Your metabolism will stay high for hours after you stop exercising.

Have you ever wondered why sprinters (anaerobic) have better bodies than marathon runners (aerobic)? Check the pictures below –

Now back to the same question again – Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise: Which is Better?

You cannot do anaerobic exercise daily because it is high intensity. You need a day gap for your body to recover. Therefore, a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise is required for best results.

To better understand how to plan your workouts, refer to 1 Monthly Workout Plan here. Any questions? Scream !