Aerobic & Cardio Articles

Physical activity is one of those things that everybody in the world needs to participate in. For a good constitution and a good quality of living, cardiovascular exercise is necessary no matter who you are. Lives can be better in all kinds of different ways with it's numerous benefits. There are two kinds of cardiovascular activity: aerobic and anaerobic. Why do we need to participate in either of these?

In general, anaerobic exercise ends up burning less calories than aerobic exercise does, but it does build muscle and lean body mass. As more energy is burned with muscle that replaces fat cells, muscle and lean body mass inceaseIncreased muscle mass leads to lost weight and a leaner figure as muscle groups burn more energy than fat cells. A shortage of oxygen to the muscles occurs when you start to exercise anaerobically. With anaerobic training the body can become better equipped to handle fatigue. As the endurance level increases, the body creates less lactic acid and the removal of it from the blood becomes more effective. With increased muscle capacity, the groups can perform at 12% - 50% more productively, allowing the body to accumulate higher levels of lactic acid during exercise. Aerobic exercise is exertion that is usually lower in intensity and lengthier in time span. The term aerobic translates to with air or with oxygen. Aerobic exercise is done to train the body to be more active for longer amounts of time. It is commonly known as endurance training or cross training. Some aerobic exercises are; walking, jogging, biking, or swimming. To keep the body's endurance, a large amount of oxygen is needed to produce the necessary energy. Good health and improved performance needs aerobic exercise.

Anaerobic activity is different than aerobics in that it is usually done in a shorter period of time at a greater intensity. The word anaerobic translates to without air or without oxygen. A by-product called lactic acid is developed by the body as it is labored in very strenuous activities. If aerobic exercise is done to enhance endurance, anaerobic exercise is to increase muscle strength for times when great levels of energy are required in a short time.

The lactic acid that is produced is what causes muscle fatigue. The lactic acid produced must be used up during a rest period before more anaerobic exercise is attempted. During anaerobics, oxygen is used by the muscles to restore burned energy. Lactic acid removal can become more efficient with training. A few examples of anaerobic exercise are; sprinting, hill climbing, running intervals, jumping rope, and other activities that take large bursts of energy.

Anaerobic exercise is usually for people who have already reached a certain level of fitness and are attempting to raise speed, agility, and power. People should do a good bit of aerobics warming up and stretching before and after an anaerobic exercise session. It is not recommended to do anaerobic exercise if you are a pregnant woman. Also, if you are a beginner to exercise, you should begin at about fifty percent intensity level for your particular fitness level.