Essentials Of Anaerobic Fitness

Anaerobic fitness is another way to obtain personal physical fitness and health. Anaerobic fitness is exercising the muscles at a high intensity over a short period of time. It doesn't require the body to use oxygen as a source of fuel. Instead, the body burns stored levels of glycogen or sugar as it's main source of energy. Since the body's levels of glycogen are limited anaerobic fitness can't last long and can only be performed in short periods of time.

When a person engages in anaerobic excercises they are working their muscles at a very high intensity. This high intensity causes lactic acid to be produced in the muscles. One effect of lactic acid is the burning sensation a person experiences after exercising anaerobically. The lactic acid fatigues the muscles so anaerobic exercises should be combined with short periods of recovery. Ideally, excercises should be performed at 15 to 60 second intervals followed by a recovery period of 1 to 5 minutes.

There are three types of anaerobic fitness: isotronics, isometrics, and calisthenics. Isotronics is centered on targeting a specific group of muscles. This type of anaerobic fitness uses resistance to challenge the muscle in a full range of motion. Weightlifting using barbells, dumbbells, or resistance bands in a popular form of isotronics. Isometrics allows the muscles to contract but not within a full range of motion. Isometrics is generally performed against an immovable object like a wall. This type of anaerobic fitness is ideal of developing the total strength of a specific muscle. The final type of anaerobic fitness, calisthenics, is performed by using the body's weight as a form of resistance. Calisthenics is used to increase body strength and flexibility and is performed by doing sit ups, push ups, and squats. Sprinting is another popular anaerobic exercise.

There are many benefits to anaerobic fitness. The body uses glycogen as it's source of fuel when working out anaerobically, but it also burns fat indirectly. Exercising the muscles at such high intensities causes the body to build more muscles and increase it's metabolic rate. A high metabolism allows a person to consume more calories and burn them more efficiently. Anaerobic fitness also promotes weight loss, decreases body fat, and improves the body's strength, power and speed. It also builds lean muscle mass and is a great way to tone and firm muscles. In order to see maximum results anaerobic exercises should be performed in short intervals combined with recovery periods 1 to 2 times a week. However, a person shouldn't rely solely on anaerobic fitness to gain and maintain maximum health. It should be combined with aerobic fitness in order to achieve maximum benefits in physical fitness and health.