Aerobic, anaerobic, or just exercise

So that we can be healthier and more energetic, we decided to get fit, eat right, exercise … everything. Then just when we start out, trying to figure out what to do, people throw up technical terms that we don’t understand. Words like aerobic and anaerobic confuse us and make us feel like we are not smart enough to be healthy. If I just described you, this article will tell you what the words mean and why, in most cases, they don’t matter.

What is aerobic exercise? Aerobic means ‘with air’. When an exercise routine is aerobic, your body can replenish the oxygen (air) needed for the muscles that are exercising. Aerobic exercise is good for the heart, lungs, immunity, low blood pressure, cellular health, and helps prevent or control major diseases (such as diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, asthma, emphysema, sciatica, constipation, etc.) .

Aerobic exercise is the easiest and most beneficial. If you feel like you need to choose between anaerobic and aerobic exercise, choose aerobic. It’s as simple and inexpensive as taking a brisk walk 3-5 days a week. Other types of aerobic exercise include swimming, jogging, riding a stationary bike, rowing, dancing aerobics (jazz exercises), and lifting light weights quickly. To get the full aerobic value, the activity must be sustained for a total of 30 minutes. Imagine … 2-3 hours per week could add up to 15 healthy years to your life and make the other years much healthier and more productive.

What is anaerobic exercise? Anaerobic means that training is so strenuous that you use oxygen faster than your body can replace it. An anaerobic workout is any program that is very strenuous, like lifting heavy weights, for example. Other anaerobic exercises include sprinting, climbing, long jump, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, squats, etc. Anaerobic workouts build muscle and are necessary for you to be able to do heavy work like lifting things, running away from danger, taking a steep walk, etc. It also helps with the symptoms of some diseases (such as arthritis and osteoporosis). Some people use it to get that rugged, polished look, but I’m jealous of them.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise Equipment: Aerobic equipment comes in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges, the cheapest and easiest being a pair of walking or cross-training shoes for your aerobic walk. Some of the mid-range fitness equipment includes stationary bikes, treadmills, rowing machines, escalators, etc. It can get really expensive, with electronically assisted equipment simulating uphill climbs and monitoring your blood pressure, heart rate, calories burned, as well as logging your entire routine and uploading it to the computer. For me, I’ll do the walks!

There are many types of anaerobic exercise equipment on the market in all price ranges. Some examples are dumbbells, free weights, home gyms, thigh and abdominal exercise equipment. If you are on a very tight budget, you can buy bungee cords or medical tubes and make your own anaerobic exercise equipment. Frankly, you could use a stick attached to 2 2-liter water bottles for various weightlifting workouts.

Regardless of the type you do, choosing the right exercise clothing is important to avoid injury. Whether your preferred workout is aerobic or anaerobic, if you want more equipment but don’t want to spend the money, go to garage sales. I guarantee you will find a wide variety of near-new equipment at less than a tenth of the new price.

Exercise Only: For the fitness goals of most of us, any exercise is good exercise. Both aerobic and anaerobic workouts burn calories, lower blood sugar, and are helpful for weight loss. Both types help with general fitness. Unlike not exercising, any workout improves the heart, the lungs … the whole body. Any routine that starts slowly and develops over time will safely achieve a healthy lifestyle. The most important thing is that your exercise routine is easy to do and not a dreaded chore. Whichever program you choose, make sure it’s something you can do regularly to stay in shape. If you make it fun enough to do it regularly, you don’t even need to know if it’s aerobic or anaerobic … you just need to do it.