From the perspective of exercise and fitness, the application and influence of aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration in exercise are mainly reflected in energy supply, exercise type and muscle adaptability. They each have their own unique functions. According to personal fitness goals, they can be reasonably matched and connected to maximize the training effect.
1. Energy supply
Aerobic breathing refers to the process in which the body is engaged in prolonged exercise of low to moderate intensity (such as running, cycling, swimming, etc.), during which the body relies primarily on aerobic breathing for energy. When oxygen is sufficient, your body burns fat and carbohydrates through aerobic metabolism to continuously fuel your muscles.
Anaerobic respiration refers to when the body performs a high-intensity exercise in a short period of time (e.g. : sprinting, weightlifting, jumping, etc.) and the body cannot get enough oxygen quickly, so it relies on anaerobic respiration for energy. Anaerobic metabolism mainly uses glycogen in the muscles to produce ATP quickly, but can only sustain high intensity activity for short periods of time.
2. Type of exercise
Aerobic exercises include: jogging, biking, swimming, running, yoga, etc
Anaerobic exercises include: sprint running, weight lifting, HIIT (high intensity interval training), etc
3. Muscle fitness
Aerobic breathing exercises help improve cardiorespiratory endurance, strengthen the function of the heart and lungs, increase the body’s inlining and fat-burning capacity, aid in weight management and improve overall health.
Anaerobic breathing exercises help increase muscle strength and volume and enhance explosiveness and speed, while also improving muscle endurance. Anaerobic exercise promotes lactate tolerance in muscles and improves performance in short bursts of high-intensity exercise.
4. Recovery after exercise
Recovery after aerobic breathing exercise: usually faster recovery, the body will continue to supply energy through aerobic breathing after exercise, which helps to clear the metabolic waste in the body. Such as lactic acid.
After anaerobic breathing exercise, the recovery time is relatively long due to the accumulation of lactic acid. Consider doing light aerobic exercise (such as slow walking, stretching) to help clear the lactic acid and promote muscle recovery.
5. Impact on fitness goals
Aerobic breathing exercises and anaerobic breathing exercises are both important parts of fitness, and no one type of exercise is suitable for everyone
If your goal is to lose weight or improve cardiorespiratory function, then you can focus on aerobic breathing exercises three to five times a week for 20 to 60 minutes at an intensity between 50% and 70% of your maximum heart rate. You can also add some anaerobic training as appropriate to increase muscle mass and basal metabolic rate, and improve fat loss.
If your goal is to increase muscle mass or strength, then you can focus on anaerobic training, two to four times a week, each time 8 to 12 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions. Here you can also add some aerobic breathing exercises, to improve cardiorespiratory function and recovery ability, reduce fat interference.
If your goal is to improve your health and fitness, then you can combine aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise, 3 to 5 times a week, 30 to 60 minutes each time, you can start with anaerobic exercise in aerobic exercise, or do high intensity interval training (HIIT), alternating high intensity anaerobic exercise and low intensity aerobic exercise in a short period of time.