Know the Difference: Examples of Aerobic and Anaerobic Activities

If you’ve been exercising out for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve heard people talk about aerobic workouts, such as jogging at a moderate pace, and anaerobic workouts, such as a run that takes you up and down hills.

What determines whether or not the activity you’re doing is aerobic or anaerobic comes down to oxygen levels. Exercise can be aerobic (with oxygen), anaerobic (without oxygen) or a combination of both.

Read more: List of Aerobic Workouts

Get Moving With Aerobic Exercise

• Reducing the risk of developing heart disease, hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes
  
• Managing chronic health condition such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar
  
• Strengthening your heart and keeping your arteries clear; lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol
  
• Warding off cognitive decline
• Increasing stamina
• Improving mood and managing certain mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
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Anaerobic Exercise Examples

Which Do You Burn First, Carbohydrates or Fat?

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• Building strength and lean muscle mass
  
• Strengthening your bones
  
• Reversing the effects of bone loss and reducing the risk of broken bones and osteoporosis
  
• Increasing fat loss
• Improving cardiovascular health
• Helping to improve mood and manage certain mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety :

Combining Aerobic and Anaerobic Workouts

Lots of athletic activities and certain exercises rely on both energy systems.

Someone training for a marathon will rely primarily on the aerobic system while exercising. However, if they incorporate other methods of training during their workouts such as sprints or hill repeats, they will activate the anaerobic system (while going full force), before transitioning back to the aerobic system as soon as steady-state running resumes.