Exercise generally falls into one of two categories – aerobic or anaerobic – and if your goal is simply to improve your physical fitness, you can probably do it for a while without knowing the difference. “Whether you’re training for aesthetic improvements, a specific activity or sport, or for health-protective benefits, they’re both effective,” says Luke Carlson, founder and CEO of . discover strength.
But as your goals start to narrow, you’ll want to understand the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Because, at a certain point, one will become significantly more valuable to you than the other. “You don’t necessarily have to do 50-50, and it depends on your specific fitness goals,” says Irwin Sulapas, MDA sports medicine physician at Houston Methodist. “Both are important, but you have to look at your goals.”
Here are the most important differences (and similarities) between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, according to experts, along with their advice on how to use both in your training.
Aerobic vs Anaerobic Exercise
The difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise is not so much what you do, but how you do it. For example, running can be aerobic, but it can also be anaerobic. The same applies for lifting weights. What differentiates aerobic activity from anaerobic activity is its intensity, which in turn determines which energy pathway – aerobic or anaerobic – your body uses to sustain itself.
Aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, or rowing at moderate intensity, depends on oxygen. On the other hand, anaerobic exercise – short, high-effort exercise, such as running or lifting heavy weights – is powered by glycogen stored in the muscles. “With aerobic exercise, you’re working at a moderate intensity for a longer period of time, whereas anaerobic exercise is typically performed at a higher intensity for a much shorter period of time,” says Dr. Sulapas.
While aerobic and anaerobic exercise rely on completely different energy pathways, the two are not mutually exclusive. It’s possible to do mostly aerobic or anaerobic workouts – like light jogging or bench-pressing your one-rep max, although, more often than not, they work together. “Playing a game of volleyball or tennis is both aerobic and anaerobic,” says Carlson. Similarly, a HIIT workout can stress your anaerobic system for intense efforts and your aerobic system for overall endurance and recovery between intervals.
You should do both (but more of the one that supports your goals).
Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise are essential for improving your overall fitness, whether you are a long-distance runner or a powerlifter. “I call it the yin and yang of exercise,” says Dr. Sulapas. “Aerobic exercise helps improve your cardiovascular fitness, your lung capacity, and your endurance, while anaerobic exercise builds your strength, power, and muscle mass.”
Both these types of fitness also provide benefits to each other. “If your muscles aren’t strong, you’ll tire more quickly when doing aerobic exercise; similarly, you need aerobic fitness to increase your intensity,” says Dr. Sulapas. “For example, long-distance runners should try to do some type of anaerobic strength training about twice a week. And those who are focusing more on building strength should do some type of cardio regularly to maintain their stamina for lifting heavy weights.”
This doesn’t mean that your training should be split 50-50 down the middle. If you’re preparing for a half marathon, your training should be primarily aerobic. Conversely, if your goal is a bigger squat, anaerobic strength training should make up the bulk of your sessions. “Choose to prioritize aerobic or anaerobic exercise depending on your activity or sport,” says Carlson. “Marathon running is 99.9 percent aerobic, so to prepare for it, you should do aerobic training. Meanwhile, football is almost 100 percent anaerobic, so your training for that will be almost completely anaerobic. We should always think about what we are training for.”
