What Does Anaerobic Exercise Feel Like?

What Does Anaerobic Exercise Feel Like?
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Anaerobic exercise, which is performed by many athletes to increase performance, leaves you feeling breathless. This type of training puts your body to work at a high level of intensity for a short period of time and does not rely on large amounts of oxygen. Such an effort is usually only sustained for 30 seconds or one minute.

Anaerobic

Anaerobic exercise does not require oxygen. The American Council on Exercise explains that anaerobic activity is fueled off of carbohydrates in the form of glycogen. Glycogen, which is stored in your muscles, propels your body to run faster and jump higher. Because oxygen is not present, these kinds of activities can only be sustained for a short period of time, and they leave you feeling exhausted because of the greater demand they place on the body.

Feeling

Anaerobic exercises challenge your body differently than any other types of training. Anaerobic training leaves you feeling exhausted. Your muscles work in an oxygen-deprived state during anaerobic exercise. Being deprived of oxygen causes your body to expend energy faster than your body can replace it. Lactic acid begins to build up in your muscles. Shortly after you expend your energy, usually between 30 seconds and two minutes, you feel very winded and as if you could not continue.

Intervals

Sprint intervals are often associated with anaerobic exercise because a sprint can only last a short period of time. The American Council on Exercise reports that interval training uses both the aerobic and the anaerobic energy systems to work your body. Intervals uses short bursts of anaerobic work followed by a recovery of aerobic activity. For example, you may sprint for 30 seconds and recover for three minutes.

Benefits

Your body benefits from anaerobic exercise because it improves your cardiovascular endurance. Anaerobic training also boosts muscular endurance and athletic performance. Strength training is also an element of anaerobic training and can help your body gain strength and even stronger bones.

References

Article reviewed by Contributing Writer Last updated on: Jun 15, 2011

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