What Is The Difference Between Aerobic High Intensity Training & Aerobic Low Intensity Training?

High-intensity and low-intensity aerobic training both provide benefits, although they put different types of strain on your body. Almost anyone can complete some low-intensity aerobic training, because it comes in simple forms like going for a walk, while high-level athletes usually perform high-intensity aerobic training. Choose your training type based on your current fitness level and your long-term fitness goals.

Heart Rate

You can determine the intensity of your workout based on your heart rate. Less intensive exercises increase your heart rate considerably, which provides cardio benefits. When you exercise at a higher pace, however, you create an oxygen deficit in your blood. This means that your muscles do not receive energy from the oxygen that you breathe, but rather from the glycogen that you have stored in your blood.

Low-intensity Training

Low-intensity aerobic training occurs whenever you exercise and increase your heart rate to a certain point, and your body begins sweating. You can achieve a low-intensity workout by doing things around the house like shoveling snow or mowing the lawn. You can also go for a walk around the block or go for a quick run. Any of these activities provide cardiovascular benefits as long as you do them for more than 10 minutes at a time. Over the course of a week, you should get between 75 and 150 minutes of aerobic exercise. Exercises at the high end of the low-intensity spectrum, such as jogging, only require about 75 minutes per week.

High-intensity Training

Many times, high-intensity training is referred to as anaerobic exercise. This type of exercise fatigues your body to the point of exhaustion, because you cannot produce enough oxygen to keep up with your needs. In most cases, high-intensity training involves short bursts of energy, following by a period of active rest. During the active rest period, you keep moving in a light jog to continue creating an oxygen deficit.

Choosing between the Two

Your exercise needs depend on what you wish to accomplish. If you simply want to stay in shape and lose some weight, you can stick with low-intensity training. You lose about 1 pound for every 30 miles that you walk, so it can take some time to see the full benefits. High-intensity workouts create greater benefits in less time, which is one reason for their popularity. They burn calories at a higher rate and can lead to muscle growth. As your body adapts to the stress that you put it through, you begin seeing more of these benefits.