Aeorobic and Anaerobic Exercise
Exercise requires energy. When we exercise aerobically our bodies use glycogen and fat as fuel. This low to moderate level of exertion can be sustained over long periods. With aerobic exercise oxygen is carried through your breath to the muscles giving them the energy needed to sustain the effort. Oxygen is not present with anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is the type of moderate intensity physical activity that you can sustain for more than just a few minutes with the objective of improving your cardiorespiratory fitness and your health. "Aerobic" means "in the presence of oxygen." You know that you're doing aerobic exercise when your heart's thumping and you're breathing faster than you do at rest, but you can sustain the activity for extended periods of time. I recommend the cue "warm and slightly out of breath" to determine if your activity level is aerobic. Walking, jogging, biking, dancing, and swimming are examples of activities that can be performed aerobically. It is difficult to overstate the benefits of aerobic exercise. It is not only improves overall health and quality of life, but may also extend your life. Aerobic exercise burns fat, improves mood, strengthens the heart and lungs and reduces your risk of diabetes.
Anaerobic, on the other hand, means "the absence of, or without, oxygen." Anaerobic exercise is performed at an intensity that causes you to get out of breath quickly and can be sustained for only a few moments. Weight lifting and sprinting are examples of anaerobic exercise
When we exercise anaerobically glycogen is used as fuel. Once all the glycogen has been depleted usually in about two hours you can expect to hit the proverbial wall. Endurance athletes avoid this performance buster with carbo loading before exercise which when converted to sugar gives more energy and supplements during exercise to sustain energy. During anaerobic exercise your body builds up lactic acid, which causes discomfort and fatigue at sustained levels. For this reason anaerobic exercise or high intensity exercise happens in short bursts. It may be helpful to consider the difference between a sprinter anaerobic and a marathoner aerobic. Sprinting is an all-out effort that is sustained for a comparatively short period while marathoning is a sustained effort. Anaerobic exercise helps build lean muscle mass. Calories are burned more efficiently in bodies that have more muscle. Anaerobic exercise is especially helpful for weight management in that it helps you to burn more calories even in a body at rest and anaerobic exercise can also help build endurance and fitness levels.
The problem with the terms "aerobic" and "anaerobic" when applied to exercise is that we actually never switch from total aerobic to total anaerobic metabolic conditions. In reality, the more intensely we exercise, the greater the need for anaerobic energy production. Consequently, it is best to view the terms aerobic and anaerobic as transitions in metabolism, where the proportion between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism changes depending on exercise intensity.
http://www.active.com/fitness/articles/aerobic-vs-anaerobic-exercise-which-is-best-to-burn-more-fat
Anaerobic, on the other hand, means "the absence of, or without, oxygen." Anaerobic exercise is performed at an intensity that causes you to get out of breath quickly and can be sustained for only a few moments. Weight lifting and sprinting are examples of anaerobic exercise
When we exercise anaerobically glycogen is used as fuel. Once all the glycogen has been depleted usually in about two hours you can expect to hit the proverbial wall. Endurance athletes avoid this performance buster with carbo loading before exercise which when converted to sugar gives more energy and supplements during exercise to sustain energy. During anaerobic exercise your body builds up lactic acid, which causes discomfort and fatigue at sustained levels. For this reason anaerobic exercise or high intensity exercise happens in short bursts. It may be helpful to consider the difference between a sprinter anaerobic and a marathoner aerobic. Sprinting is an all-out effort that is sustained for a comparatively short period while marathoning is a sustained effort. Anaerobic exercise helps build lean muscle mass. Calories are burned more efficiently in bodies that have more muscle. Anaerobic exercise is especially helpful for weight management in that it helps you to burn more calories even in a body at rest and anaerobic exercise can also help build endurance and fitness levels.
The problem with the terms "aerobic" and "anaerobic" when applied to exercise is that we actually never switch from total aerobic to total anaerobic metabolic conditions. In reality, the more intensely we exercise, the greater the need for anaerobic energy production. Consequently, it is best to view the terms aerobic and anaerobic as transitions in metabolism, where the proportion between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism changes depending on exercise intensity.
http://www.active.com/fitness/articles/aerobic-vs-anaerobic-exercise-which-is-best-to-burn-more-fat