What is An Aerobic exercise?

The aim of anaerobic exercise is to build power, strength and muscle. The muscles are exercised at high intensity for short durations. A short duration usually means no more than about two minutes. 

Anaerobic means without air. Anaerobic exercises improve our muscle strength and our ability to move with quick bursts of speed. When thinking of anaerobic exercise, think of short and fast or short and intensive. Anaerobic exercises include:

• Weight lifting
• Sprinting
• Intensive and fast skipping (with a rope)
• Interval training
• Isometrics
• Any rapid burst of hard exercise

Oxygen is not used for energy during anaerobic exercise. During this type of exercise a by-product - lactic acid - is produced. Lactic acid contributes to musclefatigue and must be used up during recovery before that muscle can be subjected to another anaerobic session. During the recovery period oxygen is used to give the muscle a "refill" - to replenish the muscle's energy that was used up during the intensive exercise. 

Overall, anaerobic exercise uses up fewer calories than aerobic exercise. The cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercises are greater than the cardiovascular benefits of anaerobic exercises. However, anaerobic exercise is better at building strength and muscle mass, while still benefitting the heart and lungs. As you build more muscle you will burn more fat, even at rest. Muscles burn more calories per unit volume than any other tissue in the body. A muscly person burns more calories than a non-muscly person, even if while he/she is resting. This study found that resistance training may aid in weight loss.