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Healthy
Regards
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Raising Your "Anaerobic Threshold"
Your body is able to produce energy in two
ways; aerobic and anaerobic metabolism.
Aerobic metabolism is the energy system used
99% of the time. It's how you produce energy
when you are able to take-in and use enough
oxygen to meet your body's current energy
demands. For example, this is what you use when
you're sleeping and going about your normal
daily activities.
Anaerobic metabolism is sort of an emergency
form of energy production that your body uses
when is isn't able to take-in and utilize
sufficient oxygen to meet current demands. You
would use this when you're exercising at a
high intensity for a short period of time.
The exercise intensity at which you begin to
switch over from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism
is called the "anaerobic threshold." At this point
your rate of breathing increases significantly as
several physiological parameters change due to a
lack of oxygen in the working muscle cells. For
example, the lactic acid level in the blood
increases along with an increase in the production
of carbon dioxide.
This is also the point at which you begin to notice
marked fatigue and this marks the beginning of the
end. Your muscles will soon loose the ability to
maintain that intensity and you will either have
to slow down, to an intensity below your anaerobic
threshold, or stop.
Runners and other endurance athletes learn to train
just below their anaerobic threshold. It's the
fastest pace they can maintain consistently, for
more than just a few minutes. You will often
gravitate to this point when you are walking or
jogging, or doing any type of aerobic exercise.
The point at which you reach the anaerobic threshold
varies greatly based upon your body weight and level
of fitness. For example, a person who is 75 pounds
overweight and has a low fitness level, may reach
their anaerobic threshold at only 40% of their maximal
capacity. This means that their functional capacity,
what they are able to do during the day without
significant fatigue, is low. They may be exhausted
in the evening because of this. Also, walking at what
would be considered a slow speed for others, three
miles per hour (20 minute mile), may push them over
their anaerobic threshold, because of their low level
of fitness and because they have to do considerably
more work to carry around an extra 75 pounds.
Conversely, a person who has a high level of fitness
and a healthy body weight may reach their anaerobic
threshold at 80% of their maximal capacity. They
would obviously be able exercise at a much higher
intensity with less fatigue and daily activities
would be less tiring.
The good news is that you can change the point at
which you reach your anaerobic threshold with
consistent exercise. This means that you'll be
able to exercise at a higher intensity and for
longer periods of time with less fatigue, and that
you will be less fatigued by daily activities.
Your anaerobic threshold is improved by any type
of aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging,
cycling, aerobic dance, stair climbing, etc.
The more time and intensity you add, the greater
the affect on your anaerobic threshold. Another
way to "push" your anaerobic threshold is to
exercise above it for several short periods of
time during your workout. For example, increase
your exercise intensity for one minute intervals
several times throughout your exercise session.
How do you know if you're above your threshold
for that one minute period? The intensity should
be enough to elevate your rate of breathing and
to fatigue you to the point that you are very
ready to slow down after that minute. Of course,
the intensity of your intervals should be
decreased if you have not been exercising on a
regular basis. As always, be sure to check with
your doctor before making any changes in your
level of activity.
Elevating the point at which you reach your
anaerobic threshold can do wonders for your
overall feeling of well-being, and it can
significantly increase the amount of "energy"
you have during the day and during your exercise
sessions.
Author and
exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, M.S.,
publishes a FREE email newsletter, "Fitness,
Health, & Weight Loss"! To start
your free subscription....
mailto:Fitness-on@mail-list.com or http://www.Landry.com
Copyright
2000 by Greg Landry, M.S. |
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