Anaerobic is a method of producing energy without the use of oxygen. It assists with fast and powerful activities such as sprinting or weight-lifting. This system is used when exercise is too intense for oxygen to keep up.
For anaerobic exercise, your muscles utilize stored phosphates (the ATP-PC system) and the process of glycolysis for rapid generation of energy. The ATP-PC system assists with short activities (less than 10 seconds) through the breakdown of phosphocreatine, while glycolysis converts glucose to ATP and creates waste in the form of lactate, enabling you to continue for approximately two minutes. Anaerobic exercise develops fast-twitch muscle fibers, enhances power, speed, and the body’s capacity for handling and eliminating lactate. Preparing for endurance events, performing anaerobic interval training such as 30 seconds of maximum effort or hill sprints enhances VO₂ max, increases the lactate threshold, and enhances finishing speed. Combining anaerobic training with aerobic training assists athletes in the development of enduring stamina as well as responding to intense bursts of effort in competition.
