Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Systems 

Your body uses two energy systems as part of the metabolic processes that deliver energy to your body's cells—the aerobic (requires oxygen) and the anaerobic (doesn't require oxygen). When your body needs energy to perform an activity, it typically uses the aerobic energy system. Oxygen captured by your lungs is transported through your bloodstream to your large muscle groups. Here it is combined with glucose from the food you've eaten to create energy that powers your muscles to move. If no glucose is available, the aerobic energy system uses the fat stored in your body to produce energy. The aerobic system is used for activities performed at a moderate level of exertion like walking, swimming, and biking.

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Sometimes your muscles are needed for short bursts of intense activity, like carrying a heavy box or jumping out of the way of a moving car. There isn't time for your lungs to provide oxygen to muscle cells in these situations, so your body uses chemical reactions to produce energy. This is the anaerobic system and it's used for high-intensity activities such as jumping, lifting, pushing, and pulling. These are tasks in which you exert muscle contractions against the resistance of weight or gravity.

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The Mismatch Method's exercise plan focuses on aerobic exercise because i significantly improves the functioning of your metabolic system which reduces chronic body inflammation. This does not mean, however, that anaerobic exercise isn't beneficial for health and wellness—it most definitely is. If you have the time and the interest to supplement the exercise plan with anaerobic activities we encourage you to do so. To that end, we will soon be adding several optional anaerobic-based bodyweight workouts  to the Amazing website. The remainder of this article will review the ways anaerobic activity benefits the muscular and skeletal systems.

 

Anaerobic Exercise

When performing anaerobic (also known as resistance or weight) training your muscles quickly contract against weight or gravity at a high-intensity level. When this occurs, the working muscles undergo tiny micro-tears (recognized by sore muscles after a workout). The body automatically applies proteins to the damaged muscle, developing new muscle tissue at the point of the tear. Over time, with repeated anaerobic activity, the newly accumulated muscle mass increases your body's strength and stamina, allowing you to live a more active lifestyle. It also reduces the risk of developing chronic joint and musculature pain. Building and maintaining muscle mass is important to our overall health, especially as we begin to age and it becomes much more difficult to increase muscle fiber.

 

Research has shown that anaerobic activity also increases bone density. Like the micro-tearing and repairing of muscle tissue, when bone tissue is placed under stress through anaerobic exercise, bone cells migrate to the stressed area and secrete proteins to strengthen it. The proteins eventually mineralize, adding increased bone strength. Strong bones support your muscles, strengthen joints, aid in coordination, and limit the occurrence of fractures. Increased bone density also reduces your risk of developing osteoporosis.

 

Resistance Training

The most common form of anaerobic exercise is weight (resistance) training. If you have a gym membership or the means to access one, you may choose to use weight training for supplemental exercise. If you pursue weight training, it is critically important that you have a certified trainer to help you develop a workout plan and ensure you use the proper weightlifting form to avoid serious injury.

Especially if you are new to weight (or resistance) training we recommend you start with home-based anaerobic exercises and perform them daily. This typically involves using the body's weight against gravity to work the muscles (push-ups, squats, etc.).

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For best results, you perform resistance training until you experience a burning sensation in the working muscle group and/or are too winded to continue–not much fun. That said, try to welcome the discomfort, as it's a sign that the muscle group has been properly exhausted and you're building muscle strength and power.