Weekly Health Page Articles: Fitness Plus

Anaerobic Exercise Builds Strength, Muscle Mass

Like aeroebic exercise, anaerobic exercise is an important component of keeping in shape. Anaerobic exercise – such as weightlifting, sprints, jumping rope, hill climbing and interval training – works muscles at high intensities for short periods of time.

Muscles trained through anaerobic exercise develop differently, giving them greater performance in short-duration, high-intensity activities. While aerobic exercise is more popular for weight loss, anaerobic exercise also helps you lose weight by increasing your resting metabolism.

"You can introduce anaerobic activities into your workout simply by increasing your intensity during training," says Darren Harris, ACSM, HFI, health and fitness coordinator at Fitness Plus. "If you can hold a conversation during or immediately after the activity, you may need to put in a little more effort."

Personal trainers at Fitness Plus will work with you to develop a workout that maximizes your effort and helps achieve your fitness goals.

From Weekly Health Page: Jan. 22, 2006