How to distinguish aerobic exercise from anaerobic exercise

The core criterion for distinguishing the two is the way the body supplies energy during exercise. It is by no means a crude division based on events like the stereotype of "running is aerobic, and lifting iron is anaerobic." I also encountered this pitfall when I first started working out. I thought that as long as I went out for a run, I would be aerobic. Until I once ran an interval run with a coach. After running 400 meters at full strength, I couldn't even speak. I looked down at my sports watch and my heart rate had soared to 92% of the maximum heart rate. I later learned that the energy supply during that period was almost entirely dependent on the anaerobic system, which was not considered aerobic at all.

In fact, to put it bluntly, aerobic energy supply is like a gas stove used at home. It is burned slowly over medium heat. Sugar, fat and even protein can be used as fuel. As long as the oxygen supply can keep up, it can continue to burn. There is almost no residual metabolic waste, so you can continue doing low-intensity aerobic for a long time without being too uncomfortable; Anaerobic energy supply is more like a flying monkey released during the Chinese New Year. You rush when you light up the fire. You can reach full explosive power but cannot hold it for a few seconds. It relies on the decomposition of phosphate and muscle glycogen that do not require the participation of oxygen. It also produces metabolic by-products such as lactic acid. This is also the reason why your muscles will be so sore after you finish sprinting 100 meters or pull a heavy weight that you cannot lift.

There is actually no consensus in the industry that all sports must be classified into a certain category. Many researchers even believe that labeling sports as aerobic or anaerobic can easily mislead novices. Even if it is the widely recognized anaerobic exercise of iron lifting, you use 2 kilograms of small dumbbells to slowly do shoulder and back activation without panting for twenty minutes. In fact, the energy supply is mainly aerobic, which is not much different from slow walking. Badminton, which is often regarded as an aerobic exercise, if you play professional competitions, constantly jumping to kill the ball and running back, then every moment of the explosion is anaerobic energy supply. Only the gap between picking up the ball and adjusting will return to the aerobic mode. It cannot be simply classified into a certain category.

Ordinary people don’t actually need to dig out professional data on the energy supply system. It is very simple to judge whether what you are currently doing is aerobic or anaerobic: if you can chat with the people around you normally and continuously without gasping for a long time, then you are basically in the aerobic range; if you struggle to even speak a complete sentence, then there is a high probability that you have entered the state of anaerobic energy supply. After all, the classification is just to make it easier for everyone to match training goals. If you want to lose fat and practice cardio, stay in the aerobic zone more. If you want to increase muscle and increase explosive power, do more anaerobic intensity. There is no need to box yourself in categories.