Carolina Fitness Magazine - The Christmas Abbott Issue Fall 2015 | Page 8
THE DIFFERENCE AND ADAPTATIONS OF ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC SYSTEMS
Adaptations are taking place on a number of levels
with aerobic training. The first interesting aspect is
the body’s ability to increase its metabolic stores,
such as glycogen, creatine, triglycerides (fats),
and ATP. This is showing that the body understands that it will need to have extra stores for the
higher levels of work at times during the training
period-more so than it would without
training. It is important to note that
the body only increases stores to
levels that match demand. It will not
create extra creatine or glycogen if
the body does not believe it is needed.
Improvements in the blood
flow and body’s ability to adjust
blood flow/pressures are another
factor in the adaptations that occur
with aerobic training. Not only is
cardiac output improved upon, but
the body will adjust blood flow during exercise or
performance to active muscles more than other
systems that do not require as much blood (digestive system). Blood pressure and heart rate decreases with regular aerobic training. Respiratory
responses involve more efficient gas exchange
within the lungs in the alveoli. The concentrations
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of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) within the
blood stream contributes to the success of performance and levels of fatigue (refer to appendix 2).
The main difference between the two
mechanisms would be when they are utilized from
the initiation of exercise. Anaerobic controls activity within the first sixty seconds, then any activity
that maintains past that point will be
aerobic. It is incorrect to state that
one does not use oxygen, both use
oxygen except the ratio differences
change between the two mechanisms. It all depends on the length
of exercise or the event being performed. It is in the best interest of
an athlete to train both mechanisms.
Both mechanisms can be trained
to be efficient, but they may not
necessarily be trained at the same
time. For example, you wouldn’t have a shot put
thrower conducting Olympic lifts in the weight room
(to build their power output and anaerobic mechanisms) then request they also add a 3 mile run
(aerobic). Performing both of these tasks together would lessen the effectiveness of the athlete.
*REFERENCES IN BACK OF MAGAZINE