Aerobic or Anaerobic? – The Right Way At The Right Time

Most athletes exercise anaerobically the majority of the time, rather than aerobically. Aerobic exercise (not aerobics, such as “aerobics” class), is when you are exercising within a specific heart rate zone, (a certain intensity), which will be discussed. Please see the Sock Doc Training Principles for a thorough understanding of aerobic, anaerobic, interval training, and strength training. Anaerobic activity is whenever you exercising withing a higher intensity zone and usually whenever you lift weights or perform some type of strength training. Read on to learn how to build an aerobic base and know when to exercise anaerobically. Not only will your fitness improve like never before, but your health will too.

I also strongly recommend reading Dr. Maffetone’s book The Big Book of In Fitness & In Health. This is available from retail bookstores or from Amazon.com (click here). His new book (2010) titled The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing can be purchased here. Also check out a great new book called Return to Fitness by Bill Katovsky, founder of Tri-Athlete magazine and two-time Hawaii Ironman finisher. It can be found here. Supplemental information can be found under “Performance”, in the Fitness section.

IMPROVING YOUR FITNESS WHILE IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH

• BUILD YOUR AEROBIC BASE: For optimum health and performance it is critical to develop the aerobic system. Many athletes are not as fit as they should be because they have never fully developed the aerobic system.
• It takes months, sometimes even years, to fully build the aerobic system. A healthy aerobic base is advised before implementation of any anaerobic interval training, “speed work.” Doing anaerobic work  too early can lead to physical and mental burnout, illness, injury, and poor aerobic development.
• Strength and conditioning may be perfectly fine and advised during your aerobic base building period.

• Use a heart rate monitor along with the following methods to build your aerobic base.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT AEROBIC IS?
YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS:

Option 1: Use the Maffetone Method described below
Option 2: Use Joe Friel’s Field Test and Zone Training described below
Option 3: Find a lab (often at a university) to perform metabolic testing (gas analyzer and/or lactate testing). These usually cost around $150 and their accuracy is somewhat dependent upon the technician skill level. For some this may be the most accurate, though most inconvenient test.

Option 1: THE MAFFETONE METHOD & THE MAXIMUM AEROBIC HR FORMULA

This method, developed  by Dr. Phil Maffetone, focuses on finding your aerobic training zone using the following simple formula and then conducting periodic tests to see when you should no longer be exercising within that heart rate zone. It is the simplest of all three options, and the one I use most to help athletes build their aerobic base.

First – The Formula:

Next – Put the number to work:

Now that you have your Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate number, it is important that you exercise accordingly.

• Warm-Up for 10-15 minutes at a heart rate of 10-20 beats below your Max aerobic HR.
• Exercise at an intensity 0-10 beats below your max aerobic heart rate, but not over.
• Cool-Down for 10-15 minutes at a HR similar to the warm-up, but now with decreasing intensity.
• If you plan to exercise only 20-30 minutes, your workout will be a warm-up & cool-down.

Example:
You are 40 years old, have exercised 2-3 times a week for the last 3 years but have general nagging health problems including sore knees when you run.
180 – 40 – 5(b) = 135

Let’s say you have 40 minutes to go for a jog/run:

• Warm-Up while increasing your HR up to 115-125 for 15 minutes
• Keep your heart rate between 125-135 for 10 minutes
• Cool-Down while decreasing your HR from 125 down to your normal walking heart rate

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART, NOT YOUR FRIENDS!

Many individuals starting this program will realize that they have been exercising well over their maximum aerobic heart rate and will think the number is wrong and “not applicable to them”. Give it time, it will pay off. It may take months.

If you were once running, you may need to jog, or even walk. If you come to a hill, you may need to walk up it. If you exercise with friends, you now have to exercise alone unless they are able to work out at your true aerobic heart rate. (Aerobic activity allows you to talk to friends.)

“When Can I Exercise Harder?”

You can begin to add anaerobic activity when your maximum aerobic function levels off, or “plateaus”. This is determined by your Maximum Aerobic Function Test (MAF). In the following example, it is when this runner went through month #7 and month #8 with no improvement in their mile split, at the same consistent (135) HR. So in month #9, this person would start to add in some anaerobic workouts – see examples below.

THE MAXIMUM AEROBIC FUNCTION TEST

SOME (MORE) KEY POINTS:

• Anaerobic endurance activity is very stressful to the body, if done too soon (without an aerobic base) or too often, your health will suffer.
• Anaerobic activity is performed whenever you are working above your maximum aerobic heart rate, most types of weight lifting (regardless of HR), and racing.
• Do not exceed 3 anaerobic workouts per week, never back-to-back, never more than 5 weeks in an “anaerobic block”, and never over 90% of your MAX HR (not aerobic max), other than during short (20 second) sprints.
• Anaerobic activity excess increases free radicals, thereby diminishing health.
• Excess anaerobic activity decreases aerobic function so you’re burning more sugar and less fat.

Option 2: JOE FRIEL’S FIELD TEST USING LACTATE THRESHOLD APPROXIMATION & ZONES

This test was developed by Joe Friel – a well known running, cycling, and triathlon coach. The test is explained below and then put into his formula to obtain training zones.

There are external variables to consider for this test. Your diet (such as sugar and caffeine) can impact the results of the test. For example, if you drink a lot of caffeine or ate a lot of sugar before one test and not the other, you most likely will get different results. The same goes if you are under a lot of emotional stress one day and not the other. Weather and equipment are factors too. The point of this test is to get an accurate measurement of your lactate threshold to base your training zones off of. Lactate levels are “moving targets” – they are never the same and many factors influence lactate levels. Your lactate threshold (also known as your anaerobic threshold), is the point when lactate (from lactic acid) builds up in the body faster than it can be removed – and it is occurring at a constant heart rate. Many athletes refer to this as “the red line” and a perceived exertion of 7 or 8 on a 1-10 scale (10 being the hardest).

*Note* This method is for the more advanced athlete who perhaps needs to further expand their aerobic system and/or another method is not working for them. However, please note that this test is based off your LTHR (described next) and that can change, even from day to day. Also, you’re still training aerobically no matter what method you use. In this method, Zone 2 most often correlates with the 180-Age Formula.

• Step 1: Determine your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR)

To find your LTHR do a 30-minute time trial all by yourself (no training partners and not in a race). It should be done as if it was a race for the entire 30 minutes. At 10 minutes into the test click the lap button on your heart rate monitor. When done look to see what your average heart rate was for the last 20 minutes. That number is an approximation of your LTHR. Go hard for the entire 30 minutes. Be aware that most people doing this test go too hard the first few minutes and then gradually slow down for the remainder. That will give you inaccurate results. The more times you do this test the more accurate your LTHR will become as you will learn to pace yourself better at the start.

• Step 2: Establish your training zones with the following guide to establish each zone for running & cycling

Run Zones:

Zone 1 – Less than 85% of LTHR – these are recovery workouts

Zone 2  – 85% to 89% of LTHR – long workouts – very aerobic – Ironman pace

Zone 3 – 90% to 94% of LTHR – high aerobic – ½ Ironman pace

Zone 4 – 95% to 99% of LTHR – race pace up to 1 hour – don’t train here too much

Zone 5 – 100% and higher of LTHR – all Zone 5 are sprints, hills, anaerobic short intensities

Bike Zones:

Zone 1 – Less than 81% of LTHR

Zone 2 – 81% to 89% of LTHR

Zone 3 – 90% to 93% of LTHR

Zone 4 – 94% to 99% of LTHR

Zone 5 – 100% to 102% of LTHR

SOME  KEY POINTS:

• The majority of training should be done within Zone 2, and for more experienced athletes with a well developed aerobic foundation, Zone 3 training is advised. These are your main aerobic building zones. Zone 1 is for very easy recovery days and Zone 4 should be avoided most often because training too close to LTHR is a great way to overtrain. Keep Zone 4 to those group rides/runs maybe one time a week max; racing too.
• The amount of aerobic training you perform depends on what you’re training for. Obviously training for an Ironman is going to involve much more aerobic activity (and much less anaerobic) than if you are training for a 5K trail run. Training for an IM might mean 15 or more total hours per week of aerobic activity while the 5K training could be as little as a few runs a week of 30-40 minutes each.
• As with Maffetone’s Method, you should be testing yourself every so often – typically every 3 to 6 weeks – to see your progress (hopefully not regression) – and adjust your training accordingly. Testing is done by keeping your HR within a certain range/zone over a certain distance, and seeing if your time is better, or worse.
• All the previous points regarding aerobic and anaerobic training are applicable with both methods.
• Again, weight lifting and other types of strength conditioning should be tailored to your specific need/activity and modified throughout your training plan.

Ready to do some anaerobic? Think short and fast and warm-up aerobically at least 15 minutes first. Here’s a few anaerobic workout examples:

• Sprint 20-30 seconds with 60-90 second recoveries for 4-5 repeats
• Run hills – find a steep hill that takes your HR into Zone 5 for 60 seconds. Recover on the way down. 4-5 repeats
• After the warm-up, stay in Zone 4 for 4-5 minutes. Drop it back to Zone 1-2 for 10 minutes. Then back to Zone 4 for another 4-5 minutes.
• Plyometic exercises like box jumps and power lunges are a great way to develop balance, power, speed, and your anaerobic system too

THE AEROBIC LIFESTYLE

• LIVING AN AEROBIC LIFESTYLE MEANS LOWERING STRESS LEVELS SO HEALTH IS MORE ABUNDANT, DIS-EASE IS EXTINCT, AND PERFORMANCE EXCELS.
• LOWER YOUR STRESS LEVELS FROM THAT OF AN “ANAEROBIC”, FAST-PACED, HIGH TENSION LIFESTYLE, TO THAT OF AN “AEROBIC”, RELAXED, LOW TENSION LIFESTYLE:

LISTEN TO THE WARNING SIGNS OF OVERTRAINING!

Understand the early warning signs of overtraining/overreacing (too much anaerobic exercise, too much total stress, or both), and slow down before you are forced down from injury and/or illness.

• Morning resting HR greater than 10% of normal – you may be getting sick; you’re overreaching in your training. Heart rate info here.
• Dizzy or lightheaded upon standing up – you’re blood pressure is dropping because your endocrine system is fatigued
• Cravings for sugar and/or salt – your body is running off sugar more than fat and you’re losing too much salt from all the stress
• Persistent sore throat – low antioxidant level from too much free radical damage from training too hard
• General aches and pain, relieved by exercising – you’re getting a cortisol rush, that’s not good over time
• Eyes sensitive to light – those pupils are constricting rather than dilating because your nervous system is all jacked-up
• Irritability – you’re a pain in the ass because your blood sugar is a mess
• Lack of desire to exercise – you’re burning out from all the training
• Insomnia, or waking up in the middle of the night – you’re getting a cortisol surge in the middle of the night when those levels should be very low
• Frequent night time urination (>1 time) – your hormones are under so much stress they’re not able to rest during the time they should be
• Limb twitching or jumping while falling asleep – like the sensitive eyes, your nervous system is all jacked-up
• PMS: cramping, back pain, over-emotional, breast tenderness, fatigue – I’m not going there (haha!) – More on PMS here.
• Eye lid spasms – “functional blepharospasm” – from mineral imbalances in your body, depleted from excess training
• Burning and/or blood shot eyes – from vitamin deficiencies, primarily B2 (riboflavin) from overtraining
• Ankles “easily turn” – those muscles and ligaments of your ankle are very susceptible to stress; next is foot, heel, or knee pain

Rest Up, Recover, and Back to Aerobic!