Aerobic and anaerobic exercises work your body in different ways and offer unique benefits for your health. Aerobic exercise, like running or cycling, uses oxygen to fuel your muscles for longer workouts, while anaerobic exercise, such as weightlifting or sprints, relies on short bursts of energy.
Both types of exercise play an important role in building strength, improving heart health, and helping with weight and fat loss. Research shows that people who regularly include both in their routines see greater overall fitness and faster progress toward their goals.
Balancing the two types of exercise can also make workouts more enjoyable and sustainable, helping you stay consistent over time and reduce the risk of injury.
What Is aerobic exercise?
Aerobic exercises use oxygen as a source of energy and are typically low-to-moderate intensity workouts performed for longer periods of time. They activate more than one muscle group at a time and are important for improving cardiorespiratory function and increasing endurance, in addition to burning calories.
Aerobic exercise uses oxygen to turn the food you eat into energy your body can use for a long period of time. It mainly works the type of muscle fibers that don’t get tired easily and are great at using oxygen efficiently.
Top exercises
Some of the main aerobic exercises include:
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Running and walking: Can be done outside or on a treadmill and are efficient ways to lose weight and improve physical fitness. It is important to keep your heart rate elevated, but not so high that you cannot talk or feel sick.
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Cycling: Promotes weight loss by burning calories and toning the legs and glutes. Stationary bike workouts are low impact and suitable for pregnancy, sedentary individuals, or those with joint issues.
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Elliptical workouts: Performed on an elliptical machine that moves both arms and legs, activating almost all muscles and increasing energy expenditure.
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Dancing: An aerobic exercise with calorie-burning effects that vary by style and intensity.
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Jumping rope or stair climbing: Great at-home options that improve fitness and stimulate blood flow.
These exercises can be easily adapted to different fitness levels and preferences, making it simple to find activities you enjoy and can stick with long-term.
Main benefits
The principal benefits of aerobic exercise are:
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Strengthening the heart muscle
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Improving physical fitness
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Improving cardiorespiratory endurance
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Lowering blood pressure
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Supporting weight loss
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Toning the lower body
For best results, it is important to practice regular aerobic exercise and maintain a healthy diet.
What Is anaerobic exercise?
Anaerobic exercises don’t rely on oxygen to create energy. Instead, they use the energy already stored in your muscles to power short bursts of intense activity. These workouts are usually higher in intensity, shorter in duration, and often focus on specific muscle groups.
Anaerobic exercise mainly works the type of muscle fibers that can produce a lot of power but tend to tire out more quickly.
Top exercises
Anaerobic exercises include:
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Bodybuilding and strength training: Adding resistance to build muscle strength, improve posture, strengthen bones, and enhance cardiorespiratory function.
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Speed workouts: Giving maximum effort over a specific distance or period of time.
It is important to consult a certified personal trainer or exercise physiologist to ensure you are working at high intensity while maintaining proper form.
Main benefits
The main benefits of anaerobic exercise are:
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Increasing muscle strength and endurance
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Strengthening bones and preventing bone mass loss
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Decreasing body fat percentage
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Increasing muscle mass
Following anaerobic exercise, the body continues to burn calories, which can help accelerate weight loss. For best results, it is important to combine anaerobic exercise with aerobic exercise and maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
Key differences: A quick comparison table
Which burns more fat or builds muscle?
Research shows that aerobic exercise burns a higher percentage of fat during activity (about 60%), but anaerobic exercise burns more total calories and fat overall because of its higher energy expenditure and afterburn effect (EPOC) .
Anaerobic exercise is more effective for muscle hypertrophy, as it increases muscle mass by promoting protein synthesis and releasing growth hormone and testosterone . A study found that anaerobic training could increase muscle mass by 1.4 kg and reduce fat mass by 1.8 kg over 10 weeks .
How to combine both in a training plan
Combining aerobic and anaerobic training, known as concurrent training, provides optimal health benefits .
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Alternate days: Schedule anaerobic workouts (e.g., resistance training) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and aerobic training on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday .
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Same-session: If performed together, resistance training should come before aerobic exercise to prevent interference with strength gains .
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Frequency: Research recommends 3–4 days per week of aerobic activity (minimum 30 minutes) and 2–3 days per week of anaerobic exercise (minimum 20 minutes) .
Finding a balance that fits your schedule and goals will help you stay consistent and get the best results from both types of exercise.