Every wondered what is takes to create a cardio routine? To be honest, it’s really not that complicated. You just need to understand what your goals, and have a surface knowledge of the primary energy systems. Let’s take a closer look.

What is the Aerobic System?

Aerobic cardio is one of the most popular forms there is. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the most effective, but people seem to love it. Some of the most popular aerobic exercises include long distance running, stationary bike training, elliptical workouts, cycling, and swimming. As you may notice, each of these exercises are considered to be endurance-based activities. For an exercise to qualify as aerobic, the movements themselves must exceed two minutes in duration.

Aerobic exercises will increase the strength of slow twitch muscle fibers, and can increase overall cardiovascular and muscular endurance. In addition, an aerobic routine can also be a suitable option for losing weight. I said “suitable”, because it is certainly not the most effective.

One of the biggest downfalls of aerobic training is that it simply does not build lean muscle. This is problematic because when you lose excess fat, there is nothing to replace the fat that was lost. Another issue with aerobic exercise is how long and how boring it can be. Most people do not have the time to perform a 60-minute or more low intensity routine. It’s not beneficial, and it’s a huge waste of time because there is a much more suitable option that will take half the time to complete.

Anaerobic Training

Anaerobic cardio is the exact opposite of aerobic. Any movement lasting less than two minutes is categorized as anaerobic. Movements such as jumping, sprinting, or multi-directional movement is considered to anaerobic.

Popular anaerobic exercises include sprints, hill sprints, plyometrics, bodyweight circuits, and agility’s. These exercises increase the strength of fast twitch muscle fibers, making them a suitable option for explosive athletes.

What makes anaerobic training so effective is the high-intensity level. Anaerobic exercises are an incredibly effective fat loss technique, but most importantly, each exercise can help you build lean muscle. This gives it a serious advantage over aerobic training.

And what solidifies anaerobic cardio as the most effective fat loss method is that a single routine only takes about 30 minutes or less to complete. Within this 30-minute time, you will burn twice or three times as many calories as an aerobic routine.

So when you’re deciding on your goals and which cardio system to utilize, just remember the facts. If you’re trying to lose weight fast and keep it off permanently, then you should really consider using anaerobic cardio!