Anaerobic Training - What happens when we do it

Anaerobic training is important for mid-life athletes to combat muscle loss, strength loss, and loss of power as they age. It involves high-intensity, intermittent bouts of exercise that require the regeneration of ATP at a much faster rate than aerobic exercise. Anaerobic training uses the phosphagen and glycolytic system, while the aerobic system is involved in the recovery of energy stores and the expulsion of metabolic wastes during rest and low-intensity exercise. The benefits of anaerobic training include increased strength, power, hypertrophy of muscles, endurance, motor skills, and coordination. The types of anaerobic training include resistance training, plyometrics, speed, agility, and interval training. Neural adaptations occur with anaerobic training, such as increased agonist muscle involvement, motor neuron firing rate, improved timing of synchronous recruitment during high-intensity exercise, and reduction in inhibitory mechanisms. Central changes occur when intent is present in the higher brain centers to produce maximal muscle force. Motor units must be activated to produce maximal force, and an increase in the firing rate results in summation of successive twitches and greater muscle force production.