The Benefits of Adding Anaerobic Energy to Your Workout
One of the goals for an effective workout regimen is to have an efficient BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), which is the Holy Grail for a more fit life. A healthy BMR helps provide us with more energy and helps aid us in weight loss and the ability to keep it off. It also helps clear our body of toxins, helps improve blood circulation, and raises our immunity levels.
To get there, we need a diet rich with fuel that can be burned efficiently as well as an exercise regimen that fatigues our muscles and heart just enough to keep our body in a constant state of “repair”, and making us stronger in the process.
To help in this quest, fitness professionals are constantly vying for the title of the toughest workout. But just because it’s a hard workout, it does NOT mean you are going to get the results you are looking for, nor does it mean it’s a smart workout that’s well designed. While these methods may be effective in the short term, they can be dangerous for our overall long-term fitness health.
There are no shortcuts to getting strong and fit, but there are plenty of ‘tricks’ that can kick serious BMR booty safely and effectively – and not just for the young and already fit.
First, it’s key to know the two ways that our bodies produce energy:
Aerobic energy is produced with the use of oxygen and is our primary source of energy. Any activity that gets our cardiovascular system accelerated for a sustained period of time, is an aerobic activity.
In the “old” days, burning calories with an aerobic workout was all we needed to keep a slim physique. We’ve since learned our body is a bit more complicated than that.
Case in point…Before Mojo, I played tennis 5 days a week and threw in an occasional treadmill (the horror!) to take it up a notch. Despite my extensive aerobic efforts, my waistline continued to expand. I figured there was nothing more I could do, so I bought some Spanx and accepted my fate as a natural side effect to “getting older” (I was in my early 40s. LOL)
A couple of months after starting Mojo, I was shocked at how my body changed. Not only did my waistline bounce back to its original state, but I slowly noticed new, never-seen-before muscles taking shape. I lost two dress sizes, and have kept it off for over 14 years.
What was the decided difference? Mojo’s unique ability to consistently, frequently, and safely get to an anaerobic state, four times a week. Bullseye! 🎯
What is anaerobic energy? Anaerobic energy is the second form of energy. It’s produced without oxygen and uses carbohydrates as fuel. It is the primary source of energy for movements that are performed at a high intensity for a short period of time,
How does Mojo incorporate anaerobic energy? We use an assortment of resistance and cardio-based plyometric “plyo” techniques to get to an anaerobic state. With the help of our interval format, we alternate aerobic lower-intensity movements, with bursts of high-intensity movements (aka. jumping, skipping, or “karate chops”) to maximize our heart, muscles, and surrounding tissue to be stronger, faster, and more agile.
The benefits of plyo to achieve anaerobic energy for both our health and waistline are many. Here are a few:
• Increased muscle mass and strength: Anaerobic energy forces our muscles to work harder than they would during aerobic exercise. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even when we are at rest. This helps us lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
• Improved bone health. Anaerobic exercise helps to improve bone health by increasing bone density. This is important for preventing osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle.
• Reduced risk of chronic diseases. Anaerobic exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
• Improved mood and energy levels. Anaerobic exercise can help to improve mood and energy levels. This is because it releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects.
• Enhanced athletic performance. Are you a tennis or golf enthusiast? Anaerobic exercise can help us improve athletic performance by increasing muscle power and strength.
Warning! if you were to look up the term anaerobic energy, you would (understandably) get a series of warnings urging you to do them in moderation, especially if you are new to exercise. Too much of it can put stress on the body and lead to injuries.
With Mojo’s interval, no-weights approach to cardio and strengthening, we are able to constantly surprise and challenge our entire body with safe and FUN anaerobic-inducing energy throughout the entire session, regardless of exercise level.
Equal to the energy we bring to our lives is how we preserve our energy. My #1 secret to longevity is extensive stretching paying close attention to the dangers of overtraining and paying close attention to the art of recovery….
The better your recovery methods, the better your results. Here are some tips to get your post-workout plans on track.
- Replace Lost Fluids: Water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer in the body and having plenty of water will improve every bodily function. Adequate fluid replacement is especially important for endurance athletes (Mojo friends included) who lose large amounts of water from sweating.
- Prioritize Recovery Foods: After depleting your energy stores with exercise, you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger, and be ready for the next challenge. Ideally, try to eat within 60 minutes of the end of your workout and make sure you include some high-quality protein and carbohydrates.
- Stretch It Out: After a tough workout, consider gentle stretching. This is a simple and fast way to help your muscles recover.
- Perform Active Recovery
Easy, gentle movement (such as a brisk walk or a bike ride) improves circulation, which helps promote nutrient and waste product transport throughout the body. This helps the muscles repair and refuel faster. - Avoid Overtraining
A simple way to recover faster is by designing a smart workout regimen in the first place. Excessive exercise, heavy training at every session, or a lack of rest days will limit your fitness gains from exercise and undermine your recovery efforts. - Listen to your body! The most important thing you can do is to listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, sore, or notice decreased performance you may need more recovery time.. If you are feeling strong the day after a hard workout, you don’t have to force yourself to go slow.
*Borrowed from Verywellfit.com
Lastly….Without your mental health, you don’t have the total fitness package. Cognitive energy is just as important as physical energy, and Mojo has the tools to keep those positive brain vibes percolating all day and night long:
When assessing your arsenal of energy dos and don’ts, don’t forget…
- Lower Cortisol Levels: Mojo’s ability to de-stress, by getting you out of your head and focused on learning new movements is excellent for lowering stress and dangerous cortisol levels
- Brain agility: Coaxing your brain to make split-second decisions and try out new movements, is excellent for creating new neural pathways, strengthening brain agility, and preventing dementia.
For SO many reasons, jam it OUT with us this week!
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