Anaerobic Exercise

The second type of exercise is knwon as anaerobic exercise, which literally means without oxygen. This occurs over a short period of time, usually anything from a few seconds up to a maximum of about 1.5 to 2 minutes. During this period, the exercise is so intense that there is often little if anytime to breathe. This about a 100m sprint, where the runners often do not take a breath in the entire distance of the sprint. In this period the muscles have very little oxygen to help produce energy from the glucose that is stored within the muscles as glycogen. In normal aerobic exercise the muscles have enough exercise to do this. To be able to exercise anaerobically, the body can break down glucose in the abscence of oxygen, however it is no where near as efficient as aerobic exercise, this is why you can only exercise at your maximum for such a short period of time. The problem with anaerobic exercise is that it generates lactate, which when it builds up enough can lead to muscle cramps.

Anaerobic exercise includes sports such as weightlifting, sprinting and boxing and requires a lot of energy to be used in a very short space of time. This type of exercise is  unsuitable for people who suffer from conditions such as angina or high blood pressure, as the short sharp increase in blood pressure in anaerobic exercise can exagerate these problems.

It is safe to do this type of exercise if your have diabetes, however you should first check it is ok with your doctor and you should always monitor your blood sugar glucose levels throughout to make sure they are fine.

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