For many years and even to the present day, the exercise science and textbooks classify exercise as being one of two types: aerobic or anaerobic. This classification refers to the metabolic energy systems required to perform either extended duration/low intensity exercise (aerobic) or short duration/high intensity exercise (anaerobic). Aerobic literally means “with oxygen” and anaerobic means “without oxygen”. This article provides some very basic information on anaerobic exercise and argues the very real possibility that this form of exercise according to the given definition, simply does not exist.

Different Energy Requirements - Different Energy Systems

During low intensity exercise such as walking, a large majority of the required energy comes from the use of fat as a fuel. Oxygen is required to convert fat into energy and is therefore called aerobic metabolism and the exercise it supports, aerobic exercise. This process of generating energy however is very slow and cannot generate energy quickly enough for higher intensity exercise such as running and sprinting. A different type of energy system is required for high intensity exercise - one that relies more heavily on the use of carbohydrate. This energy system is able to generate energy much quicker and does not require the need for oxygen. Thus exercise scientists have named this energy system the anaerobic energy system and the exercise it fuels, anaerobic exercise. It is important for the reader to note that energy systems work on an intensity continuum, that is at any given exercise intensity, a certain percentage of the energy yield will come from fat metabolism and a certain percent will come from carbohydrates. For anaerobic metabolism system to work at a high speed however requires the formation of a substance called lactate or lactic acid.

Muscle power output and oxygen demands

Recall from our article on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) we discussed the concept of intensity, power and power output. As exercise intensity and muscle power output increase, so proportionally does the oxygen demand of muscle. This oxygen demand is referred to as the volume of oxygen uptake or VO2. For the most part, as heart rate (an indicator of intensity) increases, so too in direct proportion does VO2. Traditional exercise physiology theorizes that as exercise intensity (running speed) progressively increases, the muscles become more and more anaerobic until a point occurs where oxygen uptake no longer increases, but reaches a maximum value and levels off. This leveling off has become known as maximal oxygen uptake or VO2 max. VO2 max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use to produce work and is therefore a measure of the body’s maximum aerobic power. At the point where VO2max is noted, traditional exercise science proposes that the working muscles must be 100% anaerobic, leading to massive buildup of lactic acid which “acidifies” and shuts down the muscles, causing the individual to stop exercising.

Anaerobic exercise cannot exist since muscles never attain a truly anaerobic state

Professor Tim Noakes at the University of Cape Town prefers to call anaerobic activity “oxygen independent” activity since muscles never actually attain a truly anaerobic state. Noakes argues that if according to “traditional” exercise science theory the working muscles were to become anaerobic, then the heart, which is slave to the muscles for supplying oxygen (via blood flow), must become anaerobic first. Modern exercise science has failed to realize or consider that the heart, which is also a muscle, demands the same increased oxygen requirements with increasing exercise intensity as the working muscles do. Should the heart become anaerobic, then a heart attack would result and the exerciser would die. Clearly this does not happen on a regular basis in healthy exercising individuals. Noake’s documented research also points out that half of subjects tested in laboratory settings fail to demonstrate a leveling off of VO2 at exercise termination - in other words, their oxygen uptake was actually still going up when they stopped. Also, Noakes points to research that shows that lactate levels actually decrease as altitude increases. This so called “Lactate Paradox” is the exact opposite of what would be expected, since the traditional model of exercise physiology claims that as altitude increases and there is less “available oxygen”, there is therefore an increased potential for the development of anaerobic muscle. The previous explanations shoot holes in the concept of anaerobic exercise and also fail to explain what causes people to terminate exercise.

If lactate and anaerobic muscle do not limit maximal exercise then what does?

Prof. Noakes proposes that there exists a “central governor” somewhere in the body that informs the brain of the heart’s condition. Clearly, the heart must be protected from working so hard to supply the exercising muscle with oxygen as to jeopardize its own risk of becoming anaerobic and causing death to the body. Although it is unclear at this time the exact mechanism of its location or operation, Noakes proposes that the central governor somehow regulates the power output of the exercising muscles in order to protect the heart from overload. This regulation of power is suspected to occur via a decreased motor nerve activity to the working muscle via the motor cortex of the brain (part of the brain that regulates muscle activity). Recall that lactic acid generation is directly dependent on muscle power output - which would explain why muscle lactate decreases as altitude increases. A decrease in activation of the working muscle mass decreases the oxygen demand of the muscle, ensuring a sufficient blood flow (oxygen) to the heart.

It should be clear from this article that anaerobic exercise and anaerobic muscle in their defined form cannot exist during even extremely high intensity exercise. Some other regulating factor must be present in the human body to prevent it from “running itself to death.” While much research on the reasons for exercise termination needs to be done, for now it may be that “oxygen independent” exercise is a more accurate description of high intensity exercise instead of anaerobic exercise.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com.

NOTE: You’re free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.

For many years and even to the present day, the exercise science and textbooks classify exercise as being one of two types: aerobic or anaerobic. This classification refers to the metabolic energy systems required to perform either extended duration/low intensity exercise (aerobic) or short duration/high intensity exercise (anaerobic). Aerobic literally means “with oxygen” and anaerobic means “without oxygen”. This article provides some very basic information on anaerobic exercise and argues the very real possibility that this form of exercise according to the given definition, simply does not exist.

Different Energy Requirements - Different Energy Systems

During low intensity exercise such as walking, a large majority of the required energy comes from the use of fat as a fuel. Oxygen is required to convert fat into energy and is therefore called aerobic metabolism and the exercise it supports, aerobic exercise. This process of generating energy however is very slow and cannot generate energy quickly enough for higher intensity exercise such as running and sprinting. A different type of energy system is required for high intensity exercise - one that relies more heavily on the use of carbohydrate. This energy system is able to generate energy much quicker and does not require the need for oxygen. Thus exercise scientists have named this energy system the anaerobic energy system and the exercise it fuels, anaerobic exercise. It is important for the reader to note that energy systems work on an intensity continuum, that is at any given exercise intensity, a certain percentage of the energy yield will come from fat metabolism and a certain percent will come from carbohydrates. For anaerobic metabolism system to work at a high speed however requires the formation of a substance called lactate or lactic acid.

Muscle power output and oxygen demands

Recall from our article on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) we discussed the concept of intensity, power and power output. As exercise intensity and muscle power output increase, so proportionally does the oxygen demand of muscle. This oxygen demand is referred to as the volume of oxygen uptake or VO2. For the most part, as heart rate (an indicator of intensity) increases, so too in direct proportion does VO2. Traditional exercise physiology theorizes that as exercise intensity (running speed) progressively increases, the muscles become more and more anaerobic until a point occurs where oxygen uptake no longer increases, but reaches a maximum value and levels off. This leveling off has become known as maximal oxygen uptake or VO2 max. VO2 max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use to produce work and is therefore a measure of the body’s maximum aerobic power. At the point where VO2max is noted, traditional exercise science proposes that the working muscles must be 100% anaerobic, leading to massive buildup of lactic acid which “acidifies” and shuts down the muscles, causing the individual to stop exercising.

Anaerobic exercise cannot exist since muscles never attain a truly anaerobic state

Professor Tim Noakes at the University of Cape Town prefers to call anaerobic activity “oxygen independent” activity since muscles never actually attain a truly anaerobic state. Noakes argues that if according to “traditional” exercise science theory the working muscles were to become anaerobic, then the heart, which is slave to the muscles for supplying oxygen (via blood flow), must become anaerobic first. Modern exercise science has failed to realize or consider that the heart, which is also a muscle, demands the same increased oxygen requirements with increasing exercise intensity as the working muscles do. Should the heart become anaerobic, then a heart attack would result and the exerciser would die. Clearly this does not happen on a regular basis in healthy exercising individuals. Noake’s documented research also points out that half of subjects tested in laboratory settings fail to demonstrate a leveling off of VO2 at exercise termination - in other words, their oxygen uptake was actually still going up when they stopped. Also, Noakes points to research that shows that lactate levels actually decrease as altitude increases. This so called “Lactate Paradox” is the exact opposite of what would be expected, since the traditional model of exercise physiology claims that as altitude increases and there is less “available oxygen”, there is therefore an increased potential for the development of anaerobic muscle. The previous explanations shoot holes in the concept of anaerobic exercise and also fail to explain what causes people to terminate exercise.

If lactate and anaerobic muscle do not limit maximal exercise then what does?

Prof. Noakes proposes that there exists a “central governor” somewhere in the body that informs the brain of the heart’s condition. Clearly, the heart must be protected from working so hard to supply the exercising muscle with oxygen as to jeopardize its own risk of becoming anaerobic and causing death to the body. Although it is unclear at this time the exact mechanism of its location or operation, Noakes proposes that the central governor somehow regulates the power output of the exercising muscles in order to protect the heart from overload. This regulation of power is suspected to occur via a decreased motor nerve activity to the working muscle via the motor cortex of the brain (part of the brain that regulates muscle activity). Recall that lactic acid generation is directly dependent on muscle power output - which would explain why muscle lactate decreases as altitude increases. A decrease in activation of the working muscle mass decreases the oxygen demand of the muscle, ensuring a sufficient blood flow (oxygen) to the heart.

It should be clear from this article that anaerobic exercise and anaerobic muscle in their defined form cannot exist during even extremely high intensity exercise. Some other regulating factor must be present in the human body to prevent it from “running itself to death.” While much research on the reasons for exercise termination needs to be done, for now it may be that “oxygen independent” exercise is a more accurate description of high intensity exercise instead of anaerobic exercise.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com.

NOTE: You’re free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.

Tip # 9: Stockpile Mental Ammo

When people start learning that you are adopting a new eating regime, they will barrage you with questions. The most common questions asked are:

· Where do you get your protein if you don’t eat meat?
· Where do you get your calcium if you don’t drink milk and eat cheese?
· Why are you eating like this?

You can do one of two things:

1. Use the philosophy that when a bull comes charging at you, just step aside. In other words, politely sidestep these discussions until you become familiar with the answers.

2. Or memorize the very simple answers to those questions and nip the questioning in the bud.

· Where do you get your protein if you don’t eat meat?

Answer #1: Where do cows, horses, giraffes, and large elephants get their protein to grow and maintain large, strong muscles? They do not eat cows or pigs or sheep or chickens or fish. They eat plant foods only and get plenty of protein to grow big, strong muscles.

Answer #2: What is protein for? Simply stated: protein is for growth. When do we grow the most? 0 to 2 years old. What is the best food for growing babies? Breast milk. How much protein is in breast milk? 4.5%.

The World Health Organization recommends 4.5% protein in our diet. Oranges have 8% protein; broccoli has 45% protein; brown rice has 8 % protein.

All of our plant foods give us plenty of protein.

But don’t you have to properly combine plant foods to make complete protein? Not at all.

Do cows and elephants have to combine plant foods to get complete protein? No, and neither do human beings!

The author Francis Lappe Moore, who popularized the mixing and matching of plant foods to get complete proteins, rescinded that idea many years later.

· Where do you get your calcium if you don’t drink milk or eat cheese?

Answer #1: Where do cows and elephants get their calcium for strong bones and teeth? Plant foods. They do not drink milk once they are weaned.

Cow’s milk is made for baby cows that can reach 800 pounds in one year. Cow’s milk is not nature’s best for human beings or any other mammal.

Answer #2: Humans are the only mammals who consume milk after weaning, and a different mammal’s milk at that.

Look to nature for simple, common sense answers

· Why are you eating like this? (And people will ask!)

Answer: Simply stated, “Because it works for me.” The end. Do not try to justify your position and do not try to talk the other person into eating like you.

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Tip # 8: Don’t Kiss and Tell

One word of advice: no matter how tempted you are, and you will be tempted, don’t tell anyone else about your new way of eating.

It’s going to be hard not to share, but keep your teeth firmly planted on your tongue and just wait a few minutes—hold on, hold on, hold on, the urge will pass. I promise.

The only exceptions are the people who share your living quarters and maybe the one or two individuals who have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he or she supports you one hundred per cent (warning: that person will be very rare!).

Even the most well-intended family members and friends will consciously or unconsciously sabotage your efforts. Your change will make them feel uncomfortable, which makes them rationalize their own bad habits. They will question you until you start doubting your own common sense and commitment to replace your unhealthy food habits with healthy ones.

When someone notices that you are eating differently and asks you the inevitable question, “Why are you eating like this?” simply say: “Because it works for me.” Then drop the subject.

When you know that something is right for you, no matter how anyone else feels and reacts around you, you don’t need anyone’s approval or support.

Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business!

The truth is the truth, and you are aligning your life with that truth.

Just as important, don’t preach to other people. It’s difficult enough to change yourself, much less try to change others; especially those closest to you.

The only chance you have of changing another person is by example; or if you are the sole cook in the family and your partner puts no more effort into the food than putting it into his (okay, or her) mouth and chewing.

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper - none of these spices are new or unusual to most people. In fact, these are spices that many of us use on a regular basis, especially black pepper. But did you know that these spices also have many health benefits? Did you know that there is more reason to use these spices than to simply add flavor and spice to a meal?

Black Pepper

In America, black pepper is one of the most commonly used spices. In fact, it is not uncommon for a person to use pepper with every meal - a little on his eggs, a bit on his sandwich and salad, a lot on his steak and corn… Fortunately, as it turns out, this is a good thing. Why? Because black pepper is good for us!

Black pepper improves digestion by stimulating the taste buds and thereby alerting the stomach to increase hydrochloric secretion. Black pepper is also an antioxidant, and it has antibacterial effects. But wait - there’s more! You will be very happy to know that the outermost layer of the peppercorn actually helps stimulate the breakdown of fat cells!

Black pepper also helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas, promotes urination, and promotes sweating. It is full of manganese, and it also has a good amount of iron and dietary fiber, as well.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon also has a very healthy dose of manganese, but the health benefits of cinnamon are different than those of black pepper. Cinnamon can help eliminate and prevent the clumping of blood platelets. The scent of cinnamon can boost brain function - in other words, smelling cinnamon can improve your virtual recognition memory, working memory, and more!

Cinnamon can also help stop the growth of bacteria. Some even say that cinnamon can be used as spicy alternative to traditional food preservatives. For people with type 2 diabetes, cinnamon is wonderful - it can help them respond to insulin and thereby normalize their blood sugar levels.

Cayenne

The list of benefits from cayenne pepper seems to go on and on: it fights inflammation, prevents stomach ulcers, boosts immunity, offers pain relief, has cardiovascular benefits, and helps clear congestion. It seems that no matter your ailment, a dose of cayenne will help you out! Cayenne is also full of vitamin A.

Who knew that making your food taste good could be so good for you? So, go ahead and add a little spice to your meal. Adding a bit of spice to your life may actually help you increase your lifespan!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, cooking, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on spices, please visit Designer Spice Racks.