How to combine aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise

For ordinary fitness enthusiasts who want to lose some fat, build some muscle lines, and don’t want to be too tired, the most brain-less way to match each training is to do 40-50 minutes of anaerobic strength first, and then add 20-30 minutes of low-to-medium intensity aerobic at the end. In the total training frequency of a week, 3-4 days of anaerobic training and 2-3 days of aerobic training are enough. There is no need to follow the fancy combinations on the Internet.

Two years ago, I helped a girl who works in Internet operations adjust the training plan. She started to practice blindly. Every time she entered the gym, she would run for 40 minutes. She would go to the strength area when she was sweating profusely and her legs would feel weak. She could not shake a 5kg dumbbell when doing shoulder presses. After practicing for three months, she lost 4 pounds, but her belly was still loose and there was still a lot of fat on her belly. Later, I reversed the order. When I entered the gym, I spent 10 minutes dynamically warming up. Then I practiced strength training for 45 minutes according to the shoulder, back, chest, and legs. Finally, I walked uphill for 25 minutes. The incline was set to 12 and the speed was 3. I could watch two episodes of short videos while walking. It was not painful at all. After two months, my weight has not changed, but I have lost 3 points of body fat. When I wear a T-shirt, my shoulder lines can be seen.

Of course, this does not mean that this order is absolutely a golden rule. There are many different voices in the fitness circle now. For example, endurance enthusiasts who specialize in marathons and triathlons have a core need to increase their aerobic threshold. Strength training is only an auxiliary item to avoid sports injuries. Therefore, the best prime time must be reserved for long-distance aerobics, so that there is still some strength left at the end. A few sets of core and lower limb strength exercises are enough; for novices who have a very large body weight and do not exercise at all, it is easy for them to deform and injure their joints when they start lifting irons. Many coaches will recommend doing low-intensity aerobic exercises such as brisk walking and swimming in the first two weeks to improve cardiopulmonary function, and then gradually increase the amount of strength training. Both opinions are supported by evidence, and there is no absolute right or wrong.

In fact, the matching logic is very simple. Just like when you go to work every day, you must first do the most difficult core work that requires concentration in the morning when you are most awake, and then deal with chores that do not require too much brain, such as replying to messages and filling out reports in the afternoon - anaerobic training requires muscle explosiveness and concentration support. If the movements are not done properly, it will be ineffective or injured, so it must be done when the physical strength is the best.

If your goal during this period is to remove fat and prepare summer clothes, increase the aerobic time by 10-15 minutes, and arrange aerobic once a week; if you want to build muscle and strength, just reduce the aerobic frequency to once a week. At most, do some low-intensity climbing or swimming. Don't do long-distance running, otherwise it will consume too much muscle and affect the efficiency of muscle building. There is really no need to insist on precise proportions. I have a veteran of ten years of fitness around me. Sometimes I make appointments to climb mountains on weekends, which can be regarded as full aerobic exercise. It is normal for me to squat leg and chest press for a week without doing aerobic exercise. Fitness is meant to serve life. As long as you don’t feel tired after practicing and your physical condition is getting better, no matter what you do, it’s not wrong.