Anaerobic training:
- develops anaerobic energy production
- includes, among other things, sprinting ability
- helps you cope with fatigue
- maximises performance
Although there is no single measure of anaerobic training effect, the aspect of performance most easily associated with it is your ability to sprint and to do so repeatedly. A football match is a good example, as the game is marked by sudden bursts of very intense activity.
Your body's most efficient method of producing energy requires oxygen, but sometimes your energy demand exceeds how quickly enough oxygen is immediately available. Fortunately, your body has a backup plan. Although the anaerobic energy process is far less efficient, it can kick in and give you the power to keep going. The downside is that it runs out very quickly.
While aerobic training effect is neatly linked to improving aerobic fitness (expressed as VO2 max), accounting for improvements in anaerobic fitness is a little more complicated.
By analysing both heart rate and speed (or power when cycling), the Anaerobic Training Effect feature determines the anaerobic contribution to EPOC during these periods of effort. The greater the anaerobic training effect, the greater the expected benefit to anaerobic athletic capacity. For example, high-intensity intervals have been proven to improve several components affecting performance, and the Anaerobic Training Effect feature quantifies this for you. But this feature goes one step further. By analysing the type of training you performed, it can tell you even more precisely how the workout helped you. For example, if it detects that you performed several high-speed repetitions, your Anaerobic Training Effect may be 3.5 with the comment: “Thanks to several high-speed/power repetitions, this activity improved your anaerobic capacity and speed.”
