Anabolic vs Catabolic Exercise.. What the hell is that?

As a new kid on the block in the world of fitness, you may hear a lot of jargon which can get confusing.

Inclines, declines, ranges, repetitions, sets, pyramid training, isolation training, concentration, anabolic & catabolic, etc...etc...etc... Whoa! Kinda familiar but not exactly sure what the last few ones are? Let's explain what they mean and how you'd use them.

Training is broadly classified into two categories - Anabolic Training and Catabolic Training.

On the surface, Anabolic Training is the training that promotes growth in mass (or bulking) while Catabolic Training is the training that promotes mass loss (or cutting). You guessed it. Anabolic is for build-up and Catabolic, break down.

Anabolic workouts are strength training workouts mediated by hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone and insulin.

They are performed by overloading muscle groups, creating minute tears in the muscle and allowing its recovery. So, those looking to add bulk, your routine will primarily consist of anabolic sets.

Catabolic workouts are mediated by cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine which will result in very little or no "growth" but will burn tons of calories and improve your cardiovascular conditioning. 

As fitness enthusiasts, the form of exercise best suited to you can be easily decided by your preferences; would you rather lift weights or go for a run? 

Performing both provides you with a lot of variety to your exercise routine, which will help you stay motivated and avoid boredom.

A combination of both will also ensure you continue to shock your body to continue shedding fat.

Over the years, the combination of both has evolved into a form of training called HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training which involves pushing your body to the limits for shorter durations. This results in a "debt" of Oxygen in your body post exercise which keeps it working even after you left the gym which means you will still be burning long after your workout! 

Here's an example of a simple HIIT Routine you can try at home:

Round One: 

> Burpees

> Mountain Climbers 

> Jumping Jacks 

15 repitiotions each

Rest 1 minute

Round One: 

> Lunges

> Pushups

> High Knees

15 repitiotions each

Rest 1 minute

Repeat the Circuit thrice.

Make sure you do all the exercises with the correct form to avoid injury! 
What does that mean? It will follow in the next article!