Energy Systems - Lesson One

Energy Concepts

How do we define energy?

 A definition of energy is different for everyone
 We are concerned with the exercise physiology definition
 It is the fuel for exercise

How is it stored?
Is all energy the same?

Why is it important?
 Basis for all muscular contraction and therefore all movement/ physical activity.

1. Energy is the capacity or ability to perform work.

 It is most commonly encountered in the labels on the food we eat
 It can be stored in the body
How do we measure the energy in a food?

2. Chemical Energy (food)  Kinetic Energy (movement)

 Potential Energy

3. Definitions (Remember standard metric units)

 Energy – expressed Joules or Calories
 Work = Force x Distance (measured in calories or joules - Nm)
 Power = Work (measured in Watts)
Time

4. Practical
 Energy Systems - Lesson Two

ATP

1. What is ATP? (Adenosine Triphosphate)

 Is a high energy phosphate compound made up of one molecule of adenosine and three
molecules of phosphate.
 It is the only form of useable energy in the body
 Everything must be converted to ATP
 It’s supply is limited by both duration and intensity of exercise

2. Where is it stored?
 It is stored in the muscle
 However the supply there only lasts a few seconds

3. What is it’s role?

 It is a vital part of muscular contraction
 Nerve impulse exposes active sites on actin filaments
 Heads of myosin filament activated by ATP
 Myosin heads attach to actin filaments
 Actin filaments are pulled past myosin filaments
 Sarcomere shortens

4. ATP Breakdown?
 ATP is stored in the muscle. But, How do we get energy from ATP?
 ATP is stored as a potential energy. Why?
 To be useful it needs to be converted to kinetic energy
 Energy is released through the breaking of the chemical bonds within ATP.
 ATP  ADP + P + Energy
 What is P (Phosphate)
 This is known as an exothermic reaction
NOTE: In the body enzyme are used to aid the breakdown of compounds. In the case of ATP
the enzyme is ATPase

5. Exothermic / Endothermic Reactions

 Exothermic – When a compound is broken down and the process releases energy, this is
known as an exothermic reaction
 Endothermic – Is the process of adding energy to a compound (usually coupled with the
resynthesis of a more complex compound eg. ADP  ATP)
6. ATP Resynthesis
 ADP is useless and as such must be converted back to ATP
 ADP + P + Energy  ADP
 The energy for this reaction is indirectly taken from the food we eat
 ATP Resynthesis occurs via one of three pathways
 The phosphocreatine (ATP/PC) or alactic system
 The lactic acid or glycolysis system
 The aerobic process
 Energy Systems - Lesson Three

ATP Resynthesis via the Three Energy Systems

Note: Extra notes taken from Honeybourne P76

1. Phosphocreatine or Alactic system (ATP/PC system)

 Is the primary source of ATP resynthesis
 It is suitable for activities of 2 – 10 seconds in duration
 The site of the reaction is in the sarcoplasm of the muscle
 It’s primary fuel source is phosphocreatine
 This is stored in the muscle and is simple to breakdown
 Like ATP it is a high energy compound
 Energy is stored in the bonds between the phosphate and creatine molecules
 During PC breakdown/ ATP resynthesis, two immediate and consecutive reactions occur
(1) PC  Pi + C + Energy
(2) ADP + Pi + Energy  ATP
 The missing enzyme is creatine kinase
 The creatine produced is then stored in the muscle
 Reasons of creatine supplements
 This whole process is known as a coupled reaction
 Energy released from one reaction is immediately taken up by another reaction
 Process is limited by amounts of PC stored in muscle (up to 10s)
 No oxygen is used and no lactic acid is produced
 The enzyme is activated by detected increases in ADP levels
 The enzyme is inhibited by detected increases in ATP levels
 The energy yield is 1 molecule of ATP per molecule of PC

2. Lactic Acid System (Diagram on P72 of Honeybourne)

 Is very similar to the breakdown of phosphocreatine but relies on the partial breakdown
of glucose (taken from carbohydrate and stored as glycogen)
 Again the site of the reaction is in the sarcoplasm of the muscle
 Glycogen is a more complex compound than PC
 It stores more energy but takes longer to break down
 Glycogen (1) Glucose molecules (2) Energy + Pyruvic Acid
(1) Glycogen phosphorylase
(2) Phosphofructokinase
 (2) activated by detected decreased levels of PC and increased levels of calcium
 Pyruvic Acid  Lactic Acid due to the lack of oxygen
 Lactic Acid inhibits the effect of the enzyme
3. Aerobic System
 As with LA system we are dealing with the breakdown of glucose but this time it is
complete as oxygen is present
 There are three stages
Stage 1
 As alactic system
 However this time PA does not  LA due to presence of oxygen
 Energy yield = 2 ATP

Stage 2 – Krebs Cycle (TCA system (Tricarboxylic acid))

 PA diffuses into mitochondria
 Combines with Coenzyme A to form Acetyl CoA
 Acetyl CoA combines with oxaloacetic acid to produce citric acid
 This is then broken down
 Citric Acid  Carbon + Hydrogen + Energy + Oxaloacetic acid
 Energy yield = 2 ATP

Stage 3 – Electron Transport Chain

 Hydrogen and Carbon atoms are then transported into the inner membrane of the
mitochondria
 They then enter the ETC
 Carbon Hydrogen bonds  CO bonds + HO bonds
= CO2 + Water
 This whole process gives off energy
 Energy Yield = 34 ATP
 Energy Systems - Lesson Four

The Energy Continuum

1. Review of the three major energy systems (from last lesson)

2. Introduce the energy continuum

 Is each system used all the time?
 Predominantly aerobic. Main fuel used is fat.
 How do we determine which one is used?
 Duration of exercise
 Intensity of exercise

3. Duration
 2 – 10s – Alactic
 10 – 90s – Lactic
 90+ - Aerobic

4. Discuss continuum (use HO)

5. How do we move between levels?

 Last lesson – What activates each enzyme?

6. Exercise
 Identify the percentage contribution of each energy system for each activity
Activity ATP/PC Lactic Aerobic
Marathon 5 5 90
Basketball Game 15-20 15-20 60
1500m swim 5-10 50 40
50m swim 40 55 5
Hockey match (midfield) 15 15 70
Gymnastic floor routine 40 55 5

7. Other influencing factors

 Type of activity
 Level of fitness
 Due to the bodies increased ability to cope
 Availability of food fuels
 Availability of oxygen