Energy Systems

And physical activity…

 Energy
The body needs energy for basic
bodily functions and activity during
your whole life.
This includes breathing, sleeping,
digesting, sitting in a chair, sprinting
for a bus, and everything else you do
day and night.
Adeonsine Triphosphate (ATP)
A chemical compound.
Is the energy source for all muscular
effort.
Sources of ATP: Carbohydrate, fat
and protein.
 Carbohydrate
When digested is broken down to
glucose and stored as glycogen
in the muscles and liver.
Glycogen can provide the energy for
ATP production under both anaerobic
(no oxygen required) and aerobic
(oxygen required) conditions.
 Fat
Major source of energy for long term
activity.
Is used to meet sub-maximal energy
demands.
During rest conditions, fat produces
the majority of the required ATP.
 Protein
Only minimally contributes to ATP
production.
Is only used in severe circumstances
(such as a marathon or starvation)
when the body has severely depleted
it’s supplies of carbohydrate and fat.
 Energy from ATP
ATP is stored in limited quantities in the muscle,
so each muscle fibre must be able to create it’s
own from the food fuels.
ATP is an adenosine molecule with three
phosphate molecules attached.
For release of energy, one phosphate molecule
breaks off, releasing energy and creating
adenosine diphospate (ADP).
As long as there are sufficient energy substrate
this process can be reversed with the use of food
fuels and ATP is rebuilt with the addition of
another phosphate molecule.
 Three Energy Systems
Phosphate, Anaerobic Glycolysis and
Aerobic Energy
All three pathways operate at one
time.
The contribution of each varies
depending on the intensity of the
activity.
 Phosphate Energy System
Provides the bulk of ATP during
powerful or explosive efforts.
May be a once off movement such as
jumping or ongoing such as a 100m
sprint.
Lasts for about 10 seconds of
maximal effort.
Anaerobic Glycolysis System
Also known as the Lactic Acid
System.
Provides energy in high intensity,
sub maximal efforts.
Muscle stores of glycogen are broken
down to resynthesise ADP.
Lasts from around 10 seconds until
60 seconds of exercise.
 Aerobic Energy System
Also known as aerobic glycolysis.
Provides the bulk of energy for sub
maximal efforts and recovery.
Contributes to all activities from
about 1 minute onwards.
Fat becomes a significant contributor
to ATP production.
Can operate for an unlimited work
period.
ATP production – different exertion
conditions
The length and intensity of physical
exertion determine which of the energy
systems is dominant.
As activity time increases, the influence of
the aerobic system on ATP production
also increases.