Back to Basics Chapter 2 - ENERGY SYSTEMS

Hi all

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Chapter 2 of our back to basics blog series covers the energy systems of the human body. All human activity from running to sleeping requires energy. The food we eat provides us with the fuel we need to carry out daily activities we participate in. Fats, carbs and proteins are broken down in the body and converted into energy. The breakdown of food to produce energy can occur under two conditions. ANAEROBIC: Without sufficient oxygen present or  AEROBIC: With sufficient oxygen present.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the basic unit of energy in the body. ATP is energy which has been created in the muscle cell and is the fuel for muscular contractions. As ATP is constantly being used, it needs to continually be produced and resynthesised.There are only limited amounts of ATP stored in muscles, once this store is used up other energy systems must produce ATP. This is acheived via three main energy systems which brings us to the next energy system ready to help out.

Adenosine Triphosphate - Creatine Phosphate (ATP-CP)
Named afetr the two energy molecules involved in the system - ATP-CP. Creatine Phosphate is stored in muscles in small amounts, its role is to provide energy for ATP resynthesis in muscle cells when there isn't enough time to break down fuels such as glucose. There is no oxygen required in this system so it doesn't require a complex series of reactions. This is an important energy sysytem for exercises or sports which involve explosive and high intensity movements such as sprinting and pure strength training. This energy system is only available in short periods of time, usually around 0-10 seconds of max effort. Once this all out effort is to continue for more than 10 seconds then an additional source of energy must be found. This takes  us to the next energy system.

Lactic Acid System.
After creatine phosphate runs out and energy is still required to continue at high intensity, ATP can be supplied via the breakdown of carbs being glucose. This process is called anaerobic glycolysis, this is the breakdown of glycogen to glucose and produces lactic acid as a by product. All the cabs we consume are broken down to glucose, this glucose can be stored in the muscle cells and the liver in the form of glycogen. The lactic acid system energy system can sustain the anaerobic generation of ATP FOR 45-60 seconds at around 90% intensity. If a person is wanting to continue exercising beyond this point they can do so with use of the aerobic energy system.

Aerobic Energy System
This an extremely important energy system because we use it for everyday living. It is the system we use for everyday activities like walking.  Its called the aerobic system as it produces energy in the presence of oxygen. As the duration of exercise increases the muscles use more amounts of oxygen and produce carbon dioxide and water as by products. The breakdown of glucose in the presence of oxygen is called aerobic glycolysis The complete aerobic breakdown of 1 glucose molecule is able to produce a total of 36 ATP molecules.

 So next time your in the gym and feel the fatigue set in, remember that your body is going through a complex process while drawing upon different energy systems in order for you to keep working hard.

I hope you found this informative and useful

Mark - Alltone Fitness www.alltonefitness.com.au

Back to Basics Series. Chapter 1. An introduction to Resistance Training

Hi all, Mark here from Alltone Fitness, Personal TrainingMill Park and Boot Camp Greensborough. Over the next 6 months I will be posting a fortnightly blog series covering a wide range of health & fitness topics, from nutrition, weight loss, strength training to today’s topic, Resistance Training. The aim of my “Back to Basics Blog series is to provide clear, informative and easy to understand health & fitness information. I am a big believer in keeping things simple, and straight to the point. Enjoy.

Resistance training is an activity that has become more and more popular with many individuals of all ages and for many different purposes. Simply defined, resistance training is any activity that requires muscular actions of the body to overcome an opposing force. This opposing force can come from using barbells, dumbbells, resistance machines, medicine balls or your own body weight. Even though this type of exercise can have a cross over effect on the cardiovascular and endocrine system, the major goal of resistance training is to develop the neuromuscular (muscular and nervous) system.

 An increase in strength is often experienced as this type of exercise challenges the muscle to respond to the increase in strength. As a muscle increases in strength the muscle fibres increase in size, this is called hypertrophy. If a person increases their muscle mass, this in turn leads to an increase in the person’s base metabolic rate. The effects of this mean we become more efficient at burning calories around clock.  Muscles are not the only component to become stronger as a result of resistance training, so do tendons and ligaments around the associated joints, increasing stability and reducing the load on that joint.

You may have heard the terms, free weights or machine weights and wondered what they mean. Free weight exercises are those that involve some type of external resistance such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells or even bodyweight exercises that do not require some type of support mechanism.  This type of training has many advantages as it forces the body to work as it does in real life. It can improve all components of our fitness and is accessible to almost everyone.  

The picture below is of a barbell back squat which is a fantastic free weight functional exercise.

Resistance training machines can vary in design and complexity. The weight being lifted is connected to a machine that allows some form of guidance to the weight as it moves. Common examples of these machines include, Lat Pulldown, Leg Press, Chest Press and Shoulder Press. The pictures below are common resistance machines found in most commercial gyms. This type of training can be great for older people with mobility and suitability issues, or for beginners with a low level of experience.   

Usually a resistance training program will be written in the form of sets and reps.  A rep (repetition) is one complete execution of an exercise through its full range of movement, where as a set is a pre-determined number of reps performed consecutively. For example, if you were to perform 3 x 12 Push Ups, you would be required to do three lots of twelve push ups with a break in between.

As I said at the start, I’m keeping things simply, so I will leave it at that. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. Email at info@alltonefitness.com.au and remember...

BE FIT - BE STRONG - BE HEALTH! 

Mark – Alltone Fitness, BNG Boot Camp Greensborough Mill Park Bundoora Watsonia