Physiology of Fitness

Energy systems and their role in

sport and exercise
Learning Outcomes
•  List the 3 main energy systems and their cellular fuel

•  Describe the 3 energy systems giving sports related

examples

•  Explain why some sports require more of one energy system

than another

•  Measure and record the body’s responses to different types

of exercise

•  Explain the recorded measurements

•  Produce a short magazine article describing the three main

energy systems using examples.
Chemical fuel
•  Your body’s ability to extract energy from food and
transfer it to the contractile proteins in your
skeletal muscle determines your capacity to
exercise at different durations at different
intensities. This transfer of energy occurs as a
result of thousands of chemical reactions.

•  The muscles use a fuel called

•  ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
ATP
Energy is stored in the chemical bond
ATP = A-P-P--P Lots of energy stored
between 2nd & 3rd
phosphate groups

When this bond is broken energy is released –

allowing myosin to attach to actin and muscle
contraction to occur.
ADP = A-P-P P = Phosphate
phosphate)
(creatine

ADP will then bind again with a phosphate

group and energy is stored that can be
used later.
Actin & Myosin
•  What are the •  The key terms to remember
from that clip are:
contractile proteins
•  ATP
in muscle?
•  ADP + Creatine Phosphate
•  Myosin
Contractile
•  Actin & Myosin •  Actin proteins

http://www.youtube.com/ •  When ATP is released onto

watch?v=gJ309LfHQ3M myosin the chemical bond
http://www.physics3110.org/ breaks releasing a lot of
images/240_actin.gif energy causing actin and
myosin filaments to contract
ie muscle contraction
What is ATP?
•  ATP is a protein
(Adenosine) with 3
phosphates attached The release of energy from ATP
to it
•  When chemical bonds
are broken, energy is
released and ATP
becomes ADP
(Adenosine
diphosphate Di=2)
•  The energy from this
breaking is used to
make muscles contract
Energy Systems
•  What are the 3 main
energy systems that
convert chemical fuel
from food into energy?

1.  Creatine Phosphate

System

2.  Lactic Acid System What is this?

The mitochondrion, shown
3.  Aerobic Energy here, is a tiny cellular
structure that turns
System chemical fuel into cellular
energy ie ATP.
Creatine Phosphate System
Creatine Phosphate System
CP System
(immediate energy)
•  Here ATP is made without
the presence of oxygen.
•  When exercise intensity is
high, or energy needs are
instantaneous, creatine
phosphate stored in your
muscle is broken down to
provide energy to make
ATP.
•  Explosive work can be
achieved, but only for short Activity
periods of time at maximum List as many sports activities
intensity, as the supply of as possible that use mainly
creatine phosphate is very the CP system.
limited, up to 10 seconds.
Creatine Phosphate System
Primary energy source: Stored ATP, CP

Duration of activity: 7-12 s

Sporting events: Weight lifting, high jump, long jump, 100m

run, 25m swim

Produce very large amount of energy in a

Advantages: short amount of time

Initial concentration of high energy

Limiting factors: phosphates (ATP, PC)
Creatine Phosphate System
Training The CP System
a) Interval training: eg 1min low intensity 1min high intensity
& repeat

- 20% increase in CP (creatine phosphate) stores

- no change in ATP stores
- increase in ATPase function (ATP -> ADP+P)
- increase in CPK (creatine phosphokinase) function
(CPK breaks down CP molecule and allows ATP
resynthesis)

b) Sprint training:

- increase in CP stores up to 40%

- 100% increase in resting ATP stores
Lactic Acid Energy System
Lactic Acid Energy System
•  high intensity exercise •  Where does the body store
glycogen?
•  up to 2 minutes.
–  Muscles
•  ATP is made by the
partial breakdown of –  Liver
glucose and glycogen. •  What is the by-product of
anaerobic glycolysis?
This is caused by
anaerobic glycolysis –  Lactic acid

•  It’s an anaerobic
process (no O2) •  http://
www.youtube.com/
watch?
v=JLaVIPlPm6g&fe
ature=related
Lactic Acid Energy System
Primary energy source: Stored glycogen, blood glucose

Duration of activity: 12 s – 3 min

800m run, 200m swim, downhill ski racing,

Sporting events:
1500 speed skating

Ability
to produce energy under conditions of
Advantages:
inadequate oxygen

Limiting factors: Lactic acid build up, H+ ions build up

(decrease of pH)
Lactic Acid Energy System
Lactic Acid Energy System
Anaerobic Threshold
•  The exercise intensity at which lactic acid begins to
accumulate within the blood

•  The point during exercise where the person begins to feel

discomfort and burning sensations in their muscles

•  Lactic acid is used to store pyruvate and hydrogen ions until

they can be processed by the aerobic system
Lactic Acid Energy System
•  The primary source of substrates is carbohydrate

Carbohydrates:
– primary dietary source of glucose
– primary energy fuels for brain, muscles, heart,
liver
 Recap
Lactic Acid Creatine Phosphate
Energy System Energy System
Anaerobic g________ is the It is the imm_________
breakdown of ________ and energy system needed when
_________ to produce _ _ _ exercise intensity is ______,
or energy needs are
This energy system can sustain instantaneous.
high intensity exercise for C_______ p________ is broken
how long? _____ down to provide energy to
make _ _ _
The by product is called When ATP is released onto
_______ ____. It can impede m______ the chemical bond
muscle contraction and breaks releasing a lot of
cause fatigue. energy causing a____ and
m_____ filaments to contract
ie muscle contraction
Aerobic Energy System
Primary energy source: Glycogen, glucose, fats, proteins

Duration of activity: > 3 min

Walking, jogging, swimming,

Sporting events:
walking up stairs

Large
output of energy over a long
Advantages:
period of time, removal of lactic acid

Limiting factors: Lung function, max.blood flow, oxygen

availability, excess. energy demands
Aerobic Energy System
Aerobic Energy System
Aerobic Energy System
• The most important energy system in the human body
• Blood lactate levels remain relatively low (3-6mmol/L bl)
Primary source of energy (70-95%) for exercise lasting
longer than 10 minutes provided that:
a) working muscles have sufficient mitochondria to meet
energy requirements
b) sufficient oxygen is supplied to the mitochondria
c) enzymes or intermediate products do not limit the Kreb’s
cycle
• Primary source of energy for the exercise that is
performed at an intensity lower than that of the anaerobic
oxidative system
Aerobic Energy System
•  Long term energy, Answer:
system for light It takes a few minutes
exercise and every day for the heart to deliver
movements. oxygenated blood to
•  Uses O2 the working muscles.
•  The production of
energy in the aerobic Long, continuous
system does not start moderate exercise
instantly.... Why? produces energy using
•  In groups discuss this this system.
and write down your
agreed answer
Types of Sport that use each system
•  Remember, energy at any given time
is derived from all 3 energy systems.
•  However the emphasis changes
depending on:
–  the intensity of the activity
–  the efficiency of your aerobic fitness
Energy Systems Summary
1.  Creatine Phosphate energy system ...
for very short high intensity exercise
•  ADP + Phosphocreatine ATP + creatine
•  requires no O2 but only enough stored for
about 10secs e.g. power lifting...
2.  Lactic Acid Energy System: short-term
energy system
•  Glucose 2 ATP + 2 lactic acid + heat
•  Glycogen 3 ATP + 2 lactic acid + heat
requires no O2 but produces energy for high
intensity exercise for up to 60 – 90 secs e.g. 400m
race..
Energy Systems Summary
3. Aerobic Energy System: long-term energy
system
–  Glucose +O2 38 ATP + CO2 + water + heat

–  Fatty acids + O2 129 ATP + CO2 + water

+ heat
Take Home Questions?
1.  What are the differences between the 3 energy systems?
2.  What is one advantage and one disadvantage of each of the
3 energy systems.
3.  Give an example of three activities or sports that use each of
(a) the creatine phosphate system, (b) the lactic acid
system, and (c) the aerobic system as their primary source
of energy (one sport for each energy system).
4.  What is the most important source of fuel in the body for all
types of energy production - a substance also known as the
energy currency of the body?