Feels Like The First Time! - Programming for Bioenergetic Conditioning

Good Afternoon Folks! - The title of today's post happens to be from one of my favorite bands. "Journey". It best expresses the content I am planning to deliver today, simply because when you actually get your workout timed correctly down to the second, in specific energy systems, with appropriate rest periods, it will feel like the first time.... you've ever worked out.

In my previous post about Bio-energetic conditioning, I discussed the main systems (aerobic and anaerobic), along with a 10000 foot view of the subsystems...  Today, I am going to dive into each subsystem.. Apply a little science, and then tell you how to actually address each system.


As I had mentioned previously, we have 3 overhead energy systems.  

1. Phosphagen
2. Glycolytic
3. Oxidative

ALL energy systems are active at anytime, regardless of being under workload, or at rest. There is no OFF switch for an energy system, your body elects which energy system to use dependant on the duration of the workload.


Phosphagen System:  
         The primary function of the phosphagen system is to provide ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) high intensity activities usually lasting in duration from 0-6 seconds, but can remain for as long as 20 seconds.

It is active at the start of all exercise, regardless of intensity.


Glycolytic System:
          The primary function of the Glycolytic System is carbohydrate (CHO) breakdown to produce ATP in the cytoplasm (sarcoplasm of a muscle cell)

Provides energy primarily for moderate to high intensity activities: for 30 seconds up to 2-3 minutes of activity in a hypoxic (low oxygen) cellular environment.

Through a series of reactions, creates an energy pyruvate (glycolysis) which may proceed in 1 of 2 directions.

A: Fast glycolysis (anaerobic glycolysis): pyruvate is reduced to lactic acid, providing ATP at a fast rate
B: Slow glycolysis (aerobic glycolysis): pyruvate is transported to the mitochondria (to the Krebs Cycle) for use in the oxidative system


Oxidative System:
          The primary function of the oxidative system is to provide ATP for activities ranging longer than 3 minutes.

Think of it as the garbage disposal in your sink. It does not discriminate on where its energy sources come from. It consumes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

For individuals with larger fat stores, the oxidative system prefers to utilize fat(s) in its reaction phase, rather than protein(s) stored within the muscle.. For leaner athletes the oxidative system will consume protein from within the muscle.


Energy Production & Training:
          There is an inverse relationship between the rate and the capacity of the phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative systems to supply ATP.

The extent to which the energy systems contribute to the energy being produced is primarily determined by the intensity and secondarily by the duration of the exercise.

In order to become better conditioned, we need to stress each of these systems, several times a week. This will make the systems become stronger, and more readily available to adapt and change to your needs.

Below are a few tables I put together, detailing the Time / Intensity relationship with each energy system, and the guidelines for time under work,  work/rest ratio and intensity to train each energy system.

Conclusion:  We've taken a deep dive into energy production.  From an exercise perspective, there is no silver bullet for this when programming..  You can program any type of exercise within the duration of the work cycles recommended above..   Using the Work : Rest Ratios, make sure you build upon each energy system by increasing the number of work cycles within a specific area every time you program this into your workouts.

In a follow up post, I will give you a multi-week conditioning cycle that I use when training athletes.. This will give you guidance on how to build or taper your conditioning.

Hope this was helpful, and feel free to ask any questions in the comments tab!

T