Energy Systems for Fitness

Fitness for sport

Trevor Dunne

Coaching responsibility Help your athletes to achieve the levels of

energy fitness and muscular fitness demanded by their sport.

Stages of training – being examined1. Warm up2. Energy fitness3. Muscular fitness4. Cool down

1. Warm Up Begin each session with a warm up

designed for your sport. Low energy – high skill sports – include

stretching and skill rehearsal. High energy – raise HR, stretch and

rehearse technique. Adequate warm up prevents injury and

helps prepare athletes psychologically for the event.

Warm Up Stretches should be to the point of

discomfort and then hold for 5-10 seconds. Stretch the muscles required for the

activity, stretch the ones that are more easily injured and those that you have had difficulties with in the past.

2. Energy fitness This is the bodies ability to store and use

fuels efficiently to power particular muscle contractions.

Coaches must match the energy demands of the sport in training.

Energy Pathways The energy that muscles use to contract

comes from two systems: Aerobic – with oxygen Anaerobic – without oxygen The system used will depend on the

availability of oxygen and on the intensity and duration of the activity.

Anaerobic 2 parts to this system Creatine Phosphate (10-15 seconds) The lactate energy system (30-40 seconds

seconds) The anaerobic system is used at the

beginning of exercise before respiration and circulation adjust to the effort and begin to supply oxygen. It is also used when the energy demands exceed the bodies ability to produce aerobic energy.

Anaerobic contd. In the short term anaerobic phase (CP),

energy comes from limited energy supplies in the muscles.

In the lactate system energy comes from stored muscle glycogen.

Aerobic Aerobic energy sources are used during

longer steady paced activities such as running.

Aerobic energy comes from the burning (oxidisation) of fat and carbohydrates.

If the activity is so demanding and exceeds the bodies ability to provide oxygen – additional energy comes from the non-oxidative breakdown of muscle glycogen – and produces lactic acid.

Contd. Fuelling muscles anaerobically is far less

efficient that fuelling it aerobically. When muscle glycogen is burned

aerobically it produces 38 units of energy – used anaerobically it only produces 2 units.

The anaerobic pathway produces more lactic acid and this interferes with the muscles ability to contract and hinders energy production – causing fatigue and poor performance.

Oxygen consumption during Aerobic exercise

Oxygen consumption during Anaerobic exercise

Oxygen Deficit At the start of exercise – where needs are

immediate – oxygen consumption takes several minutes to meet required levels.

OD is anaerobic work at the start where CP stores are used (all or some).

Steady state – when oxygen demands meets supply

Oxygen debt A temporary elevated level of oxygen

consumption on finishing exercising. Pays back the oxygen deficit. Replenishes stores of phosphagens,

removes lactic acid and restores balance.

Energy Training MAXIMUM HR

Aerobic foundation 70-85%

Anaerobic threshold 85-90%

Anaerobic training 90-95%

Speed 95-100%

Peak

Aerobic Foundation Training for aerobic fitness helps to

toughen ligaments, tendons and connective and reduces the risk of injury.

It also lays the foundation upon which all future practices and performances are built.

Aerobic contd. Good aerobic training includes three

components: Low intensity, long duration activity. Medium distances with occasional periods

of increased activity. Resistance effort – such as hill work for

runners.

Anaerobic Threshold This marks the point at which the athlete

begins to produce excess lactic acid. This is the upper limit of efficient aerobic energy production.

Contd. The threshold can be measured in

laboratory treadmill tests – but with practice an athlete can learn what it feels like. When breathing becomes difficult and sustained effort is doubtful – it is an indicator that the threshold is near.

This type of training done twice weekly can increase threshold – as it help the muscles fibres to work better aerobically (pace training, fartlek)

Anaerobic Training This is achieved by progressively

increasing speed while decreasing distance or duration of effort.

Interval training – exercise interval followed by active rest.

The rest is vital as it maintains circulation and uses muscle contractions at low intensity to remove waste products and promote recovery.

Contd. Athletes HR should be below 125 before

starting a second interval Stop intervals if the athlete cannot

maintain good form. No more than 2 sessions per week No more than 4-6 weeks of this training –

then taper off before competition.

Speed When athletes are new to a sport they should follow the training pyramid – experienced athletes

can do speed work throughout the season. Speed is partially inherited and partially

acquired. Speed can be acquired as athletes learn to

relax and become more efficient – more comes when speed drills are supplemented with weight training.

Samples of speed work Acceleration sprints – start easy and speed

up (safest) Hollow sprints – start and end fast and go

easy in the middle. Starts – if required for swimming ,

sprinting of football.

Peaking If you skip stages in the pyramid – training will be

less successful and may lead to injury. As the season progresses – so too should training. Use early competitions to build training, sharpen

skills and improve speed. By mid season – be at the competitive level that

can be maintained for the rest of the season. If athletes peak too soon – they may slump before

the season ends.

Tapering This is a period of reduced training before

an important competition. It allows for optimal stores of energy to be

available, and provides time to heal minor injuries.

Taper for days (teams or sprinters) or a week or more (long distance events).

A longer taper is required in sports that involve a greater volume of training.

3. Muscular Fitness This includes strength, endurance, power,

speed and flexibility. Experienced athletes often do strength

training in the off season to build muscle size and force and then proceed to add endurance and power during the season.

Each component of muscular fitness can be enhanced by resistance training.

Contd. High resistance with few reps builds

strength. Low resistance with many reps builds

endurance. Resistance can be applied with free

weights, machine weights, body weight, air and hydraulics.

Strength How much strength is required for your

sport? Determine this and then decide what the

athlete requires. Do athletes need more strength? Experience shows that the strength of a

muscle group should be 2.5 times the resistance encountered.

More strength will not improve performance but less may hinder it.

Contd.To help improve strength: Set the weight so the max number of reps

is 8-10 Do three sets for each muscle group Increase the resistance when the athlete

can do ten reps. Lift every second day – 3 times per week. Can improve at a rate of 1-3% per week. Ensure proper warm up and adequate

supervision.

Muscular endurance Should be specific to how the muscles are

used in the sport. Endurance is very trainable and dramatic

improvements in endurance are associated with improved performance and success in sport.

Can work on short term (3 sets@ 15-25 reps), Intermediate (2 sets @30-50 reps) and long term (1 set @ 100+ reps) – all done three times weekly.

Power Power is the rate of doing work. It involves both

strength (force) and speed (distance divided by time)

This is essential training for many sports. Use a weight at 30-60% of the athletes 1RM. Get them to lift the weight as fast as possible. Do three sets of 15-25 reps three times per week. Increase resistance when the athlete can perform

25 reps.

Plyometrics Exercises used to develop power. These explosive movements build strength

and the elastic recoil that provides more power for jumping and other activities.

Start this gradually and stop if legs become sore.

Work on a soft surface (grass or dirt) Work up to three sets and then increase

resistance (work uphill or wear a weighted vest)

Contd. This will increase strength by about 8-10%

and improve elastic recoil and will help athletes to learn how to use force more effectively.

Speed Reaction time (how long it takes you to

initiate a movement) and movement time (the time it takes you to get from the start to the end of the movement).

Class exercise: Examine ways to improve these.

4. Cool Down Important to prevent pooling of blood. Plan a cool down for each session. After easy jogging or easy aerobic

movements, do stretching exercises to reduce the chance of delayed, muscles soreness.

End of section on fitness