Those of us who work with athletes, coaches, and trainers in sports have a unique perspective. Emphasis is placed on nutrition to achieve peak physical and mental performance. It’s also beneficial to know how your Body’s Energy is being utilized in healthy ways to get better at sports.
Energy is subject to the following fundamental law:
The first law of thermodynamics says that energy cannot be created but must instead be moved or changed. The human body, like a car, runs solely on a single type of energy, referred to as “chemical energy.” Adenosine triphosphate is the sole chemical energy source the body may employ to perform biological tasks (ATP), the phosphate moiety of adenosine
Three separate chemical mechanisms in our body are responsible for the conversion of energy. Proteins, carbs, and lipids are all well-known sources of Body’s Energy . Calories are units of heat or food energy measurement.
Ready-Made Energy for a Short Time:
The Body’s Energy system includes ATP, PC, and other components. Phosphocreatine (PC), the body’s primary energy source, is stored in the tissues. PC is utilized to replace ATP after exercise has taken its toll on the body’s systems. Essentially, the PC serves as a backup to speed up the process of regenerating ATP. This device provides athletes with an instantaneous source of energy that they can tap into at any time. To power biological processes like contracting a muscle, these substrates are available for chemical transformation.
Downside:
Athletes, on average, have 285 grams of ATP stored throughout their bodies. Ergogenic aids like this one are well-researched and compelling. This much ATP will be depleted in a few seconds of hard labor. Creatine monohydrate, a supplement, has been shown to boost muscle-stored PC. System for generating and using energy.
Quick Energy from Glucose:
There are ten enzyme-controlled processes in glycolysis, also known as anaerobic glycolysis, that use carbohydrates to produce ATP and pyruvate as end products. The glycolytic system is used in the Body’s Energy .When it comes to physical activity , the body prefers glycolysis as its primary energy source. The process is quick, glucose is readily available, and reactions can occur wherever in the cell’s sarcoplasm.
Glucose is broken down during glycolysis. Glycolysis can technically employ either glucose or glycogen as a starting chemical. To initiate the process, glucose must cross the cell membrane and enter the nucleus. Glucose must first get through the cell’s membrane to transform into pyruvate and two ATP molecules. These ten reactions happen in a split second.
Downside:
On the one hand, only two ATP molecules are generated for every glucose molecule consumed. Glucose has six carbon atoms when it is formed. Carbons are chemical energy’s equivalent of “potential ATP” because they hold potential power. That’s a waste of chemical potential energy.
Second, the two pyruvate molecules generated in the final reaction can take one of two routes. Both lactate (lactic acid) and third-system ATP can produce pyruvate (pyruvate adenine dinitrate). High levels of blood lactate, as most athletes are aware, are detrimental to athletic performance. Glycolysis begins in a matter of seconds and can last for up to two minutes.
Aerobic Energy that Lasts:
Each cell’s Aerobic System is housed in a separate organelle . The mitochondria are this unique organelle’s “powerhouse.” That’s exactly right. The mitochondria are primarily responsible for the majority of ATP production in the body.
Downside:
There is no need for oxygen in the anaerobic energy systems, which are the first two to be discussed. There is no aerobic energy system without oxygen, and without oxygen, the entire process slows down and may even stop. The circulatory and respiratory systems, which transport oxygen-rich blood to the tissues, give this system what it needs. All three of our fuels are used in the aerobic energy system.
Carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins can all be digested to make ATP in this system. Essentially, the protein is broken down into individual amino acids, with the “amino” component being removed or altered. Triglycerides in the blood carry fats all over the place.
Triglycerides must first be broken down into glycerol and fatty acids before being used by the aerobic system for energy production. ATP can be made from any of these two carbon molecules. The glycolysis processes allow glycerol to enter the body. The glycolytic system converts carbohydrates into pyruvate, which is then used in the aerobic system.
Body Energy System Training for Better Results:
Training can improve all three of the body’s energy systems. For each system, the implications are significantly different. Squats strengthen your quadriceps and hamstrings, but each energy system is also trainable.
System for Immediate Power:
Short explosive motions or exercises, for example, would be used in a training session aimed at boosting the Immediate Energy System. To “stress” the primary energy system, perform a series of repeated maximal vertical leaps or brief sprints.
Energy System for the Long Term:
An athlete must conduct steady-state activities for at least 20 to 30 minutes to train the Aerobic System. Aerobic work is often performed at a range of 65 to 85 percent of one’s maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max). If you want to get the most out of your workout, you should do it at least four times per week. An exercise physiologist’s perspective on the body’s energy systems has been presented here.
System of Short-Term Energy:
Similarly, a training session to improve the Glycolytic System would necessitate a more extended period spent working at a higher intensity. A good example is a 400-meter sprint. Train the Glycolytic System by running intervals on a track or football field.
Refueling and Recuperation of Energy:
The aerobic system aids in the replenishment and recovery of the initial two body’s energy systems. As a result of glycolysis, this system aids in the removal of lactate and the regeneration of ATP and PC needed for the Immediate Energy system. Anaerobic team sports are the norm in most activities. Athletes in team sports who don’t have the best aerobic conditioning are frequently simple to spot. They’ll be the ones kneeling on the football field between each play, hands clasped behind their backs.
