Energy System

Development
CONOR HARRIS – CSCS, XPS, CES, CPT
Learning Objectives

1 2 3 4
Understand the role Appreciate oxygen Differentiate Be able to program
of oxygen delivery desaturation in the between different different workouts
to tissues role of hypertrophy types of limitations for different
& endurance in endurance respiration biases
training activity
Myoglobin &
Hemoglobin

 Hemeproteins whose physiological

importance is principally related to their
ability to bind molecular oxygen
 Hemoglobin = found in red blood cells
and transports O2
 Myoglobin = Promotes diffusion of O2 into
and throughout muscle cell
Veins &
Arteries
 Arteries = Deliver
oxygenated blood
from heart
 Capillaries = Where O2
is exchanged
 Veins = Return
deoxygenated blood
to heart
Mitochondria
 The more oxygen you
pump to your muscle cells
and
their mitochondria through
aerobic workouts, the faster
and better they work to
produce energy.
 There is also an increase
in mitochondrial enzymes.
Relationship of
Oxygen &
Hemoglobin

 THb = Total density of

hemoglobin &
myoglobin (blood
volume in muscle)
 O2HB = Total density of
oxygenated
hemoglobin &
myoglobin in muscle
 HBb = Total density of
deoxygenated
hemoglobin &
myoglobin in muscle

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

The Role of Occlusion

 Compression: Light muscle

contraction
 0-30% 1 RM
 Venous compression: “Pump”
 Contraction strong enough
to block venous outflow
 30-70% 1 RM
 Arterial compression: Waste
products not going out, oxygen
not coming in
 1 rep left or mechanics
significantly breaking down in
sprinting

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

  Baudry et. al, 2013: At roughly 20%,
60%, and 80% loads, more oxygen
desaturation occurs, more motor unit
Example of Occlusion recruitment
 Goes up at 65% because they took a
rest

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

 The Point of Diminishing Returns

 Goal of hypertrophy is to
desaturate muscle of oxygen to
recruit more muscle fibers
 Happens around RPE 8
 Beyond RPE 8, we begin to
compensate
 This lines up with why
Schoenfeld et. al 2020 found
that RPE 8 is ideal
 Green = Compression
 Yellow = Venous
 Red = Arterial

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

Right leg forward, Left leg forward, Right leg forward, Left leg forward,
left leg back right leg back left leg back right leg back

Blood Flow Driving

Localized
Compensations in
a Split Squat
Isometric

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

QUESTIONS?
ENDURANCE TRAINING
Kinda
outdated?
 How do you use your gas tank?

 Difference: Rate of utilization of

oxygen
 Sprinter needs to use oxygen quickly
(Drag Race Car)
 Better oxygen utilization – low
delivery rate
 Marathoner needs extended oxygen
use (Prius)
 Better oxygen delivery, low
utilization rate
 CrossFit athlete: Needs both
 Middle ground

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

Compensations

 4 Zone Classifications
 Active Recovery –
Compression
 Structural Endurance –
Equal input from all
systems
 Functional Endurance –
Weakest system
fatigued
(compensating)
 High Intensity – All
systems fatigued
(failure)

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

Energetic Limitations (Rate Limiter)
O2 DECREASES AS WORKOUT PROGRESSES – therefore not a utilization problem

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

 HR continually increased, not a delivery issue
Delivery limited = HR would flatten & can’t cope with demand.
Cardiac system not stressed here

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

 THb/Blood flow = Progressively increases until high spike.
If CO2 isn’t being cleared, it will open up the arteries as it is a vasodilator
Therefore, this person is Respiratory Limited

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

QUESTIONS?
TESTING
Speed Preservation
Training

 Compare pace of
shorter duration event
to longer event
 Example: How long
can they maintain their
2k pace for a 5k?
What is the
Limitation?

 Type A: Delivery
Limited
 Type G: Respiratory
Limited
 In between: Mix

Image Credit: Evan Peikon

Heart Rate
Step Test
 Row/Run/Assault Bike 4:00
on w/ 30 seconds rest
 30 seconds rest allows for
HR spikes

 Should hit 50-60

minutes total time
 Start at a very easy
pace (usually 15-30
seconds slower than
4:00 pace)
Heart Rate
Step Test
Example start: Row at 4:30
pace for 4:00
Decrease pace 3 sec
each step until they can’t
hit pace for full 4 minutes

 If HR does not
plateau – Respiratory
or Utilization limited
 HR plateau – Delivery
Limited
QUESTIONS?
TRAINING
  Optimal mitochondrial density with weak
cardiac output
Delivery  HR will plateau when fatigued

Limited  Powerful with high neural drive and great

local muscular endurance
Characteristics  Increased hypertrophy
 Struggles in whole-body circuits
  Poor redirection of bloodflow/unsteady
flow

Delivery  Will cut off bloodflow to non-working tissues

to redirect more to the muscles under stress
Limited  Has trouble relaxing muscle during
Characteristics endurance events
 Suboptimal adaptation to cardiac training
 Who does this sound like?
Physical Signs of
Delivery-Limited
Athlete

 Wide ISA/Clavicle
Angle
 Increased thoracic
kyphosis
 More broad shoulders
allow for ↑ expansion
at anterior ribcage
(less likely to have neck
restrictions)
Training the Delivery Limited Individual

Need to train to fully

desaturate, but also
allow for optimal delivery Train yielding/eccentric
Low tension & short
capabilities in
• Split up longer intervals into intervals
shorter ones with rest in weightroom
between

No “pumps” as that
would mean venous
occlusion
Gradual Repeat
Desaturation Training
Goal: Gradually desaturate muscle at same rate they
can increase cardiac output to working muscle

1. 500m Row @ increasing pace every 500m

Example pace: 7:00 2k. Use 10 sec slower per 500m than
2k pace, then ↑ each step by 5 sec
 1:45, 1:40, 1:35, etc. Rest to recovery x4-8 sets
2. 60 second Assault Bike @ increasing wattage each
interval
 150, 200, 250, 300 watts
 Continuing until HR no longer increases linearly, rest
to recovery x3-6 sets
Gradual Repeat Desaturation Training

First set @ 70-75% effort

90 seconds
Second set @ 75-80% effort
200m row
Third set @80-85% effort
Fourth set @85-90% effort
Fifth set @90-95% effort
Rest 3-4 minutes (resaturation)
Repeat for 2-3 series (10-15 total work sets)
Extended Gradual
Desaturation Training

250-300 cal Assault Bike

 Build from 50% to 85% intensity over course of
interval
 At around 10 minute mark, should be roughly
at a ~30 minute pace
 Last 3-5 minutes should be hard, but
tolerable
Alternation Intervals
Goal: Alternate body parts in AMRAP circuit to
prevent “muscle pump”
30-60 mins AMRAP of LIGHT work:
 6 FFE Split Squats
 6 Off-Set Push Ups
 8 Staggered-Stance Deadlifts
 10 cal ski ergometer
 12 calorie row
 X10-15 sets
 Goal is movement quality & breathing
Alternation Intervals

AMRAP until 9 RPE on either of the following:

1. 20 cal assault bike ↑ wattage by 50 each set
2. Rest 20-30 seconds (transition)
3. 250m ski ergometer ↑ pace by 5 seconds
each set
4. Rest 90 seconds
QUESTIONS?
  Will show ↓ O2 saturation as tests progress
 Not breathing enough O2 in so lactate
builds up
Respiratory  ↑ Lactate because it is a fuel for oxidation
because it restores glycogen which
Limited restores PCr which restores ATP
Characteristics  ↑ Lactate means we do not have enough
O2 coming in to use it as a fuel source
 Decrease in oxygen saturation (SmO2)
with less blood flow in during rest, but ↑
vasodilation from too much CO2 buildup
  Brain is not getting enough O2 in intense
exercise
 Might turn “blue” in distal structures
 Will “see stars” or get blurry vision during
high intensity training
Respiratory  Great tissue quality – Low muscle “tone”
Limited during rest

Characteristics  Will not venous occlude as easily

 However, lacking stiffness for explosiveness

 Trouble gaining mass

 Lower neural drive
 Who does this sound like?
Physical Signs of
Respiratory-Limited
Individual

 Narrow ISA/Collarbone Angle

 Sign of compressed anterior ribcage
(poor breathing pattern)
 Traps & anterior neck likely to
become tight
 Drives excessive thoracic
extension/flat back posture
 If Wide ISA presents with secondary
THEORY compensations, they are likely going to present
with a degree of respiratory limitations
Training the Respiration-Limited Individual

Increase neural Balloon Anterior

Moderate-to-
drive (get them breathing Ribcage
Long Intervals
stronger) techniques Expansion
Positional Breathing
Warm-Up:
 Take 10 deep diaphragmatic breaths sitting on bike
with hands on handles in
 Take 10 deep diaphragmatic breaths sitting on bike
upright with hands on handles in training position
Cool-Down:
 Take 10 deep diaphragmatic breaths on floor in
appropriate position for their limitations (think about
corrective exercise week)

Balloons are good tools here

Endurance Breathing
Session

5-10 minutes of breathing into resistance at 20

breaths/minute 2-3x/week
 Add 5 minutes each session
2. Once they can comfortably do 15 minutes, ↑
breathing rate by ~5/min and back them down
to 5-10 minutes
Long-Duration Aerobic
Training
45 minute AMRAP:
 500m repeated row for as long as
comfortable
 Rest 90-180 seconds between sets
 Cut off workout as soon as
biomechanics break down or can’t hit
prescribed wattage
 Rest 2 min in quadruped position,
then resume timer
Long-Duration Aerobic
Training
45 minute AMRAP:
 Assault Bike at 75% max intensity for as
long as possible
 Cut off workout as soon as
biomechanics break down or can’t hit
prescribed wattage
 Rest 2 min in quadruped position, then
resume timer
Shorter-Duration
Respiration Intervals
2-4 sets:
1. 150m row
2. 150m row at ↑ pace by ~5 seconds
3. Third row interval at ~3-5 seconds ↑ pace
 Stop third interval once they can’t
control breathing
4. 2:00 rest in quadruped position focusing
on breathing mechanics
 Rest to recovery between first 3 steps
QUESTIONS?
What if they’re a combination of Respiratory/Delivery limited?
Train both and aim at progressively increasing intensity with each step.
Example – 2-4 sets of:

1 2 3
1. Row at 2. Ski ergometer @ 5 3. Assault bike at 75%
light/moderate pace, seconds faster than max wattage for 3-5x
↑ pace by 5 sec every final 500m row pace sets until breathing
500m until RPE 8 until RPE 9 mechanics are
• Rest until 8/10 recovery • Rest until 8/10 recovery compromised
• Rest until complete recovery
then restart back at top
Training the Utilization-Limited Individual

Prioritize ability Improve

Watch for
Short-Intense to utilize oxygen intermuscular
biomechanics
Intervals via increased coordination &
breaking down
intensity strength
 Tabata workout – Repeated
Example Desaturation Training

Training for
Utilization
8 minutes or 16 x 20s (all-out) on/10s
Limited off the athlete should focus on
proper breathing technique during
the entirety of the 8 minutes of work