Energy Systems
The body generates ATP—the fuel required for muscle contractions—using three different energy
systems: the ATP-PC system, the lactic acid system, and the aerobic system. The ATP-PC system provides
the most immediate energy source. It gives your muscles about 10 to 15 seconds of explosive energy
before the lactic acid (glycolysis) system kicks in to provide the energy needed for up to two more
minutes of high-intensity output. After the glycolysis system is exhausted, the body switches from the
anaerobic energy system to the aerobic energy system, and training efforts become more about
endurance (see figure 2.5). The ATP-PC (composed of adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine) and
lactic acid systems function anaerobically (without oxygen), and while all three matter in high-
performance athletics, the anaerobic energy systems have the greatest impact on explosive
acceleration, change of direction, and power. This is because anaerobic energy systems are responsible
for fueling the first few seconds or minutes of power output. When you start sprinting, lifting, jumping,
or punching, there simply isn’t enough oxygen immediately available in the muscle tissues to fuel
aerobic metabolism.
FIGURE 2.5 Energy systems. The body generates ATP, the metabolic fuel required for muscle
contractions, using three different energy systems: the ATP-PC system, the lactic acid system, and the
aerobic system.
ATP-PC System
The ATP-PC system is your body’s instant fuel-injection system because PC (phosphocreatine) is a small,
high-energy compound that the muscle cells store directly within themselves, making PC immediately
available for sudden bursts of effort. But, since it is stored in very small amounts, it gives your muscles
only about 10 to 15 seconds of high-octane fuel. After that, your lactic acid system kicks in to provide
more energy for up to another two minutes of output until you become fatigued and start breathing
hard because you need oxygen to continue. At this point, your body will switch to using the aerobic
system. The chemical reaction in the ATP-PC system causes no fatigue by-products, and cells can quickly
resynthesize PC. These advantages translate to providing you the ability to be ready to sprint, lift, jump,
or punch again after a relatively short recovery period.
Developing this energy system for speed involves training sessions with reps of 10 to 15 seconds at
maximum intensity, followed by approximately two minutes of rest between reps to allow the system to
replenish itself. In sprinting, this system is best challenged as an athlete approaches max velocity
between 30 and 60 meters at 95- to 100-percent effort. The general work–rest ratio for training the ATP-
PC system is 1:10/20, meaning you should allow for 10 to 20 seconds of recovery for every second of
work. For example, if you were to sprint as fast as you can for 50 meters, you would then follow up with
a one- to three-minute recovery interval before repeating. The important thing to remember is that
when you’re designing training programs that condition the ATP-PC system, the rest cycle is critical. If
there is a significant decrease in the quality of an athlete’s movement or power output, that athlete
should rest or stop the session because their fatigue indicates that the ATP-PC system has been
depleted. If the athlete continues, they will switch to endurance-training modalities that are
counterproductive to developing explosive power and speed. It’s also important to consider that the
speed component of anaerobic metabolism should be trained when no muscle fatigue is present
(typically after 24 to 72 hours of rest).
Book: The Anatomy of Speed by Bill Parisi
