When creating a training program, although there are so many different ways of creating effective program, there are certain rules that you should follow based on your goals. One of the factors to consider is what energy system you are wanting to improve.
For example, if the goal is weight or fat loss, you may want to focus mainly on aerobic energy system to train the body to become efficient in using fat as energy source. Although aerobic system may become dominant in weight loss program design, this doesn't mean that anaerobic energy system is not important.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Energy System
Our body can utilize 3 nutrients, carbohydrate, fat and protein, that can be convert into energy that our body can use called ATP or adenosine triphosphate. Think of ATP as currency. For our body to utilize those nutrients into energy they must be converted into ATP.
Our body has mainly 2 different energy pathways, aerobic and anaerobic energy production. These processes are necessary for us to survive and runs 24/7/365 ever since we were born and will continue until we die. Both will be creating ATP which is required not just for muscular work but for all cellular functions. Higher the performance is more ATP is required.
Aerobic system provides most of the energy for any activity that last longer than 60 seconds regardless of intensity level. Aerobic energy system is also responsible for recovery. This is not just for while you are resting but also recovery during the performance.
Compared to aerobic system, anaerobic-lactic system is shorter in energy production duration but is higher in energy production rate. This means when performing more strength required activities, body will switch from aerobic system to anaerobic-lactic system. Anaerobic-lactic system contributes the most power output around 30 seconds then declines after that.
Anaerobic-alactic system, also known as ATP-PC and able to generate the fastest ATP because of less chemical step, therefore can produce the most power energy output. However, it can only produce high amount of energy for a few seconds. In other words, fatigue will kick in faster than other energy system.
Training in Aerobic System
When talking about training aerobic system, tendency is to think of steady state cardio such as walking. Although that is not a wrong method, however, there more you can do. As long as trainee can maintain Zone 2 then the training would be using aerobic system.
Other than steady state cardio, you can do circuit training where you have several exercises and cycle through each one. There are few things to make the circuit training more designed to train aerobic system.
First is duration of exercise. You want to make sure that you have enough exercise and number of repetitions in each exercise so that the one circuit will last for at least 60 seconds. Number of sets can be also high but you can also set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes to see how many circuits you can complete in those time.
Second is intensity. If you have high intensity exercise, you may have difficulty in staying in Zone 2. So my suggestion is start off with lower intensity and increase as you move on. Also if you are monitoring your heartrate, once you are getting close to the top of zone 2, make sure to stop and recover your heart rate. Zone 2 heart rate can be found by calculating 180 - your age. If you are 40 years old, this number would be 140 beats per minute (bpm). Maintaining 140 is challenging so give about 10 beats range, which will be 130-140bpm. Keep in mind that higher resistance will also raise your heart rate.
Third is duration of recovery. Although aerobic system training is not as intense as anaerobic training, you will still need to monitor your recovery. Give yourself 10-20 seconds rest after each exercise and 1 minutes after each set/circuit. While resting try not to sit around. Use light walking to recover your breathing and heart rate. This process is important because we also want to train the body to balance between sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system.
Here is a sample routine for training aerobic system:
Complete as many circuit as possible in 15 minutes
15-20 reps Air Squat
10-15 each Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press
10-15 reps Romanian Deadlift (DB/BB)
15-20 reps TRX or Ring Row
This is just a sample and options are limitless.
Training Anaerobic System
As mentioned earlier, there are two types of anaerobic energy system, lactic system and alactic energy system. From the training perspective, major difference is in duration of the performance. Lactic system takes no more than 30 seconds and alactic system takes less than 2-3 seconds.
For example, when performing deadlift for 10 repetitions, it may take about 20-30 seconds, which would be lactic system. With same deadlift but changing the repetitions to 2-3 repetitions which may take about 3 seconds to complete, this will be alactic system. Of course intensity and the load must vary for each energy system.
First important factor in training anaerobic system is the intensity level. When I say intensity, this could be how heavy you are lifting and/or speed of exercise. Heavy or fast is relative to your capability.
Second factor is recovery. With the intensity being higher than aerobic system, recovery duration between each exercise and set need to be in longer duration. If you are performing 2-3 exercises per sets, you may want to give 30-60 seconds of rest in between exercise and 2-3 minutes or even longer rest period between each set. During anaerobic training, you are not just restoring your heart rate and breathing but also energy source required to perform anaerobic training.
Here is sample exercise for anaerobic lactic and alactic system.
Alactic system
complete 6 sets with 3 minutes in between sets
3-5 back squats
Lactic system
Complete 3-4 sets of following
5 reps eccentric back squats
5 reps box jump
5 reps each Bulgarian split squats
rest 3 minutes between sets
Recovery time is set for 3 minutes in these sample routine, however, it should be designed according to your capability. Some may need more time to recover.
Summary
Whether you are training to improve your aerobic or anaerobic system, training method should be designed towards what you are wanting to accomplish. Although I do believe that something is better than nothing, however, not seeing results with your effort applied can also be frustrating.
Both aerobic and anaerobic system are important. Yet aerobic fitness plays important role in recovery during both aerobic and anaerobic training. For the beginner, place spend more time training in aerobic system then 1-2 times per week of anaerobic training. Aerobic training and anaerobic training can be done in the same session.
See if you can organize your training by focusing on what energy system you are working on.
Kota Shimada
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