Fueling Your Workout
Pre- and Post Workout snacks and meals are important, but did you know that they don’t provide energy to your muscles and cells? That energy source for your body’s working tissue is Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). The is what is used in fueling your workout.
ATP is a molecule that consists of adenine, a ribose group and three phosphate molecules. When a muscle receives a signal to contract, ATP is broken down into Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) and an inorganic Phosphate molecule by a process called ATP hydrolysis. The energy that our muscles use is not from the adenosine or from the phosphate, but rather from the bond that hold the Phosphate to the adenosine.
To ensure a steady stream of energy is available, ADP must be recycled into ATP (this is where food comes into play). There are three main ATP regenerating systems, two of which do not require the presence of oxygen and therefore predominate strength training workouts. The first system to re-make ATP is called the Phosphagen system. This system lasts for approximately 30 seconds. Creatine Phosphate donates its Phosphate group to ADP to remake ATP (interestingly, Creatine Phosphate can only be recycled by using the energy from an ATP breakdown).
Once Creatine Phosphate store have been depleted, Anaerobic Glycolysis kicks in. Glucose, the final breakdown of carbs is broken down in the cytosol into pyruvate and, eventually lactate, while yielding 2 ATP (it actually yields 4 ATP, but you have to spend two to get the whole thing started). This system lasts approximately two minutes.
There you have it! That’s how you get energy for fueling your workout!
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About the author
Dwayne Wimmer founded Vertex Fitness Personal Training Studio in 2001, excited to bring a new concept about personal training to the people of Philadelphia’s Main Line in Pennsylvania. Driven by knowledge and results both, while a strength coach at Villanova University, he worked closely with world class athletes such as Brian Westbrook, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, on strength training and conditioning for optimal performance. Dwayne’s client base extends much further than world class athletes. Along with athletes, he works with adolescents to seniors, and he’s a highly acclaimed and sought out personal trainer who has received numerous awards, such as Best of the Main Line Personal Training Studio and Best Main Line Personal Trainer. A graduate of Missouri Western State University, Dwayne has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, with an emphasis in Coaching. Aside from personal training, he’s spent time as a physical education teacher, strength and conditioning coach, and a football coach, but has found his passion and home in the fitness industry, inspiring and reaching out to others. As a strong believer in continuing to learn, Dwayne has also taken classes at East Stroudsburg University toward a Masters Degree in Sports Management. He can add author to his list of accomplishments, having created a chapter in the upcoming book The Soul of Success with Jack Canfield, renowned for the Chicken Soup series. To get to the point where he is now, Dwayne has always been thankful for the support of his father, a man who always believed in his mission and saw the need for what it was that Dwayne envisioned. During his free time, Dwayne is an avid motorcyclist who enjoys viewing the amazing landscapes and finding good restaurants to enjoy that are off the beaten path. He also takes advantage of opportunities to travel and experience many other cities while attending fitness seminars and giving presentations about the industry he is so passionate about. As a way to give back to the community that has been a part of his entire life, Dwayne has created Vertex Fitness PUMPED (People United Making Progress through Education and Donations), which provides support to area non-profits through a community-wide outreach effort. At this time, they help three non-profits per year in the Philadelphia area. For more information from Dwayne, you may contact him at (610) 525-6604, dwayne@vertexfit.com