Building an Aerobic Base
This is a much discussed and fundamentally important concept in the world of endurance sport and it doesn’t need to be hard to understand to be effective at exercising.
The aerobic energy system is one of three systems used by the body and by us to predict, plan and forecast methods [of training] for improving human physiology and fitness. Alongside the anaerobic system the two are key ingredients to develop the foundations of an aerobic base.
Training is exercise + rest = adaptation.
In simple terms yet using scientific words, we use Adenosine triphosphate (also known as ‘ATP’) to create energy, or muscular contractions; the best way to think of it is as the ‘currency’ we need to perform the simplest of tasks in everyday life through to a swim, bike or run.
ATP is created in the mitochondria which is the engine room of the cells in our body. The mitochondria are the place where oxygen + fat/ glycogen/ protein is prioritised and converted into ATP, which then gives us muscle contractions.
Now it will come as little surprise to you that the size and density of mitochondria in the cell have a direct significance when it comes to the production of ATP for muscle contraction. Therefore, as we start to delve deeper, the size and density of the mitochondria is something we need to consider improving.
Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.
Training is what you likely spend time doing plenty of - the exercise part and the resting part together has the objective of adaptation.
As endurance athletes our mainstream (but not exclusive) preference will be the aerobic energy system simply because we are likely to be performing for longer than 2 - 3 minutes which will mean we draw on aerobic and anaerobic energy systems as 98% and 2% respectively. A 100m sprinter is likely to be working in an anaerobic alactic state for less than 10 seconds and a 400m sprinter anaerobic lactic state.
If we are to increase our aerobic base as endurance athletes (ie. we want to perform for a long time), we are seeking to increase the number, or improving the size, of our mitochondria.
It is the in the mitochondria that aerobic respiration takes place. Aerobic respiration leads us to ATP which will enable muscle contractions to take place. But this comes with its limitations namely that ATP is produced relatively slowly, and for a lesser force of muscular contraction.
This is where we need our anaerobic system to be trained too. The main differences of our anaerobic system are that it is creating ATP outside the mitochondria, without oxygen and without fat, but it can create ATP more quickly.
Hydrogen irons are friend not foe.
When we are creating ATP we are also producing hydrogen irons (H+), or lactate acidity. This will likely be a well-known experience which results in the physical sensation of cramp. But H+ is actually our friend. As it builds up in the blood, it is metabolised and re-absorbed to produce ATP. Therefore, when working aerobically the H+ build up can be cleared and used for ATP production, however the speed of build up when working anaerobically means we cannot clear and convert to ATP - resulting in you lying on your back with your leg in the air screaming.
This is why training, adaptation and more mitochondria provide the buffer to convert hydrogen irons into a usable form to create ATP.
So when we are building our aerobic base we are essentially pushing (aerobically) and pulling (anaerobically) our fitness ‘up’ so that we can rely on aerobic metabolism to create ATP. More and large mitochondria trained to work at increased threshold mean we can have greater reliance on our aerobic energy system to create ATP (in a triathletes world this essentially means go faster at aerobic intensity).
Avoiding those grey miles.
There are many different ways and means to train both the energy systems mentioned and perhaps why it is more important to consider the effectiveness of your training. We have all heard of the ‘grey miles’ or ‘junk miles’ associated to the in between exercise that gets done. The most effective way to train is to work the right systems in the right way at the right times.
Hopefully this blog - the first of a few - will help provide a baseline understanding of what as endurance athletes should try to achieve with exercise. Rest is important too for adaptation as part of the training equation, so do also keep it in mind.