The Aerobic System
The Aerobic system is the most complex system out of all three systems. The aerobic system has many more reactions occurring to provide the energy to resynthesis the ATP(5).This system accesses a massive store of virtually unlimited energy. It utilises all fats, carbohydrates and sometimes proteins for re-synthesising ATP for energy use in any athletic performances(2). This produces far more ATP than the lactic and ATP- CP systems but it produces the ATP much more slowly which enables the athletes endurance to become stronger and allows the ATP CP system to be 'fully stocked'. The aerobic system cannot fuel intense exercise that demands the fast production of ATP. The aerobic system is used for the endurance and long duration of athletes with medium intensity exercise lasting over 5 minutes(2). This system produces energy once you are working at 85% or less of your maximal effort. The Aerobic system requires oxygen to produce energy(5).It takes the body a longer time to circulate the oxygen and blood to the muscles which is why the system remains working throughout the body for the longest.
Taekwondo and the Aerobic System
The aerobic system is the pre-dominant energy system in the performance of taekwondo. The aeorbic predominance is a result of low intensity relating to the stopping and starting of movements that is the characteristics of the sport(1). In taekwondo a lot of the time the athlete is bouncing on the spot waiting to attack or defend themselves from there opponent or being interupted by the ref. Aerobic system is pre-dominantin taekwondo as it is a duration of 2 minutes which is when the system st.arts affecting the body. During a Taekwondo match there is a constant flow of low level exercise all throughout a round. This form of exercise is reliant on the aerobic glycolytic system. Longer intermittent bursts of intensive kicking in a match rely heavily on both the anaerobic glycolytic system and faster, shorter and higher intensity bursts of kicking activity rely on the ATP-PC system(5).The video below shows us what the aerobic system allows the body to do.
How to improve performance
A training session that would benefit future performances-
- Run of two minutes at mod/high intensity, followed by two minutes at low intensity (active recovery) repeated for 30 minutes.
-30 minutes low/moderate intensity cycling, swimming or jogging without change in intensity.
-30 minute jog over some hills requiring bursts of extra effort every now and then but never stopping throughout the jog.
This energy system can be developed with various types of training.
• Interval training – Interval training for the long term aerobic energy system would have a work-rest ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. The work periods would usually be performed for several minutes and the rest periods would be active but at a lower intensity that could be sustained(2).
• Continuous training – Training that maintains a constant intensity and lasts for a long period of time, usually longer than 15 minutes(2)
‘Fartlek’ training – A type of interval training where the exerciser varies the speed and effort throughout the training session according to how they feel ensuring that they can continue to exercise at all times. This is performed with no rest intervals throughout a long period of time(2).
- Run of two minutes at mod/high intensity, followed by two minutes at low intensity (active recovery) repeated for 30 minutes.
-30 minutes low/moderate intensity cycling, swimming or jogging without change in intensity.
-30 minute jog over some hills requiring bursts of extra effort every now and then but never stopping throughout the jog.
This energy system can be developed with various types of training.
• Interval training – Interval training for the long term aerobic energy system would have a work-rest ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. The work periods would usually be performed for several minutes and the rest periods would be active but at a lower intensity that could be sustained(2).
• Continuous training – Training that maintains a constant intensity and lasts for a long period of time, usually longer than 15 minutes(2)
‘Fartlek’ training – A type of interval training where the exerciser varies the speed and effort throughout the training session according to how they feel ensuring that they can continue to exercise at all times. This is performed with no rest intervals throughout a long period of time(2).