But the aerobic system also has its limitations
This “aerobic motor” processes the fuels fats and lactate - in contrast to the anaerobic motor - in a very complex, lengthy and “sluggish” process, which is the disadvantage of the aerobic system. Although the system can provide large amounts of energy (depending on its capacity, the VO2 max), it is slow and therefore cannot achieve rapid spikes, accelerations and high-intensive loads that require a lot of energy in a super short period of time.
The complex interaction of the two systems of energy supply
Now we've got to know both systems. The fast, lively anaerobic engine that we can imagine as a “turbo igniter.” And the aerobic motor, which as an “evergreen” delivers sustainable energy over the long term and successively, but has to get going first. It is exciting that lactate basically functions as a binding metabolite here. When we run a sprint, the anaerobic system is immediately booted up very strongly and a lot of lactate is produced. As a result, we quickly feel flat and have to slow down. Now the aerobic system comes into play, which has slowly picked up steam in the background and now absorbs the lactate that has formed, processes it further and thus restores the pH balance in the cell!
The importance of energy supply for your performance and training
Understanding these two systems and their importance in providing energy during exercise can take your training to the next level! This schematic approach explains on a cellular level why some are able to sprint quickly but travel long distances and vice versa why some are true “endurance monsters” but always fall off when they start quickly. We incorporate the knowledge of these physiological processes into our Twaiv app and try to calculate your own physiological profile in our performance model. This then allows us to make very specific, individual training recommendations, i.e. to identify and improve the weak points or potentials of each individual very precisely.