Thursday, November 5, 2009

Give it 110%


When performing Vo2 Max testing on athletes it is almost always the case that an Athlete will reach his or her ventilatory threshold and somehow push past this threshold. This begs the question what energy system is responsible for allowing the athlete to keep on working harder even though they are taking in no more oxygen (the energy source for aerobic work). The obvious answer to this is that another energy system picks up the slack of the aerobic energy system. Physiologist have determined that anaerobic glycolysis is how the body supplies its self with the additional ATP. They have determined this by tracking lactic acid levels which is a byproduct of muscle and liver glycogen breakdown. This lactic acid production is why training in this zone is so taxing on the body. So is it possible to give it 110%? I suppose it all depends on your point of view.

-Will Hawkins


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