Table 1 Energy systems and their characteristics. Reproduced from Salo et al. [7] with permission
| Â | Characteristics |
|---|---|
Anaerobic phosphocreatine | • Fuels intense swimming lasting from 0 to 12 s |
• ATP production is limited by amount of creatine-phosphate present in the muscles | |
• Generally associated with high intensity, sprint performance (e.g., 50 m) | |
Anaerobic glycolysis | • Fuels high intensity swimming lasting up to 2–3 min |
• Generally associated sprint and middle distance swimming events (e.g., 100- and 200-m swims) | |
• An end product of anaerobic glycolysis is lactic acid | |
Aerobic | • Fuels performances lasting longer than 3 min |
• The percentage of energy derived from fats and carbohydrates is dependent on swimming intensity—the higher the intensity, the greater the reliance on glucose | |
• Generally associated with endurance activities (e.g., 400 m and longer) |