Three energy pathways in use.
During most exercise routines anaerobic and aerobic training will most likely be conducted. On training days the majority of athletes will spend more than a few seconds training, therefore utilizing all three of the ATP production pathways. With production times on each pathway being limited they must work in cohesion to maintain a constant supply of ATP during workouts.
Anaerobic training, such as heavy weightlifting, does not usually require more than one or two seconds of a ballistic maximum effort type movement for one repetition. Thus the ATP/CP energy pathway is utilized until all ATP is depleted. According to “ISSA”, depletion usually occurs within 1.26 seconds and CP usually depletes within ten seconds of maximum effort. All activities begin with the ATP/CP pathway regardless of there intensity.
Knowing that all exercises start with the ATP/CP pathway and ATP/CP stores are depleted within seconds, the glycolytic pathway assists in production of ATP in the anaerobic pathways. The glycolytic pathway creates ATP by breaking down glycogen or glucose. This process creates lactic acid. The process could continue but the buildup of lactic acid (anaerobic threshold) causes muscle fatigue. In training the glycolytic pathway could be used to continue your final sets of heavyweight lifting but due to the anaerobic threshold, the glycolytic pathway is usually only good for about eighty seconds, then the aerobic pathway will take over.
Anaerobic pathways for ATP utilization and production falter after a short time. Therefore any activity lasting longer than two minutes will use the oxidative pathway. The oxidative pathway produces much more ATP than the two anaerobic pathways and