Case Study Background
Jane goes to the gym, spots her friend Joan on a bike, and pedals beside her, but tires after 2 minutes (Activity 1). She then tries lifting a 25lb barbell like her friend Jon, but finds it too heavy (Activity 2). Finally, she gets on a treadmill, regains energy, and walks briskly for 30 minutes (Activity 3).
Case Study Analysis
First Activity: Riding a Bike
The case study focuses on defining different energy systems that are active throughout Jane’s visit to the gym. Thus, Jan’s first activity in the gym focuses on riding an exercise bike. The case information suggests that Jane was quickly tired from the exercise, even though cycling is generally designed as an exercise with an extended period.
In Jane’s case, it is possible that the activity predominantly relied on using an anaerobic energy system. The anaerobic energy system uses blood glucose as fuel to create ATP. Generally, an anaerobic energy system produces moderate physical efforts that extend over a short period. Thus, aerobic energy can be associated with endurance training, while anaerobic training can improve an individual’s strength and speed (Boraczyński et al., 2020). Therefore, in the proper execution of physical exercise, cycling relies on the aerobic energy system.
Second Activity: Weight-Lifting
Furthermore, Jane’s second weight-lifting activity uses the ATP-CP energy system. The ATP-CP energy system is suitable for physical activities that require maximum effort in the shortest amount of time. Thus, the ATP-CP energy system is used in cases where exercise largely relies on the currently available body resources in the form of muscles.
Furthermore, the system uses creatine phosphate stored in muscles as the primary fuel for the production of ATP. In the case study, Jane found the 25lb barbell too heavy and proceeded to switch to another activity. Therefore, the amount of creatine phosphate stored in Jane’s body was insufficient to produce enough energy to lift the weight.
Third Activity: Treadmill Walk
Lastly, the third activity, which focused on the treadmill walk, was the most suitable for Jane. The system activated in walking exercises presents the aerobic energy system. The aerobic energy system uses fat and carbohydrates as fuel to produce ATP. Furthermore, the system is suitable for low-intensity activities but requires access to oxygen to ensure the fat-burning process. Therefore, this case study shows how energy systems and available body resources contribute to an individual’s comfort in choosing suitable physical exercises.
Reference
Boraczyński,, M., Boraczyński, T., Podstawski, R., Wójcik, Z., & Gronek, P. (2020). Relationships between measures of functional and isometric lower body strength, aerobic capacity, anaerobic power, sprint and countermovement jump performance in professional soccer players. Journal of Human Kinetics, 75(1), 161 – 175. Web.