Issue 020

December 2006

By Alex Gold

Introduction

In this article I am going to examine the different types of training for the cardiovascular system and their effectiveness for people training to fight. Fitness is very specific - a marathon runner is fit but would be unlikely to last a round in a cage and vice versa, therefore it is imperative that training reflects goals. I believe there is a lot of debate and misunderstanding in this area, and in this article I will attempt to clarify the best way to get into ‘fighting shape’. 

The energy systems used in the body

There are three energy systems used in the body. These systems are preferentially recruited depending on the type of exercise that is performed. Bear in mind that whichever system is brought into play, all three will be active to some degree. Here is a short review of the three:

ATP-CP system:

This system is mainly used for high intensity, short duration demands. This system works by using the CP (creatine phosphate) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) compounds within the muscles to create explosive energy. This system is a very short-term system, starting to fail after 10 seconds. This system is characteristically used in activities such as a one-rep max bench press or a 40-yard sprint. This system is also known as the alactic aerobic energy system

Oxygen-independent glycolitic system:

This is the intermediate system in the body, working when the intensity is lower and duration slightly longer than the ATP-CP system. This system is recruited preferentially for activities between 6-30 seconds. When this system is being worked, lactic acid is produced, which will create a burning feeling in the muscle. The ability to process lactic acid is very important to avoid muscle tiredness and cramps etc. This system is also known as the lactic anaerobic/lactic acid energy system.

Oxygen-dependent system:

This is the long-term energy system, which is used by the body in all non-strenuous activity. This system uses oxygen to process glycogen and fatty acids for fuel. This is the ‘fat burning zone’ you see on pre-programmed treadmills. This system is also known as the aerobic energy system, which is the reason for the name of aerobic classes, as they are generally targeting this energy system. This system would be primarily used in a long distance run or walk.

Fitness

This is the definition of fitness from ‘Supertraining’ (Siff, 2003).

“Fitness has been defined as the ability to cope efficiently and safely with the demands of a specific task or activity. A different type of physical fitness is required for cardiovascular, strength and muscle endurance activities. The existence of these different types of ‘fitness’ is largely a consequence of the different metabolic processes which are responsible for providing energy in response to the special demands imposed by the specific activity.”

In other words, if you want to run a marathon, you have to train the energy system needed to run a marathon to an acceptable level, and you will be classed as ‘fit’ to run a marathon. If you want to run a 100m sprint, train the energy systems used in this event to be ‘fit’ to run a 100m sprint. We now know there are three distinct energy systems in the body, and depending on how we train, we can improve the systems we need in our sport. This, according to the definition above, will increase our fitness for the specific sport.

Types of cardio training

The types of cardio training we are looking at in this article are interval training (sometimes known as HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training) and steady state cardio. There are other types of cardio training, but for the purposes of simplicity we will just cover these two.

Interval training:

This type of training will alternate between using the short-term and long-term energy systems. Examples of these could include:

·     Sprint 100m, walk 100m

·     Hit heavy bag for 1 minute, rest 1 minute

·     Run for 2 minutes fast, jog for 3 minutes

The idea is to tax the ATP-CP and non-oxidative systems to obtain a training effect and then drop them down to a lower intensity in order for those systems to recover. The faster the non-oxidative systems can recover, the quicker you will be able to work again at a high intensity. This type of training is intense, and as such has a high drain on the central nervous system. It is much harder to recover from than a steady-state cardio session.

Steady state training 

This type of training will use almost exclusively use the oxygen-dependent or aerobic system. This style of training would typically involve things like:

·     30 minute jog

·     Long distance swim

·     Easy row

This type of training will improve the oxygen efficiency, enabling your body to work harder on the same oxygen intake. It is generally easier, which causes little stress on the nervous system, and means it can be done almost daily without overtraining.

Pros and cons of each type of training

Interval training:

Pros:

·     Uses mainly explosive fibres

·     Trains anaerobic (oxygen independent) system

·     Increases metabolism even after activity is stopped

Cons:

·     Places much stress on CNS (central nervous system), requiring adequate rest and.recovery

·     Can be catabolic (uses muscle for fuel) if nutrition is inadequate

·     Requires a thorough warm-up to ensure against injury

·     Is very hard work!

Steady state training:

Pros:

·     Good for health

·     Decreases resting heart rate

·     Decreases blood pressure

·     Increases oxygen.efficiency

·     Not CNS intensive, can be repeated regularly

Cons:

·     Can convert fast twitch (power) fibres to slow twitch (endurance) fibres

·     Does not train anaerobic systems

·     Can be mind numbingly boring!

Conclusion

In training, there is merit in every method, but certain methods will be better in certain situations. If training to fight under normal conditions (3-5 minute rounds, 1 minute rest), it is most important to train the systems responsible for explosive movement, strength and muscular endurance. Therefore training should be prioritised towards the non-oxidative systems. In the book ‘Supertraining’, wrestling is classified as 90% short-term intensive, 10% intermediate and 0% long-term, and although boxing and MMA differ slightly, this indicates that very little time needs to be spent training the long-term energy system.

Interval training is perfect in this situation, as on top of the training for the non-oxidative systems, you are training your body to process lactic acid in the rest periods. However, towards the end of a round, the oxidative systems will need to be used, and a fighter must be prepared for multiple rounds. Traditional steady state training for fighters is a good idea, but exercise rounds of a higher intensity should be used for durations of 5 minutes or slightly longer, with a break for recuperation after each period. This is more of an intermediate energy system training method, and will also increase lactic acid tolerance and turnover.

Also remember that cardio does not have to be running, as any activity that meets the definitions of the energy system training above can and should be used to remove boredom and keep your workouts interesting. Think about using weight training, jumping/bounding drills, kettlebell workouts, bodyweight circuits and bagwork in place of your normal cardio, and you will have more fun whilst still getting great results. Remember, cardio is an adaptive process just like weight training, so if you do not increase intensity or duration you will not make any progress. Keep adapting your training to suit your needs and you too could get fit for the sport.