{"id":10379,"date":"2019-07-12T09:52:04","date_gmt":"2019-07-12T09:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trifocusfitnessacademy.co.za\/?p=10379"},"modified":"2024-12-23T10:54:11","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T08:54:11","slug":"what-do-muscles-use-for-energy-during-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trifocusfitnessacademy.co.za\/nutrition-blog\/what-do-muscles-use-for-energy-during-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"What do muscles use for energy during exercise?"},"content":{"rendered":"

While most people know that aerobic<\/a> exercise is good for the heart and that resistance training helps build lean body mass, most people don’t fully understand how these different types of exercise cause very different responses within our bodies. It is critical to have a basic understanding of how our body uses energy during different forms of exercise. This is in order to design an effective exercise programme.<\/p>\n

Energy and muscles<\/h2>\n

It is a well-known fact that our bodies need a constant supply of energy<\/a> to function properly. This is in order to maintain health and internal balance. The food we eat is what provides our cells with the needed energy to survive and function properly. But before food can become a usable form of energy, it has to be converted into smaller units called substrates. This includes carbohydrates<\/a>, protein and fats.<\/p>\n

The energy stored in these substrate molecules is then chemically released into the cells of your body. It is then stored in the form of a high-energy compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). When the chemical bonds that hold ATP together are broken, energy is released for cellular work (such as performing muscle contraction).<\/p>\n

What Type of Energy Does the Body Burn First During Exercise?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your body functions off of three main energy systems. These are:<\/p>\n