Author: Morgan Vandenberg

Topic: Defining Fitness Series

Crossfit #fitness #metabolicpathways #tidestrained #tidesfamily

Crossfit model of fitness #3: Metabolic Pathways

Phosphagen Pathway

• Also called the phosphocreatine pathway
• Can produce 100% of maximum power
• Lasts about 10 seconds — e.g., 100-meter sprint

Glycolytic Pathway

• Also called the lactate pathway
• Can produce approximately 70% of maximum power
• Lasts about 2 minutes, peaking at approximately 60 seconds — e.g., 400-meter sprint

Oxidative pathway

• Also called the aerobic pathway
• Can produce approximately 40% of maximum power
• Sustainable until the anaerobic threshold is crossed — e.g., a 10,000-meter run

The fittest person will have the best balance of capacity across all pathways, and a fitness program should develop your capacity in each.