The anaerobic alactic energy system is one of the more obscure topics when it comes to improving cardio for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It’s very often not talked about and very few studies actually research the dominance of this system in BJJ. That’s why in this article, we will go in depth into this system – exploring many questions around this topic and helping you achieve superhuman cardio.

What is the Anaerobic Alactic Energy System?

The anaerobic energy system consists of two parts, lactic and alactic. They both are very dominant in short, high intensity exercises & activities – however they are slightly different. For those interested in the lactic system, check out our article detailing its function in BJJ and how it can be improved!

The anaerobic alactic energy system primarily functions during short bursts of high intensity situations where maximum muscle output is required. These situations last between 5 – 12 seconds. This system requires only a few chemical reactions to take place & is the least complex out of the 3 energy systems (aerobic, lactic & alactic).

The Biology of the System

Within the muscle tissue exists creatine phosphate (PCr), where it is stored to be used for energy synthesis and allows the muscle cells to receive ATP at a fast rate. Creatine that you ingest via food & supplements turns into PCr and is phosphorylated. This essentially means it gains a phosphoryl group.

In order to create ATP, the PCr which is stored in the muscle tissues breaks down into creatine and phosphate. The phosphate reacts with a molecule called ADP (which is produced from the energy producing reaction of ATP) and produces ATP. This process is catalyzed by an enzyme called creatine kinase? Energy production via the alactic system doesn’t produce lactic acid like the lactic system, however it also produces very small amounts of ATP. Per molecule of PCr, only 1 molecule of ATP is produced which is minuscule compared to the aerobic system. Now although it produces very minimal amounts of ATP, it’s produced at a very quick rate – quickest out of all the energy systems.

So how does the body replenish ATP quickly? During exercise, the levels of ATP will drop and therefore ADP will increase as one would expect. This increase in ADP signals the cells of a shortage of ATP & stimulates the enzyme which we talked about previously, creatine kinase. Stimulating the enzyme ensures that the cycle in the previous paragraph occurs at a higher rate!

Why Does It Only Last for a Short While?

Our muscles can only store so much PCr, when PCr stores become depleted to low levels, fatigue sets in. During high intensity exercise, PCr stores drop below the threshold for fatigue in approximately 5-10 seconds depending on the levels of PCr within one’s muscles. While our muscles recover from the short burst of activity, the creatine produced PCr is rephosphorized back into PCr after around 1 – 2 minutes.

Training the Anaerobic Alactic System

By training this system, we increase the body’s reserve of ATP and PCr & increase its efficiency in replenishing them – allowing for greater anaerobic capacity and power. This will allow for greater power for longer durations when for example shooting for takedowns and performing submission attempts.

So how do we actually train this system? Well it’s surprisingly similar to how we train the aerobic & lactic systems. High intensity interval training seems to be the key to unlocking greater anaerobic cardio according to recent literature. A study from 2022 had split 28 men into 2 categories. One was to perform short sprint intervals ranging from 6 – 10 seconds per set. The other was to perform long sprint intervals ranging from 30 – 60 seconds. Results showed that the short sprint intervals increased alactic capacity more than the long spring intervals.

In order to maximise alactic capacity training, 6-12 seconds of work with complete rest repeated 6 – 10 times seems to be the way. 6 – 12 seconds seems like a short time, however it is simply because we are aiming for 100% power & are trying to simulate situations like these on the mats. The exercise selection is the same as the other systems, these include sprints, air bike, battle ropes, shuttle runs etc. Anything that allows you to exert 100% effort & muscle output will work just fine.

Conclusion

The alactic system is an integral part of BJJ and is unique compared to the other systems as it recreates times of maximal outputs such as submission attempts. Performing 6-10 sets of 6-12 seconds of work with complete rest seems to be the most optimal way to train this system to its full effect. Exercise selections for these HIIT sessions are rich in variety & include sprints, jump squats, air bike etc.