The Complete Guide to Energy Systems for Sprinters (And How to Maximize Yours)

Picture this:

It’s you in the blocks, staring down 100 meters of track. When that gun fires, you don’t get a second chance. One sprint. One shot. One full-throttle effort.

But here’s the thing: Most sprinters never tap into their full energy system potential. They grind through reps, hammer training blocks, and still ask, “Why am I not faster on race day?”

The answer? They don’t fully understand how their energy systems work—or how to train them like a sprinter should.

See, as a sprinter, your success isn’t about how much volume you can handle in a week. It’s about how much work you can unleash in one perfect sprint.

That’s why this guide is different. We’re not talking about how 200+ athletes train. This is built for you—the explosive athlete who needs maximum output when it counts.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

How each energy system (Alactic, Lactic, and Aerobic) impacts your sprint performance.
Why alactic power and capacity should be your #1 focus.
How lactic and aerobic systems quietly support your alactic gains.
And most importantly: Actionable training methods to upgrade all three, so you’re never leaving speed on the table.

Let’s start the engines!

The Energy Systems Ranked (Sprinter Edition)

When most athletes hear “energy systems,” they think of long runs, conditioning, or endurance workouts. But as a sprinter, your priority is very different.

You don’t care about running for hours. You care about how much raw power you can produce right now—in one explosive sprint.

So here’s how the smart people at humankinetics rank the energy systems based on when athletes actually use them.

⚡ Pro Tip for Sprinters: The top 3 bullets are your wheelhouse—this is where you make your money on the track.

Ranked From Maximum Power to Maximum Duration:

Anaerobic:

Alactic Power (0-6s)
Alactic Reserve (6-8s)
Lactic Power Short (3-10s)
Lactic Power Long (10-20s)
Lactic Reserve (20-60s)

Aerobic:

Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO2 Max) (1-6min)
Anaerobic Threshold (1-10min)
Aerobic Threshold (10-120min)
Aerobic Compensation (120min+)

#1: Anaerobic - Alactic System 0-8s (The King of Sprinting)

The alactic power system is your primary focus as a sprinter.

Anaerobic - Alactic Power (0-6s)

It’s all about the explosive burst of energy you need for that powerful start and first few strides of your race. This system powers you for the first 0-6 seconds of a sprint, which is critical in the 100m and 200m, where your maximum speed occurs in the first few seconds.

Duration: 0-6 seconds
Primary Use: Your explosive acceleration and maximum velocity are driven by this system. It’s all about raw power—the ability to generate that initial burst of speed, get out of the blocks fast, and hit top-end speed early.

Anaerobic - Alactic Reserve (6-8s)

The alactic reserve helps you maintain your maximal speed for just a bit longer, from 6-8 seconds. While it doesn’t get as much attention as the power phase, it supports your sprint by giving you enough energy to stay at the top of your game during the first part of your race.

Duration: 6-8 seconds
Primary Use: It’s about maintaining your explosive effort just slightly beyond the initial burst. This phase is also critical for starting strong in repeated efforts during training sessions.

The Focus on Alactic Training

Since the alactic system is your main source of power and performance in the 100m and 200m, we’ve created a full comprehensive breakdown on how to effectively train and improve this system.

This includes in-depth insights on:

Maximizing Alactic Power for those critical initial steps.
Training the Alactic Reserve to ensure you maintain your power during the first few seconds of the race.
Optimizing your training to develop both power and reserve to get the most out of your sprints.

My main focus is to help you build an explosive foundation for your sprints. By training the alactic system, you’ll improve your ability to sprint faster, more powerfully, and with greater control.

For a detailed breakdown of how to train your alactic power and reserve, check out our comprehensive guide on alactic system training!

[COMING SOON!]

#2: Anaerobic - Lactic System (3-60s)

While your alactic system is the powerhouse in the first few seconds, the lactic system picks up where it leaves off. It kicks in as soon as you hit around 3 seconds, and while it’s not as fast or powerful, it’s still essential.

Anaerobic - Lactic Power Short (3-10s): The lactic system takes over when your alactic system starts to run low, providing sustained power for the last push of your sprint. It's not as powerful as the alactic system, but you need it to keep fighting until the end of your race.
- Duration: 3-10 seconds
- Primary Use: Vital for the middle portion of a 100m or 200m sprint, especially when the alactic system starts running out of steam.
Anaerobic - Lactic Power Long (10-20s): This is your “endurance” phase—where the lactic system works at full force. You’re still anaerobic, but now lactate starts to accumulate. You can power through this phase in short sprints or explosive intervals, but it’s a fight against the burn.
- Duration: 10-20 seconds
- Primary Use: Helps you power through longer intervals or a 150m-200m sprint, but more importantly, it improves your ability to train at high intensities without crashing.
Anaerobic - Lactic Reserve (20-60s): The lactic reserve system comes into play during efforts lasting 20-60 seconds, which is useful in longer races like the 400m but not for short sprints (100m, 200m). For sprinters, this system has limited importance during competition.
- Duration: 20-60 seconds
- Primary Use: This system helps manage fatigue and lactate accumulation in longer efforts. It can also support recovery between reps in long and intense training sessions (which shouldn’t be long anyways. Warm up, sprint, and get the hell out of there.)

Aerobic Systems (Max VO2 and Beyond)

The aerobic system isn't utilized during races for sprinters. End of discussion.

But it still plays an important role in overall conditioning and training recovery. Here's a brief breakdown:

Max VO2 (Maximal Oxygen Consumption): Supports efforts lasting 1-6 minutes. While this isn’t used in sprints, it helps build overall aerobic capacity for recovery between intense intervals and longer workouts.
Anaerobic Threshold: The intensity where you shift from aerobic to anaerobic energy. It’s helpful for training recovery and can improve how you manage intense efforts over time.
Aerobic Threshold & Aerobic Compensation: These systems support endurance but are not needed for sprints. They help with longer training sessions and recovery.

Rule of Thumb:

As a sprinter, avoid aerobic work above 20 minutes in season. Anything longer doesn’t align with the explosive demands of sprinting and can take away from your focus on power.

Hiking or low-intensity aerobic work can be useful during the very early stages of your preparation for ankle health and mental resilience.

However, after that, limit your aerobic work to short intervals and recovery-focused efforts.

Yeah, tell your parents you CAN’T help them in the garden. Max 20 minutes. Blame it on me. Here is my email address for their complaints jdnathlete@gmail.com. I got you 😉

The Synergy: Why Training Slower Systems Makes Your Fast Systems Better

While the alactic system is the main focus for sprinters, the lactic and aerobic systems play supporting roles in your overall sprint performance, especially when it comes to finishing strong in those final meters.

Lactic Power & Reserve: The lactic system may not be your primary focus, but it becomes critical when it comes to producing energy in the 3-10 second range. As you approach the last 10-20 meters of a sprint, your alactic system is depleted—the lactic system is the only one to maintain power output. In other words, lactic power helps you finish strong and crank out those last meters.
Aerobic System: While the aerobic system doesn’t directly fuel sprints, it supports recovery. This system’s primary role is in maintaining overall fitness and ensuring you can handle training volumes without overly taxing your body. Short aerobic intervals or light efforts can help prevent general exhaustion during tough training workouts and blocks, allowing you to keep performing at a high level throughout the week.

Training these systems isn't about recovery between sets (that's what your rest intervals are for), but rather about being able to power through fatigue during the final meters of your race.

These systems ensure that you maintain speed and finish the race strong, instead of fading as you near the line.

How Tailored Coaching Can Help You Improve Faster

I’ll be honest with you—while DIY can get you started, it’s not enough to unlock your full potential. Even I’m on the lookout for specialists and coaches who are at the top of their game.

But until I’m able to work with them, I’m focused (and forced) to improving by myself so that I’m relevant enough to learn from the really best. I can understand that you are in a similar situation, that the big coaches won’t coach you, but hey… I will. If you like my advice, let’s get in touch.

Here’s what I can do for you:

I’ll Help You Figure Out What You Really Need: Everyone’s different. Sure, there are common things that work for most sprinters, but the real magic happens when you understand exactly what’s holding you back. Whether it’s your start, your middle, or the last few meters of your race, I’ll pinpoint the areas where you need to improve and make sure we tackle those first.
We’ll Train Smart, Not Just Hard: One of the biggest mistakes I see is people just going full throttle all the time. It’s not about going all out every single session. Rest and recovery are just as important as the grind. I’ll help you figure out how to structure your training so you’re always progressing without burning out.
Every Session Will Actually Count: No more wasting time on random drills. I’ll make sure every session is laser-focused on your goals. You won’t be doing stuff just to “fill time.” We’ll make sure every single rep gets you closer to where you want to be.

Looking for more information?

Check out our proven energy system training and see how we’ve helped athletes break their limits with tailored plans!