Exercise Physiology – The Basics

4 Components

• When we look at exercise physiology there are 4 main components:

1. The Heart2. The Lungs3. The Muscles4. Energy Systems

What’s the Point?

• By knowing basic information in relation to these areas we can begin to understand the impact that exercise has on these. This enables us to have a greater understanding of how to train and what should occur.

The Heart

The Love Organ

• Despite being the very organ that enables us to fall in and experience love it also has a very real role in enabling us to fall head over heals with someone else!

The Heart

• The main functions of the heart are:

Circulatory System

Terminology

• Here is some terms that are relevant to the heart and exercise physiology and make you sound flash in your assignment:

• Heart rate is simply the number of heart beats per minute.

• Stroke volume is the volume of blood, in milliliters (mL), pumped out of the heart with each beat.

• Cardiac output: is the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute (mL blood/min). Cardiac Output in mL/min = heart rate (beats/min) X stroke volume (mL/beat)

The Lungs

The Lungs

• The main functions of the lungs are:

Respiratory System

Terminology

• Here is some terms that are relevant to the lungs and exercise physiology and make you sound flash in your assignment:

• Respiratory Volumes: is the amount of air inhaled, exhaled and stored within the lungs at any given time

• Tidal Volume: the amount of air which enters the lungs during normal inhalation at rest

Energy Systems

ATP-CP System• Replenishes ATP rapidly by breaking down Creatine

Phosphate releasing energy to reform ATP

• Short duration (<10 secs)

• Active at the beginning of all forms of activities

• Especially important in high intensity exercises like weight lifting that require short bursts of energy.

• Only a small quantity of PC can be stored. Athletes do try to load up with supplements

Anaerobic

• Breakdown of carbohydrates (glycolysis) for fuel when without oxygen eg beginning of exercise or high intensity workout >85% of HRmax

• Results in formation of lactic acid, which causes muscle fatigue

• Last for 10 seconds to 2 minutes

Aerobic

• Replenishes ATP with the use of oxygen

• Efficient- 1 molecule- 36 ATP molecule

• System works at rest and during very low intensity exercise

• This form of energy primarily utilizes fats (75%) and carbohydrates (25%) as fuel sources, but as intensity is increased there is a switch from fats (25%) to carbohydrates (75%)

Muscles

Muscle Structure

• Muscles are necessary in order to create movement. There basic structure is as follows:– Tendon attaches to bone– Muscle– Fascicle (portion of muscle)– Muscle Fiber (cell)– Myofibril– Sarcomere (segment of a myofibril)

Sliding Filament Theory

Mitochondria

• Mitochondria are the cell's power producers. They convert energy into forms that are usable by the cell.