RESPONSES AND ADAPTATIONS

(RESPONSES AND ADAPTATIONS ON SYSTEMS OF THE BODY)

Responses are sudden, temporary functional physiological changes brought on the body as a result of acute exercise. These changes can be regarded to as short term effects of exercise.

Short term effects of exercise on the body systems

When a person takes part in exercise the cardiovascular, respiratory, energy and muscular systems all work together to supply energy to the working muscles and removes waste products.

When the muscles start to work, they need more oxygen so the respiratory system responds by getting more oxygen into the lungs. The blood carries greater amounts of oxygen and the heart responds to pump more oxygenated blood around the body.

These effects are shown below:

Cardiovascular system

•  Increase in stroke volume (SV);
•  increase in heart rate (HR);
• increase in cardiac output (Q);
• increase in blood pressure (BP); redistribution of blood flow

Respiratory system

• Increase in breathing rate (BR); 
• increase in tidal volume (TV);
• increase in minute ventilation (VE)

Cardio-respiratory 

• system Increase in oxygen uptake and transport to the working muscles;
• increase in carbon dioxide removal

Energy system

• Increase in lactic acid (lactate) production
• Increase in energy expenditure

muscular system

• Increase in temperature of muscles;
• increased pliability (elasticity);
• Increase in muscle fatigue

Adaptations are persistence, permanent functional physiological changes brought on the body as a result of chronic exercise.

 These changes are regarded to as long term effects of exercise on the body. Taking part in regular exercise or training around three times per week for six weeks will lead to adaptation of the body systems that are used or trained. This has the effect of increasing performance in that type of exercise or sport and is often beneficial to general health and everyday life.

Cardiovascular system

 Cardiac hypertrophy (Hypertrophy means an increase in size, so muscle hypertrophy means the muscles get bigger. Cardiac hypertrophy is where the ventricle wall gets larger or thickens as a result of exercise);

 increased stroke volume (SV) at rest and during exercise;

 decrease in resting heart rate (HR);

 increase in cardiac output (Q);

 capillarisation at the lungs and muscles;

 increase in number of red blood cells

Respiratory system

 Increased vital capacity;

 increase in minute ventilation (VE);

 increase in tidal volume (TV);

 decrease in breathing rate (BR);

 increased number of functioning alveoli;

 increased strength of the respiratory muscles (internal and external intercostals and diaphragm)

 Capillarisation

Energy system

 Increased production of energy from the aerobic energy system;

 increased tolerance to lactic acid

Muscular system

 Muscle hypertrophy;

 increased strength of tendons;

 increased strength of ligaments

Skeletal system

 Increase in bone density

 Increase in flexibility

 Cardiac hypertrophy

NB:Capillarisation (is the process where new capillaries are formed. Capillarisation takes place at the alveoli in the lungs and at the skeletal muscle)

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MR. HAMMED OLAYINKA SANNI