Exercise physiology

• Skeleton


  • Provides support for movement
  • Protects vital organs from injury
  • Produces red blood cells to carry oxygen
  • Provides points for muscular attachment
• Types of bones


  • Long bones
  • Short bones
  • Irregular bones
  • Fixed bones
• Bones allow movements through joint and lever systems
• Connective tissue


  Provides structure and support at a joint
• Bone and Joint


  1. Muscle

  2. Ligament

  3. Tendon
• Cartilage


  • Strong, durable material
  • Acts as a shock absorber
  • Prevents damage at ends of bones
• Tendons


  • Joins muscle to bone
  • Strong, durable and slightly elastic
  • Allows pressure when moving dynamically
• Ligaments


  • Joins bone to bone
  • Strong, durable material
  • Helps provide support during dynamic movements
• Types of joints


  • Ball and socket joint
  • Hinge joint
  • Pivot joint
• Movements at joints


  • Flexion/Extension
  • Abduction/Adduction
  • Rotation/Circumduction
• Voluntary muscles


  Muscles under our conscious control
• Involuntary muscles


  Muscles that contract automatically when the body requires
• Types of muscle fibres


  • Slow twitch (type 1)
  • Fast twitch (type 2)
• Slow twitch muscle fibres


  • Red in colour
  • Use oxygen to release energy
  • Not as powerful
  • Slower to fatigue
  • Good for long distance/endurance
• Fast twitch muscle fibres


  • White in colour
  • Contract quickly
  • Tire quickly
  • High power for a short amount of time
  • Good for sprinting, weight lifting, basketball
• Cardiovascular system


  • Transports oxygen and nutrients to working muscles
  • Removes waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid
• Functions of the cardiovascular system


  • Transport oxygen
  • Transport waste products
  • Transport of nutrients
  • Thermoregulation
• Vasodilation


  Blood vessels increase in diameter to increase blood flow to capillaries, letting heat radiate
• Vasoconstriction


  Blood vessels decrease in diameter to decrease blood flow to capillaries, letting less heat radiate
• Circulatory systems


  • Pulmonary (cardio-respiratory)
  • Systemic
• Pulmonary circulatory system


  1. Transport deoxygenated blood from heart to lungs

  2. Re-oxygenate the blood through gas exchange in the lungs

  3. Remove CO2 from the blood out the lungs

  4. Return oxygenated blood to the heart
• Systemic circulatory system


  1. Transport oxygenated blood from left side of heart to muscles

  2. Supply nutrients to working muscles

  3. Transport deoxygenated blood from muscles back to heart

  4. Remove waste products (carbon dioxide and lactic acid) from the muscles
• Cardiac output


  Volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute
• Stroke volume


  Volume of blood pumped out of the heart per beat
• As exercise intensity increases


  Amount of oxygen taken into/used by the body increases
• Minute ventilation


  Volume of air breathed in or out per minute
• Tidal volume


  Volume of air inhaled or exhaled per breath
• As more blood is pumped out of the heart

  Blood pressure increases
• Systole


  Contraction phase of the heartbeat
• Diastole


  Relaxation phase of the heartbeat
• Energy systems


  • Anaerobic
  • Aerobic
• Anaerobic energy system


  High intensity for short duration
• Types of anaerobic energy systems


  • Creatine phosphate (CP) system
  • Lactic acid system
• Creatine phosphate (CP) system


  • Supplies energy faster than other systems
  • Explosive, high intensity short duration
• Lactic acid system


  • Provides most energy for moderate to high intensity short duration
  • Produces lactic acid as a waste product, causing fatigue
• Aerobic energy system


  • Requires oxygen
  • Produces energy when performing at low or moderate intensity for long duration
  • Carbohydrates are the main source of energy
• Glycolysis


  Breakdown of carbohydrates
• When glycogen depletes and anaerobic system cannot supply energy quickly enough


  Lactic acid system is used to continue to supply energy
• Both aerobic and anaerobic systems


  Need to repay the oxygen debt created during exercise
• Repaying the oxygen debt breaks down lactic acid into CO2 and water, and replenishes the creatine phosphate and glycogen stores