Responses to Exercise

Cardiovascular system - short-term effects of exercise

• Increased heart rate (beats per minute)
• Increased blood pressure (systolic & diastolic)
• Increased stroke volume (amount of blood leaving heart per beat)
• Increased blood temperature

Skeletal system - Long-term adaptations

• Increased bone density
• Reduced chance of osteoporosis
• Better posture
• Reduced chance of fractures
• Stronger ligaments and tendons

Bone density can be improved through a balanced diet containing calcium & vitamin D and through weight-bearing activities such as running, walking and aerobics.

Muscular system - Long-term adaptations

• Increased strength of muscles
• Increased muscle hypertrophy (increased size of muscles)
• Increased myoglobin stores
• Tendons and ligaments also get stronger

Cardiovascular system - Long-term adaptations

• Decreased resting heart rate
• Increased cardiac output (amount of blood pumped out of the heart per minute)
• Faster recovery rate
• Reduced blood pressure
• Hypertrophy of the myocardium (increased size and strength of heart)
• Healthy veins and arteries
• More Capillaries (capillarisation)

Respiratory system - Long-term adaptations

• Elasticity of lungs
• Capillary density around alveoli
• Hypertrophy of the respiratory muscles and improved fatigue resistance – the intercostals, diaphragm, sternocleidomastoid, scalenes and rectus abdominus can all adapt to the training.