Aerobic Exercise 1

Question 1

Define aerobic exercise

Answer 1

Type of physical activity that increases the HR and promotes increased use of oxygen in order to improve the overall body condition

Question 2

How long does is it estimated to reach steady state?

Answer 2

~1.5mins

Question 3

What 3 things limit aerobic performance?

Answer 3

• Capacity to resynthesise ATP aerobically - VO2 max
• Ability to maintain high rates of aerobic ATP resynthesis - Anaerobic threshold
• Ability to minimise energy cost of exercise - Economy/efficiency

Question 4

Explain O2 journey from lungs into the mitochondria

Answer 4

To lungs - Inspiratory force (lung capacity)
To blood - Concentration gradient [haemoglobin], perfusion of lungs
To heart - HR, Blood vol.
To muscle - perfusion of muscle, conc. gradient [myoglobin]
Into mitochondria - [oxidative enzyme]

Question 5

Name 3 fitness assessments for Aerobic fitness

Answer 5

1. VO2 max
2. Economy/ efficiency
3. Anaerobic threshold

Question 6

What is the calculation for VO2?

Answer 6

VO2 = cardiac output x oxygen extraction (a-v O2 diff)

Question 7

How long should a VO2 test be and what does the test require?

Answer 7

9-20 mins duration. 15 mins test preferably. 
Progressive exercise to exhaustion 
Recruitment of large muscle mass 
Apparatus to assess expired gas 
Healthy, motivated subject

Question 8

How do you calculate RER?

Answer 8

RER = VCO2 - VO2

Question 9

What are some important considerations when deciding on the procedure selection?

Answer 9

The sport of the athlete and the apparatus being used to test athlete. Needs to be specific to their sport
•mode of exercise -cycle/run/etc
•who are your participants? -gender, fitness status
•test objectives: what data do you want? -VO2 max only or data from submarine stages
•application of testing? -exercise prescription, setting intensities for subsequent exercise

Question 10

Name the VO2 max attainment criteria

Answer 10

• HR within 10bpm of age pred. max.
• Subject - fatigue
• Post exercise lactate exceeds 8mM
• RER > 1.15
• RPE - exceeds 19-20
• Plateau in VO2 (i.e incr. work ➡️ less than 2ml/kg/min incr. in VO2

Question 11

Explain what test type 1 is and what it aims to establish.

Answer 11

• 1 min stages or shorter
• 4min 100W, 15W/min increments
• purely to establish VO2 max

Question 12

Explain test type 2 and what it aims to establish.

Answer 12

• 3 min stages or longer
• 4% gradient, 3min stages 10km/hr+1.5km/hr increments
• establish submax VO2, anaerobic threshold w/lactate testing, VO2 max

Question 13

What is the problem with test 2?

Answer 13

It may be possibly too long to be a valid test for VO2 as other factors may need to be considered as other mechanisms may cause fatigue

Question 14

What are the outcomes from a cycling VO2 max test?

Answer 14

Power and VO2 max

Question 15

What are the outcomes from a running VO2 max test?

Answer 15

Speed (gradient) and VO2 max

Question 16

Give 3 applications of max testing?

Answer 16

1. For evaluating aerobic fitness - application for sport and health
2. To inform exercise prescription e.g to establish intensities at %VO2 max, %VO2R, %HRmax, %HRR
3. To set intensity for subsequent trials e.g intensity for a given %VO2 (or %HR) max

Question 17

How long does supra maximal intensities last?

Answer 17

Less than 2 mins possible

Question 18

How long does 100% VO2 max last?

Answer 18

Around 3-5mins possible

Question 19

How long does ~80% VO2 max last? (90%HRmax)

Answer 19

25mins possible

Question 20

How long does ~65%VO2 max last? (75% HRmax)

Answer 20

120mins possible

Question 21

Define anaerobic threshold

Answer 21

The exercise intensity above which there is an increased dependence on anaerobic resynthesis of ATP.
Represents effective limit of purely aerobic work

Question 22

How is AT evaluated?

Answer 22

Evaluated in an incremental procedure