Chapter 11 - Chronic Aerobic Muscular Adaptations

Question 1

Increase myoglobin content in slow-twich fibres

Answer 1

> Myoglobin: oxygen carrying pigment found within muscle cells.
Assists in delivering oxygen to the mitochondria (the site of aerobic respiration in muscles) where it is used in the process of energy production.
Increased myoglobin levels increase the available oxygen for aerobic respiration
From VCAA: makes the muscle fibres better at extracting and processing oxygen, which leads to an increase in a-VO2 difference.

Question 2

Increased mitochondria density and number

Answer 2

> From VCAA: makes the muscle fibres better at extracting and processing oxygen, which leads to an increase in a-VO2 difference.

Question 3

Improved oxidative capacity via increased oxidative enzymes

Answer 3

> From VCAA: makes the muscle fibres better at extracting and processing oxygen, which leads to an increase in a-VO2 difference.

Question 4

Increased use of fat during sub-maximal exercise

Answer 4

> From VCAA: makes the muscle fibres better at extracting and processing oxygen, which leads to an increase in a-VO2 difference.

Question 5

Increased stores and use of intramuscular triglycerides

Answer 5

> From VCAA: makes the muscle fibres better at extracting and processing oxygen, which leads to an increase in a-VO2 difference.

Question 6

Increased muscle glycogen synthase and storage

Answer 6

> From VCAA: makes the muscle fibres better at extracting and processing oxygen, which leads to an increase in a-VO2 difference.

Question 7

Changes that occur in the muscle that contribute to muscular hypertrophy

Answer 7

> increased number of myofibrils
increased size of myofibrils, actin and myosin (per muscle fibre)
increased total amount of contractile protein (in the myosin filament)
increased capillary density
increased amounts of connective, tendinous and ligamentous tissue.

Question 8

Muscular changes at rest

Answer 8

> Increased fibre size
> Increased capillary density
> Increased myoglobin
> Increased mitochondria (size, number and surface area)
> Increased glycogen stores
> Increased triglyceride stores
> Increased oxidative enzymes
> Increased oxidation of fat

Question 9

Muscular changes at submax

Answer 9

> Increased oxidation of fat
Increased glycogen sparing
Increased a-vO2 difference
Decreased oxidation of glycogen

Question 10

Muscular changes at max

Answer 10

> Increased oxidation of glycogen

> Increased a-vO2 difference