Module 3 - Anatomy: Cardiovascular System

Question 1

3.1 Introduction:

Answer 1

A fitness instructor has to understand the anatomy and physiology to be able to guide the clients towards a good and effective workout.

Question 2

3.1 Introduction: It is also important to know how the cardiorespiratory system works, as this is the system that provides

Answer 2

fuel for the body for all physical activities that you undertake.

Question 3

3.1 Introduction: When we talk of the cardiorespiratory system, we include the:

Answer 3

heart, blood vessels, lungs, and air passage.

Question 4

3.1 Introduction: This is the system that carries

Answer 4

oxygen to the muscles and removes waste products from the body.

Question 5

3.1 Introduction: The Cardiorespiratory System: Anatomy

Answer 5

1. Nasal Cavity, 2. Nostril, 3. Larynx, 4. Right Main Stem Bronchus, 5. Right Lung, 6. Pharynx, 7. Trachea, 8. Left Main Stem Bronchus, 9. Left Lung.

Question 6

3.2 What is the Cardiorespiratory System?

Answer 6

The system comprises of two different systems that combine and work together. These are: The Cardiovascular System and the Respiratory System.

Question 7

3.2: Understanding the Cardiorespiratory System and it’s components/ elements of the Cardiovascular alongside the Respiratory:

Answer 7

• Both systems help to supply the body with oxygen and nutrients to sustain all body functions, and removes carbon dioxide and other waste products from the body. It also helps in metabolic and heat exchange functions of the body. To understand this system, we need to study the two systems separately and then observe how the two integrate to help in fitness regimes.

Question 8

3.3 Cardiovascular System:

Answer 8

The cardiovascular system consists of two main parts, which are:
Heart: The heart is the pump of the body. It helps in the circulation of the blood throughout our body and all its systems.

Blood Vessels: The blood vessels are of three types:
Arteries - carry blood from the heart to all parts of the body

Veins - carry the blood back to the heart from the various parts of the body

Capillaries - the smallest blood vessels in our body and this is where the exchange of oxygen and CO2 takes place

Question 9

3.3 Cardiorespiratory System: The heart consists of four chambers what are they?

Answer 9

Left Atrium

Right Atrium

Left Ventricle

Right Ventricle

Question 10

3.3 Cardiovascular System: The left atrium

Answer 10

of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the rest of the body.

Question 11

3.3 Cardiovascular System: The right atrium

Answer 11

of the heart receives blood from various parts of the body that has been depleted of oxygen and is carrying CO2, which needs to be expelled.

Question 12

3.3 The Cardiovascular System: The Right and Left Ventricle

Answer 12

The right ventricle of the heart is where the blood is pumped to the lungs to be oxygenated, and returned to the left ventricle of the heart again to complete the process of circulation.

Question 13

3.3 Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels: Capillaries

Answer 13

the smallest blood vessels in our body and this is where the exchange of oxygen and CO2 takes place

Question 14

3.3 Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels: Veins

Answer 14

carry the blood back to the heart from the various parts of the body

Question 15

3.3 The Cardiovascular System: The Heart 1.

Answer 15

is the most important organ of the circulatory system. As the heart beats, it pumps blood through the blood vessels, which carry it to the various parts of the body. The heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary vein. It then pumps it into the aorta, which is the main artery that carries blood from the heart to distribute it throughout the body system. The blood flows through the venous system transporting blood to each and every part of the body, collecting waste and CO2 from the tissues to transport them to the excretory organs and lungs.

Question 16

3.4 Respiratory System

Answer 16

The respiratory system can be divided into two subcategories:
Upper Respiratory System: this comprises nasal passage, pharynx, larynx

Lower Respiratory System: this comprises lungs, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, and trachea or windpipe.

Question 17

3.4 Respiratory System: Operations

Answer 17

When we inhale, the air passes through the nasal cavity, is cleaned and filtered there by the nasal hair, the air is then warmed up and humidified as it passes through the other parts of the upper respiratory system.

The warmed, moistened air enters the lower respiratory tract and passes through the various parts of the system to finally reach the alveoli.

The trachea branches into 23 separate branches. Of these, 7 branches are used for respiration. The others are like passageways. The passages that are used for respiration branch out into millions of alveoli or air sacs that are the gas exchanges of the lungs.

It is here that the blood absorbs oxygen from the air we inhale and gives out carbon dioxide that is then expelled when we exhale.

Question 18

3.5 Integration of the Cardiovascular and Respiration System: It is important for a fitness instructor to understand how the two systems integrate to form the cardiorespiratory system.

Answer 18

The entire exchange between the air in the lungs and the blood in the veins takes place within the lungs at the level of the alveoli and capillaries. The walls of the alveoli and the capillaries are thin enough for the exchange to take place. But if the heart was not circulating or the lungs were not breathing, the process would not complete and the body will be in distress. The tissues would not get the oxygen that they require to continue functioning properly. The entire cardiovascular system works because there is pressure within the blood vessels to keep the blood circulating. The blood exerts some pressure on the walls of the blood vessels and this pressure is known as the blood pressure. The blood pressure is not static and is prone to fluctuations.

Question 19

3.6 Functions of the Cardiorespiratory System

Answer 19

• The cardiorespiratory system transports oxygen to the tissues and helps to eliminate waste and CO2.
• This function is facilitated by the circulation of blood and respiration. The blood carries oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues in the body. It collects waste and carbon dioxide from the body and takes it first to the kidneys where the waste is filtered out of the blood, and then to the lungs where carbon dioxide is removed from the blood and oxygen is absorbed.
• Helps to provide the tissues with nutrients. Blood is the transport system of the body, it absorbs nutrients from the digestive system and carries it to each and every part of the body.
• Regulates body temperature through the process of thermoregulation. When the body temperature is above or below the normal temperature of the body, the brain triggers mechanisms that help to control the body temperature and bring it back to normal.
• Helps to protect the body from diseases. Blood is composed of three types of cells which are: Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells and Platelets. Red blood cells carry the oxygen, white blood cells are responsible for fighting foreign antibodies and disease-causing organisms within the body. It creates more antibodies for an infection that help the immune system to fight infections quickly and more effectively. Platelets in the blood help to clot the blood to prevent excessive bleeding which could be dangerous.
• Maintains the hydration level of the body. Fluid balance is necessary for proper body function. Too much or too little fluid in the body can change the tone of the blood. Any change in the tone of the blood is detected by the kidneys and the brain. These then release hormones to excretory organs like sweat glands and kidneys to increase or decrease the production of wastes and regulate the dilution of blood.

Question 20

3.7 Cardiorespiratory Fitness: As a fitness expert you will have to be aware of cardiorespiratory fitness too.

Answer 20

1. The efficiency of your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to the body
2. The efficiency of your body to create energy that is required for muscles to function.

Question 21

3.7 Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Understanding:

Answer 21

In order to understand the cardiorespiratory fitness better, a fitness expert also needs to know the process required for muscle movement or contraction, and the reasons for change in our rate of respiration and heart rate.

Question 22

3.8 How Muscle Movement is created

Answer 22

• In order to create any movement the muscles need to contract and relax.
• To do so, the muscles need energy, which is provided by adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which breaks down to create energy for the muscle cells to use for contraction.
• Our muscles store some ATP in their cells, but it is just enough for a little bit of movement.
  For sustained movement beyond a few seconds, the muscles need more ATP, which is created by a chemical reaction between enzymes and stored glycogen, protein, and fat in the body.
  The primary source of ATP are glycogens and fat stored in the body.

Question 23

3.8 How Muscle Movement is created: There are three ways to produce ATP:

Answer 23

Phosphagen system, Lactic Acid system, Aerobic system

Question 24

3.8 How Muscle Movement is Created: 1. Phosphagen system

Answer 24

This is an anaerobic system and requires no oxygen. This system provides energy for very fast action that is energy intensive and lasts just a few seconds.

Question 25

3.8 How Muscle Movement is Created: 2. Lactic Acid system

Answer 25

This requires the use of chemical reactions to convert glycogen into ATP. This too is an anaerobic system. It produces a by-product called lactic acid. Too much of lactic acid build up can cause muscle fatigue and one needs to stop exercising. This system can produce enough ATP for between 1 - 3 minutes of intensive exercise before enough lactic acid has built up to cause the burning sensation, which is indicative of muscle fatigue.

Question 26

3.8 How Muscle Movement is Created: 3. Aerobic system

Answer 26

This works only in the presence of oxygen. This system releases the most ATP and the by product is CO2 and water. This is a complex system and needs numerous chemical reactions to create ATP. The aerobic system first uses up glycogen stored in the liver and then, if the energy requirement is still high, uses the fat stored in the body to convert it to ATP.

Question 27

3.8 How Muscle Movement is Created: There are three ways to produce ATP:

Answer 27

Phosphagen system, Lactic Acid system, Aerobic system.

Question 28

3.9 Why the Heart and Respiration rates change:

Answer 28

Since the aerobic system of creating ATP requires oxygen, this is the reason why people start to breathe harder as they exercise for prolonged periods. When we exercise for a longer duration it allows the Aerobic System to kick in and the body demands more oxygen. This demand is met by the lungs via the blood circulating in the body. The increased demand for oxygen also increases the blood pressure and the heart rate, so that the muscles can get an adequate amount of oxygen that they require for the aerobic system to work efficiently and produce enough ATP to sustain the level of exercise. One has to exercise for a period of over an hour to deplete the stored glycogen in the body and for the stored fats to begin to be utilized.

Question 29

3.9 Why the Heart and Respiration rates change: The Cardiorespiratory System:

Answer 29

provides energy for exercise and movement, as well as for the normal body functions when the body is at rest or sleeping. The energy expended while at rest is considerably lower than when the body is at work or exercising.

Question 30

3.9 Why the Heart and Respiration rates Change: Advantages of Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Answer 30

Cardiorespiratory fitness has a direct effect on health:

• Increase in life span
• Lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes
• Prevention of cardiovascular diseases
• Controls blood pressure
• Higher bone density
• Lower risk of osteoporosis

Question 31

3.9 Why the Heart and Respiration rates Change: What should fitness instructors or personal trainers keep in mind?

Answer 31

Fitness instructors or personal trainers should keep in mind that the system varies in individuals. The normal limits are just benchmarks and cannot be held to be absolute. So you, as a trainer or instructor, will have to determine what is normal for your clients and set the level for the training routine based on your assessment.

Question 32

3.9 Why the Heart and Respiration rates Change:

Answer 32

• The heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, lung capacity, etc. varies from person to person.
• The amount of ATP released also differs from person to person. There is no rule for the amount of energy released and available for exercise. There is a variation among individuals as to the amount of energy required and when the anaerobic system changes over to the aerobic system. Each body is different and should be treated as such.
• The normal limits are just benchmarks and cannot be held to be absolute. So you, as a trainer or instructor, will have to determine what is normal for your clients and set the level for the training routine based on your assessment.

Question 33

Module 3 Quiz: What is the cardiovascular system?

Question 34

Module 3 Quiz: How many types of cells does our blood contain?

Answer 34

3.

Question 35

Module 3 Quiz: What does ATP do in our body?

Answer 35

Creates energy for the muscles to contract.

Question 36

Module 3 Quiz: Which of these is not a function of the cardiorespiratory system.

Answer 36

Helps in movement of the body

Question 37

Module 3 Quiz: Which of these is not a part of the upper respiratory system? (multiple answers)

Answer 37

Trachea