Physiological Adaptations

Question 1

What are the 5 cardiovascular adaptations ?

Answer 1

• Cardiac hypertrophy
  Increased size and contractility of ventricles, so SV increases
• Increased elasticity
  Increased regulation of blood pressure and distribution of blood to working muscles
• Capillarisation
  Increased number of capillaries at muscles and lungs so gas exchange increases
• Increased number of red blood cells
  Increased oxygen carrying capacity of blood
• Increased blood plasma
  Reduced blood viscosity and increased flow

Question 2

What are the 2 respiratory adaptations ?

Answer 2

• Increased strength of respiratory muscles
  Increased lung volume, decreased fatigue and more efficient ventilation
• Increased surface area of alveoli
  Increased diffusion of oxygen

Question 3

What are the 5 muscular adaptations ?

Answer 3

• Muscular hypertrophy of slow oxidative and fast oxidative glycolytic muscle fibres
  Increased use of aerobic energy systems
• Fast oxidative glycolytic muscle fibres increase their aerobic capability
  Increased use of aerobic energy systems
• Increased myoglobin stores in the muscle
  Increase storage of oxygen for aerobic energy systems
• Increased stores of glycogen and triglycerides
  Increased availability of fuels for aerobic energy systems
• Increased size and number of mitochondria
  Increase use of aerobic energy systems

Question 4

What are the 3 metabolic adaptations ?

Answer 4

• Increased resting metabolic rate
  Due to increased muscle mass compared to fat mass
• Increased sensitivity to insulin
  Increased uptake of glucose from blood to muscle cells
  risk of type 2 diabetes (formed from lifestyle choices)
• Increased aerobic enzyme action
  aerobic energy systems work at an increased rate