The Body’s Response To Exercise
What happens when you exercise?
- Your body responds to the increased demand for energy
How does the body respond to the
increased demand for energy?
Why does the body respond in this way?
Breathing rate increases (breaths per
minute)
Breathing rate increases to breathe in more
oxygen, which provides energy for the working
muscles.
Oxygen goes from the lungs, through
blood vessels, to the heart.
Heart rate increases
Oxygen gets to the muscles through
blood vessels – arteries and capillaries
Breathing out more quickly enables the body to
breathe out carbon dioxide more quickly.
Heart rate increases to send more oxygen to the
working muscles, through blood vessels
Oxygen leaves the heart through arteries
Heart rate increases to return deoxygenated
blood from the working muscles to the heart
quickly
Deoxygenated blood returns to the heart
via veins
Heart rate increases to send deoxygenated
blood from the heart to the lungs more quickly
Carbon dioxide is breathed out
You breathe more deeply
Breathing deeply enables you to breathe in
more oxygen to provide energy for the working
muscles
The amount of blood pumped in any one
beat increases (stroke volume)
This allows the heart to send more oxygen to
the working muscles more quickly. Oxygen is
sent in the blood.
The amount of blood pumped in one
minute increases (cardiac output)
Blood vessels dilate (open up)
Blood pressure increases
This provides more force to pump blood to the
working muscles
Muscle temperature increases
Your skin temperature increases
Muscle temperature increases as a result of the
muscle working hard
Muscle temperature increases due to increased
blood supply
Your skin temperature increases so capillaries
come closer to the surface to cool the body.
You sweat
You sweat to reduce body temperature by
allowing heat to escape when your muscles
work hard.
Sweat evaporates from the skin surface, which
helps the cooling process
Sweating also allows the body to release toxins
that build up as you exercise
Your muscles get sore and fatigued
(tired)
Your muscles get sore and fatigued due to
build-up of toxins including lactic acid, due to
exercising intensely and you use up stored
energy (glucose) and O2
Your skin gets red as tiny blood vessels,
called capillaries, come close to the
surface
Capillaries come close to the surface to help
cool the body