Laura Spenceley
Unit 2 – Task 2
Tom Cross
Short Term Response to Exercise
Homeostasis – The body’s ability to maintain and manage a relatively stable internal physiological
state in a fluctuating environment.
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Cardio - The maintenance of healthy blood pressure is an example of homeostasis. The
heart can sense changes in the blood pressure, causing it to send signals to the brain,
which then sends back signals telling the heart how to respond. If blood pressure is too
high, naturally the heart should slow down; while if it is too low, the heart wants to
speed up.
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Muscular – Exercising causes the body to maintain homeostasis by sending lactate to the
muscles to give them energy. Over time, this also signals to the brain that it is time to stop
exercising, so that the muscles can get the oxygen they need.
Respiratory - Homeostasis is maintained by the respiratory system in two ways: gas exchange
and regulation of blood pH. Gas exchange is performed by the lungs by eliminating carbon
dioxide. As CO2 exits the body, oxygen needed for cellular respiration enters the body through
the lungs. ATP, produced by cellular respiration, provides the energy for the body to perform
many functions, including nerve conduction and muscle contraction.
Short term exercise increases demands on the body which effect all the bodily systems in
different ways. Demands on the bodily systems during short term exercise may include;

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Oxygen needs to be transported around the body faster so that muscles can keep
contracting to their best capacity and potential – This puts a demand on the heart to pump
faster to create this movement of blood and oxygen.
The demand for muscles to contract increases massively.
Breathing rate will increase as there is a demand on the lungs to take in more oxygen for it
to be transported around the body or be converted to energy.
Short term exercise also puts deficits on the body which effect the all the bodily systems in
different ways. Deficits on the bodily systems during short term exercise may include;

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Lack of O2 affects brain function, sense of judgment, and a host of other problems
During the first few minutes of exercise, as your body tries to meet your new oxygen needs
you are in a state of oxygen deficit.
Water levels in the body are also at a deficit during short term exercise
Laura Spenceley
Exercise
Long
distance
running
Swimming
Unit 2 – Task 2
Tom Cross
Acute responses which
may occur after short
term exercise
Chronic responses which
Respiratory – May
experience a stitch,
also may experience
breathing difficulties
due to oxygen deficit
due to not being able
to get enough oxygen
to the lungs - this is a
negative effect of short
term exercise but will
only last for a short
time. Acute responses
to short term exercise
are not always negative
and may well be
positive in improving
further respiratory
responses.
Muscular – Repetitive
strain injury on the knees
may be an acute response
which may turn into a
chronic response after
even short term exercise.
This chronic response may
be due to a lack of
technique by the
individual and the
constant, unusual impact
on the knee joint. Chronic
muscular responses to
short term exercise are
nearly always negative.
Cardio – An acute
response such as an
increase in heart rate
may result in an
adaptation to short
term exercise. An
increase in
cardiovascular
endurance and
hypertrophy of the
heart muscle will lead to
an improvement in
performance in further
running sessions. This
adaptation is a positive
response to short term
exercise as it means the
heart muscle and
cardiac endurance will
strengthen and the
individual will be able to
run for longer as the
improvements continue.
Cardio – An acute
response whilst
swimming may be
decreased circulation
due to cool water
temperature meaning
the body may slow
down and swimming be
less effective and not
last as long as less
oxygenated blood is
being transported to
the muscles an vital
organs.
Muscular – A chronic
response to swimming
may include a strain injury
to the shoulder or elbow.
This response may be due
to an ineffective technique
or repetitive strain on a
joint/muscle which is
otherwise unused to this
movement. This response
will usually result in a
negative, long term injury
adversely affecting further
swimming sessions.
Respiratory – A
negative acute response
such as shortness of
breath and inability to
take in amount of
oxygen needed during
the exercise could result
in an adaptation. This
adaptation may lead to
anaerobic improvement
in that it may mean the
individual has to take air
in less often, meaning
they can maybe put
more stroke in between
breaths, improving their
overall swimming
techniques.
Adaptation
may occur after short
term exercise
Laura Spenceley
Unit 2 – Task 2
Tom Cross
After looking at these two exercises and assessing the acute, chronic and adaptive responses and
through previous research I know there are many different techniques to measure these responses.
These techniques may include; heart rate tests, respiratory tests and measuring muscle size before
and after exercise over a period of weeks or months. As an example by using a heart rate test
before and after exercise we can record these results and use the same technique 1, 2 and 3 weeks
down the line and compare these results against each other to gather whether the changes made
are positive or negative effect and whether the progression of the cardiovascular system is relative
to the progression of exercise. In monitoring these responses using these types of techniques we are
able to make decisions as to whether preventative measures are needed to stop the injury or issue
develop further or whether the individual can carry on exercising in the way they are to progress
further.