EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE
Name
: Emmanuel Osei SARPONG
Telephone
:
E-mail
Website:
+
233(24)4518031
: papazeq@yahoo.com / eosarpong@uew.edu.gh
: www.wikieducator.org/UEW/OSEI
LESSON OBJECTIVES
DEFINE EXERCISE AND MENTION EXERCISE TYPES
DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
DEFINE PHYSIOLOGY, EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
EXPLAIN “RESPONSES AND ADAPTATIONS” WITH EXAMPLES AND
ENUMERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE PHYSILOGY IN P.E.
introduction
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Exercise physiology as an academic
discipline consists of three distinct
components namely:
body of knowledge: built on facts and
theories derived from research
Formal course of study in institutions of
higher learning
Professional preparation of practitioners
and future investigators and leaders in the
field
introduction
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The current academic discipline of exercise
physiology emerged from the influences of
several traditional fields primarily: anatomy,
physiology and medicine.
Each has a unique contribution to the
understanding of human structure and
function in health and disease
Human physiology integrates with
chemistry, biology, nutrition and physics to
explain biological events and their sites of
occurrence
EXERCISE- WHAT IS IT?
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Means different things to different people
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Generally seen as the act of performing
physical activity, putting stress to bear on
the body, exposing the body to a stimulus
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Exercise is the performance of movements in
order to develop or maintain physical fitness
and overall health and it is often directed to
the honing of athletic ability or skill
EXERCISE TYPES
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Generally grouped into three types depending on
the overall effect they have on the human body.
These are:
Flexibility: such as stretching improves the range of
motion of muscles and joints
Aerobic: such as running are rhythmic in nature,
uses large muscle groups and can be maintained
continuously. Here the working muscles draw on
oxygen in the blood as well as fat and glucose to
increase cardiovascular endurance(causes the
heart to work harder than at rest) and muscle
density.
EXERCISE TYPES II
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Anaerobic: such as weight training or
sprinting increase muscle mass and strength
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involves intense or explosive sports or
strenuous activity that leaves one gasping
for breath. It can be done for a minute or
two at a time, because it depends on limited
supply of glycogen that is rapidly depleted,
resulting intense muscle fatigue.
IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
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Frequent and regular physical exercise is an
important component in the prevention of some
diseases of affluence such as cancer,
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity
and back pain
Maintenance of physical fitness including healthy
weight
Building and maintenance of healthy bones,
muscles and joints
Promotion of psychological well-being
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Reduction in surgical risks
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PHYSIOLOGY
It is the study of the functions of the body as a
whole and of the structures and organs found
there in.
 “physis” means nature or origin
 “logos” means speech or to talk about nature
 Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical
and biochemical functions of living organisms
The under-listed are the divisions of physiology
- Endocrinology: of hormones
- Pathophysiology: mechanisms of disease
- Neurophysiology :nervous system and
- comparative physiology
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EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
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It is what happens to the body as it
exercises a single time,
and how these changes in function are
brought about,
what functional changes occur after
repeated bouts of exercise
how these changes come to pass,
and finally what can be done to
improve the body’s response to
exercise and its adaptations to
EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY -II
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It is the DESCRIPTION and EXPLANATION of
functional changes brought on by single
(acute) or repeated (chronic) bouts of
exercise, often with the objective of
improving the exercise response.
DESCRIPTION of functional changes deals
with what happens to the body
EXPLANATION also deals with the
understanding of how these changes occur
e.g. using the knowledge of the function of
the skeletal system in the development of
training programme(s).
EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY- III
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identification of physiological mechanisms
underlying physical activity,
the comprehensive delivery of treatment
services concerned with the analysis,
improvement, and maintenance of health
and fitness,
rehabilitation of heart disease and other
chronic diseases and/or disabilities,
and the professional guidance and counsel
of athletes and others interested in athletics,
sports training and human adaptability to
RESPONSES AND ADAPTATIONS
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Exercise results in responses and adaptations
depending on FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, TIME and
TYPE
A single bout of exercise is called ACUTE EXERCISE,
whereas repeated bouts of exercise over several
days or months may be called CHRONIC
EXERCISE/TRAINING.
Training is the systematic process with the
objective of improving an athlete’s fitness in a
selected activity. It is long term, progressive and
recognizes the individual athlete’s needs and
capabilities
RESPONSES
These are the sudden, temporary
changes in function caused by
exercise. These functional changes
disappear shortly after the exercise
period is over. Examples are:
 Increase in heart rate
 Rise in blood pressure,
 Increase in breathing
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ADAPTATIONS
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These are the persistent, permanent changes in
structure or function following training that
enables the body to withstand repeated bouts of
exercise.
These changes are long-term and may be seen
after several weeks of training.
Reduction of heart rate for sub-maximal exercise
load. This allows the heart to pump the same
amount of blood to the working muscles at a
lower energy cost for the heart.
Increased muscle size after strenuous weight lifting
programme. The lifter exerts greater muscular
force than before training.
IMPORTANCE
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To answer the questions of the WHY,
WHAT and the HOW of things in the body.
To improve athletic performance
To select appropriate exercises for
different age cohorts,
To explain exercise types for different sex
groups
To enhance overall health, and physical
fitness of the general population
What exercise physiologists do
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Researchers in universities and colleges
Health, fitness and rehabilitation centers
Educators
Personal trainers, managers and
entrepreneurs in the health industries
Massage therapists, physical therapists,
occupational therapists, nurses, nutritionists
and physicians