Immediate effects of exercise on the body systems
When a person takes part in exercise the cardiovascular, respiratory, energy and muscular systems all work together to supply energy to the working muscles and remove waste products.
When the muscles start to work, they need more oxygen so the respiratory system responds by getting more oxygen into the lungs. The blood carries greater amounts of oxygen and the heart responds to pump more oxygenated blood around the body. Immediate effects can be visible in hot, sweaty and red skin.
Immediate effects of exercise on the body systems are shown in the table:
| Short term effects of exercise | |
| Cardiovascular system | Increase in stroke volume (SV); increase in heart rate (HR); increase in cardiac output (Q); increase in blood pressure (BP) |
| Respiratory system | Increase in breathing rate; increase in tidal volume |
| Cardio-respiratory system | Increase in oxygen uptake; increase in carbon dioxide removal |
| Energy system | Increase in lactate production |
| Muscular system | Increase in temperature of muscles; increased pliability |
| Cardiovascular system | |
|---|---|
| Short term effects of exercise | Increase in stroke volume (SV); increase in heart rate (HR); increase in cardiac output (Q); increase in blood pressure (BP) |
| Respiratory system | |
|---|---|
| Short term effects of exercise | Increase in breathing rate; increase in tidal volume |
| Cardio-respiratory system | |
|---|---|
| Short term effects of exercise | Increase in oxygen uptake; increase in carbon dioxide removal |
| Energy system | |
|---|---|
| Short term effects of exercise | Increase in lactate production |
| Muscular system | |
|---|---|
| Short term effects of exercise | Increase in temperature of muscles; increased pliability |
After exercising, the muscles need to rest, adapt and recover. There is a risk of injury if the body is not rested for long enough after exercise. This concept can be better understood by studying the Principles of training.
Question
Why is a person less likely to strain a muscle if they have warmed up before taking part in exercise?
Warming up increases the temperature of the muscles which makes them more pliableAble to increase in stretch and elasticity. and therefore more likely to stretch rather than tear.