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This lesson covers the short-term and long-term effects of exercise on the body systems as required by the OCR GCSE PE specification (J587). You need to understand how the cardiovascular and respiratory systems respond to exercise in the short term (during and immediately after exercise) and the long term (as a result of regular training over weeks and months).
Short-term effects are the immediate changes that occur in the body during exercise and in the period shortly after. These changes are temporary and return to normal during recovery.
| Effect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Heart rate increases | The heart beats faster to pump more blood to working muscles |
| Stroke volume increases | Each beat pumps a greater volume of blood |
| Cardiac output increases | Q = SV x HR; both increase, so cardiac output rises significantly |
| Blood redistribution occurs | Blood is redirected from non-essential organs to working muscles via vasodilation and vasoconstriction |
| Increased oxygen delivery to muscles | More oxygenated blood reaches the working muscles per minute |
| Increased muscle temperature | Increased blood flow warms the muscles, improving enzyme efficiency and muscle elasticity |
| Lactic acid production (during anaerobic exercise) | If exercise is intense enough, lactic acid builds up in the muscles |
| Effect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Breathing rate increases | More breaths per minute to increase airflow to the lungs |
| Tidal volume increases | Deeper breaths move more air per breath |
| Minute ventilation increases | VE = TV x BR; both increase, so total airflow per minute rises |
| Increased oxygen delivery to alveoli | More O₂ reaches the alveoli for gaseous exchange |
| Increased CO₂ removal | More CO₂ is exhaled from the alveoli |
| Bronchodilation | Bronchioles widen to allow more air to reach the alveoli |
graph TD
A["Exercise Begins"] --> B["Cardiovascular<br>Responses"]
A --> C["Respiratory<br>Responses"]
B --> D["↑ Heart rate"]
B --> E["↑ Stroke volume"]
B --> F["↑ Cardiac output"]
B --> G["Blood redistribution"]
B --> H["↑ Muscle temperature"]
C --> I["↑ Breathing rate"]
C --> J["↑ Tidal volume"]
C --> K["↑ Minute ventilation"]
style A fill:#4a90d9,color:#fff
style B fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style C fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
Exam Tip: When describing short-term effects, always explain the REASON for each change. For example, do not just write "heart rate increases" — write "heart rate increases to pump more oxygenated blood to the working muscles to meet the increased demand for oxygen."
Long-term effects are the permanent or semi-permanent changes that occur in the body as a result of regular training over weeks, months, and years. These are also called training adaptations.
| Effect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Cardiac hypertrophy | The heart muscle (especially the left ventricle) grows larger and stronger |
| Increased resting stroke volume | A larger, stronger heart pumps more blood per beat at rest |
| Lower resting heart rate (bradycardia) | Because SV is higher, the heart needs fewer beats to pump the same cardiac output at rest |
| Faster recovery rate | The heart rate returns to resting levels more quickly after exercise |
| Increased capillarisation | New capillaries grow around the muscles, improving oxygen delivery and waste removal |
| Increased red blood cell count | More red blood cells means more oxygen can be transported in the blood |
| Lower resting blood pressure | A more efficient cardiovascular system reduces the strain on blood vessel walls |
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