Heart & Blood
What does the heart do? How many chambers does it have? State the role of the left and right side of the heart
- The heart is a muscular pump that circulates blood throughout the body.
- It has four chambers — two atria that receive blood and two ventricles that pump blood out.
- The left side of the heart carries oxygenated blood to the body, while the right side carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
What is Thermoregulation?
Thermoregulation is the body’s ability to maintain a stable internal temperature.
What is the main function of the lungs?
To bring oxygen into the body and remove carbon dioxide.
What happens to your body during exercise? (What increases, what is produced/used more)
Body uses more oxygen and produces more carbon dioxide
Heart rate and breathing rate increase
Blood circulation speeds up to deliver oxygen to muscles
State 4 aerobic training methods
Continuous training
Fartlek training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Long-interval training
State what each this blood component does?
Red blood cell
White blood cell
Platelet
Plasma
Red blood cell: Transports oxygen around the body
White blood cell: Protects against disease
Platelet: Causes blood clot
Plasma: Carries blood cells around the body
What is Hyperthermia & Hypothermia and when do both occur?
Hyperthermia and exercise in the heat:
Hyperthermia occurs when core body temperature rises above safe levels.
Occurs when the body produces heat faster than it can lose it
Hypothermia and exercise in the cold:
Hypothermia occurs when core temperature drops below safe levels.
Heat is lost faster than it can be produced.
Describe the mechanics of breathing
Diaphragm contracts and flattens, intercostals contract, thoracic cavity volume increases, pressure decreases, air enters lungs.
How long does a person have to do regular aerobic exercise to see cv & r adaptations?
Over 8-12 weeks of consistent exercise, the heart and lungs adapt allowing your body to deliver and use oxygen more efficiently
What is altitude training? How is it done? Why is it done?
Altitude training is a legal training method done at high places (1500m+ above sea level).
There is less oxygen in the air at high altitude, so the body has to adapt. These adaptations may improve the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
Explain what blood circulation is, and state the three key terms it's measured by and what they do
Blood circulation is how the heart moves blood through the body to deliver oxygen and nutrients and remove waste. It’s measured using three key terms:
Some key terms in relation to blood circulation:
Heart Rate (HR): Number of heartbeats per minute (bpm)
Resting HR: 60–80 bpm when not exercising
Stroke Volume (SV): Amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle in one beat (mL/beat)
Cardiac Output (Q): Total blood pumped by the heart in one minute (L/min)
Formula: Q = SV × HR
What is Heart Rate and how do you calculate your maximum heart rate?
HR refers to the number of times the heart beats per minute.
During exercise HR quickly increases above resting levels to assist with the greater requirements of muscles for oxygen to create energy and removal of waste products.
Maximum HR changes as a persone ages, this can be calculated by:
220 minus age (eg. 220 - 40 = 180bpm for a 40 year old person)
What is Gaseous Exchange?
Gaseous exchange is the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration across a thin membrane. It occurs at the alveoli in the lungs and at the muscle cells.
What are the CV adaptations of aerobic exercise?
1) Stronger heart: pumps more blood each beat (increased SV)
2) Increased Capillary network: around the muscles, improving oxygen delivery and waste removal
3) Increased mitochondrial density: muscle cells produce more mitochondria, increasing energy production
What are the potential benefits of EPO & Blood Doping
Increased endurance and VO2 max via: increased red blood cell production, and thus oxygen-carrying capacity to working muscles
Explain what these three blood vessels do:
- Arteries
- Capillaries
- Veins
Arteries:
Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart
Help maintain blood pressure during circulation
Capillaries:
Tiny vessels that connect arteries and veins
Allow oxygen and nutrients to pass into cells and waste to pass out
Veins:
Carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart (except pulmonary vein)
Work under low pressure
State what is stroke volume and it's function?
Increased Stroke Volume
Stroke Volume (SV) refers to the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle into the aorta with every heartbeat.
During exercise SV increases to allow more blood, therefore oxygen, to be pumped to working muscles.
Explain what Tidal Volume & Respiratory Rate is?
Tidal Volume (TV): The amount of air breathed in and out per breath - measured in Litres
Tide = in and out
Normal intake is around 500ml
During exercise it can increase to 4 Litres.
Respiratory Rate (RR): The amount of breaths taken per minute (similar to heart rate).
Measured in breaths per minute.
What are the Respiratory adaptations of aerobic exercise?
1) Increased lung volume: lungs expand, more can be taken in
2) Improved pulmonary diffusion: gas exchange more efficient, more oxygen into blood more carbon dioxide out
3) Stronger respiratory muscles: diaphragm & intercostal muscles become stronger & more efficient
What are the potential harms of EPO & Blood doping
Increased viscosity (thickening) of blood
• Blood clots
• Increased risk of stroke and heart attack
• Dehydration
• Cardiac failure
What is the structure of the CV system and it's functions.
Cardiovascular system:
The heart and blood vessels circulate blood throughout the body, delivering water, oxygen and nutrients to cells, and removing waste products such as carbon dioxide
Functions:
Circulates blood to all parts of the body
Transports water, nutrients and oxygen (O2) to the cell
Transports CO2 and other wastes away from the cells
Helps maintain body temperature and hydration
Helps fight disease through white blood cells and clot blood through platelets
State what is Cardiac Output and it's function?
Increased Cardiac Output
Cardiac Output (Q) in the amount of blood pumped from the heart over 1 minute.
Cardiac Output increases during exercise due increases in both heart rate and stroke volume, to deliver more blood and oxygen to working muscles.
Cardiac Output = Heart Rate multiplied by Stroke Volume
Explain what Ventilation & VO2max is?
Bonus point for stating how ventilation is calculated
Ventilation (V): The amount of air breathed in and out during a minute.
Calculated by multiplying tidal volume and respiration rate
V = TV x RR
VO2max: The maximum amount of oxygen per minute that can be taken in, transported to and used by the working muscles.
What happens when both systems work together optimally - what improves (CV & RS)
VO2Max improves: your body can take in & use more oxygen during exercise
More energy production: muscles produce more energy (ATP)
Better performance
Why are ethical and cultural considerations important when discussing performance-enhancing methods in sport?
They help determine whether methods such as blood doping or drug use are fair, safe, and respectful of the rules, values and beliefs of athletes and cultures.