1. The long-term training effects of exercise
Learning Objectives
To be able to explain the long term benefits of training on the musculo-skeletal system
To be able to explain the long term benefits of training on the cardio-respiratory system
Content
3.4.1
Long-term effects of aerobic and anaerobic training and exercise and the benefits to the muscular-skeletal and cardio-respiratory systems and performance
3.4.2
Long-term training effects: able to train for longer and more intensely
3.4.3
Long-term training effects and benefits: for performance of the muscular-skeletal system: increased bone density, increased strength of ligaments and tendons, muscle hypertrophy, the importance of rest for adaptations to take place, and time to recover before the next training session
3.4.4
Long-term training effects and benefits: for performance of the cardio-respiratory system: decreased resting heart rate, faster recovery, increased resting stroke volume and maximum cardiac output, increased size/strength of heart, increased capilliarisation, increase in number of red blood cells, drop in resting blood pressure due to more elastic muscular wall of veins and arteries, increased lung capacity/volume and vital capacity, increased number of alveoli, increased strength of diaphragm and external intercostal muscles

2. Long Term Training Effects of Exercise
If we train regularly over a prolonged period of time we will notice numerous adaptations to the way our body works to help us cope with the level of exercise which we are doing. These effects can be seen in the following body systems:
Muscular system
Skeletal system
Cardiovascular system
Respiratory system

3. Muscular system benefits
These benefits will very much depend on the type of training (aerobic or anaerobic) which you do. This is why specificity is so important when planning training.
Aerobic Training Adaptations:
Cardiac hypertrophy leading to greater stroke volume
Increased size of skeletal muscle through hypertrophy of slow twitch muscle fibres
Increased size and number of mitochondria (part of cell where aerobic energy production takes place)
Increase in store of energy source in the muscle for aerobic energy production (glucose)
Increased myoglobin content in the muscle (supplies muscle with more O2)
These adaptations together enable more aerobic energy to be produced and for aerobic energy to be produced more rapidly.

4. Anaerobic Benefits The benefits from anaerobic training include:
Increased strength of ligaments (tissue connecting bone to bone)
Increased strength of tendons (tissue connecting muscle to bone)
Increased in store of energy source in the muscle for anaerobic energy production (glucose and phosphocreatine)
Increased tolerance to lactic acid
Increased size of skeletal muscle through hypertrophy of fast twitch muscle fibres
These adaptations enable the body to withstand greater stresses put upon it during high intensity training and also allows the body to maintain high intensity exercise for longer periods.

5. Benefits to the Skeletal System
Your body will respond to strength and resistance training to enable it to withstand the greater workload being placed upon it with the following adaptations:
Increased bone density (thickness of bone)
Increased bone strength
Reduced risk of osteoporosis (a disease of the bone which leads to increased risk of fracture)

6. Benefits to the Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system will adapt to training with the following adaptations:
Increased strength of heart muscle (cardiac hypertrophy)
Increased resting stroke volume
Drop in resting heart rate
Increased maximum cardiac output
Increased capillarisation
Increase in number of red blood cells
Quicker recovery rate after exercise to return to resting heart rate
What effects will each of these adaptations to the way in which the cardiovascular system works?

7. Benefits to the Cardiovascular System
There are also long term health benefits associated with the adaptations to the cardiovascular system following regular training. These include:
Drop in resting blood pressure (due to more elastic muscular wall of blood vessels)
Reduction in cholesterol levels
Reduction in likelihood of coronary heart failure
Reduction in likelihood of a stroke
Reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes

8. Benefits to the Respiratory System
Long term training effects on the respiratory system are:
Increased number of alveoli
Increased strength of diaphragm
Increased strength of the external intercostal muscles
Increased tidal volume (depth of breaths)
Increased vital capacity (maximum amount of air that can be breathed out following a maximal inspiration)
These benefits will enable a performer to take in oxygen more efficiently and remove CO2.

9. Exam Question
Long term training is proven to be of benefit to sports performers. State a long term benefit to each of the systems below and describe how this helps performance levels. (8 marks) Respiratory system Circulatory system Muscular system Skeletal system

10. Test your knowledge
Explain why an increased number of mitochondria could be beneficial to performance.
Is increased cardiac hypertrophy associated with aerobic or anaerobic training?
What is the function of myoglobin?
Which harmful waste product does the body become more tolerant of with anaerobic training?
Thickness of a bone is also known as bone _____?
Name the disease which can effect the strength of bones.
What is stroke volume?
How is cardiac output calculated?
Name one type of illness which you are less likely to be affected with if you do regular cardiovascular exercise?
Define tidal volume.