What are the short-term and long-term effects of exercise on the body?
The short-term (immediate) effects of exercise on the musculo-skeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and the long-term effects (training adaptations) of regular exercise on the same systems.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE PE Component 1 on the effects of exercise: the short-term responses of the muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems to a single session, and the long-term adaptations such as cardiac hypertrophy, muscle hypertrophy and a lower resting heart rate.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to distinguish the short-term (immediate) effects of a single exercise session from the long-term adaptations of regular training, across the muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Short-term effects of exercise
These responses all serve one purpose: to deliver more oxygen to the working muscles, remove more carbon dioxide and waste, and keep the body cool.
Long-term effects (adaptations)
Telling short-term and long-term apart
The test is timing: if it happens during or just after one session it is short-term; if it builds up over weeks of training it is a long-term adaptation.
Why the adaptations improve performance
Long-term adaptations are valuable because each one lets the performer work harder, for longer, or recover faster. A larger, stronger heart (cardiac hypertrophy) and a higher stroke volume mean more oxygenated blood is delivered with every beat, so the heart does not have to beat as fast, which is why a trained athlete has a low resting heart rate. More capillaries and red blood cells mean oxygen reaches the muscles more easily, and more mitochondria in the muscle cells mean the muscles can release more energy aerobically before they have to switch to anaerobic work and produce fatiguing lactic acid. Together these raise VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen the body can take in and use, which is the single best marker of aerobic fitness.
The type of training decides which adaptations you get, through the principle of specificity. Aerobic training (continuous, Fartlek) mainly improves the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and raises VO2 max, which suits endurance athletes. Strength and power training (weights, plyometrics) mainly causes muscle hypertrophy and stronger tendons, ligaments and bones, which suits sprinters and throwers. So a distance runner and a shot-putter, training differently, develop very different adaptations even though both are getting fitter for their event.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20184 marksDescribe two short-term effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system and two on the respiratory system.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 short-term effects question. One mark per correct, distinct effect.
Award marks for cardiovascular effects such as: heart rate increases (to pump more blood and oxygen to the muscles); stroke volume increases (the heart pumps harder); cardiac output increases; blood pressure rises; the performer feels their heart pounding. For respiratory effects: breathing rate increases (more breaths per minute); breathing depth (tidal volume) increases (deeper breaths); gaseous exchange speeds up to take in more oxygen and remove more carbon dioxide.
Markers want short-term (immediate) responses, not long-term adaptations. Two distinct effects per system, correctly attributed.
Eduqas 20214 marksExplain two long-term adaptations of regular aerobic training and how each benefits a distance runner.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark long-term adaptations question. Two marks per adaptation (the change plus the benefit).
Award marks for adaptations such as: cardiac hypertrophy (the heart muscle grows larger and stronger), which increases stroke volume, so the heart pumps more blood per beat and the runner can deliver more oxygen and a lower resting heart rate (bradycardia) means the heart is more efficient at rest and during exercise. Increased capillary density and more red blood cells improve oxygen delivery to the muscles, raising the runner's VO2 max so they can run faster for longer before fatiguing. Other valid points: larger lung capacity, more mitochondria, stronger respiratory muscles.
A top answer states the adaptation and clearly links it to better performance for the named endurance athlete.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Physical Education C550QS specification — Eduqas (2016)