WJEC GCSE PE: Exercise physiology (Unit 1) overview
An overview of the exercise physiology content in WJEC GCSE Physical Education Unit 1, mapping the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and the short and long-term effects of exercise, and how they are examined.
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The second content area of WJEC GCSE Physical Education explains the body behind the performance. It covers the four body systems most important to sport and how they respond to a single session and adapt to long-term training. This page maps the area and links to a focused answer page for each topic.
The exercise physiology content
- The skeletal system
- The functions of the skeleton, the types of synovial joint and the movements they allow in sport. See The skeletal system.
- The muscular system
- The major muscles, antagonistic pairs, the types of muscle contraction and the types of muscle fibre. See The muscular system.
- The cardiovascular system
- The heart, double circulation, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output, and the blood vessels. See The cardiovascular system.
- The respiratory system
- The pathway of air, the mechanics of breathing, gas exchange at the alveoli, lung volumes and the changes during exercise. See The respiratory system.
- Aerobic and anaerobic exercise
- The difference between the two energy systems, the word equations, lactic acid and oxygen debt. See Aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
- Short and long-term effects of exercise
- The immediate responses of the body systems and the adaptations from regular training. See Short and long-term effects of exercise.
How this area is examined
This content is assessed in Unit 1: Introduction to physical education, a written examination of 2 hours, worth 100 marks and 50% of the qualification. Questions use audio-visual stimuli and sources and mix short answers with extended responses. Calculations such as cardiac output and minute ventilation appear, so confident arithmetic is needed.
How to study this area
Exercise physiology rewards clear knowledge of each system and how it responds to exercise.
- Learn the structure and function of each system before looking at how it responds to exercise.
- Separate short-term from long-term effects. A faster heart rate is short-term; a lower resting heart rate is a long-term adaptation.
- Master the calculations. Cardiac output (heart rate times stroke volume) and minute ventilation (tidal volume times breathing rate) are common.
- Learn the word equations for aerobic and anaerobic energy release, and the role of lactic acid and oxygen debt.
- Apply to a sport. Most marks come from explaining how a system or energy pathway works for a named performer.
For the official specification
WJEC publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at wjec.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and WJEC's own past papers.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Physical Education specification (from 2016) — WJEC (2016)