Muscle Requirement For Oxygen example essay topic

380 words
OBLA - onset of blood lactic acid accumulation Other wise known as the 'lactate threshold' this is the point at which lactate levels in blood exceed resting values during the lactic acid build up due to exercise. Long term adaptations of OBLA to aerobic training. This point governs the lactic aerobic threshold Trained athletes begin OBLA at higher work intensities And higher values of VO 2 max than untrained people. By definition, the lactate threshold has been thought to reflect the change in dominance between the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. In untrained people the lactate threshold occurs at around 50-60% of their VO 2 max, whereas elite endurance athletes may not reach their lactate threshold until around 70-80% of their VO 2 max during high intensity training, such as 300 metre flat-out run, lactic acid levels can reach up to 15-20 times resting values.

EPOC - excess post exercise oxygen consumption During the recovery process after exercise, this is the total amount of oxygen required to replace ATP, restore PC and remove lactic acid in the working tissue. After every exercise there are four tasks that need to be completed before the exhausted muscle can operate at full efficiency again. Replacement of ATP Removal of lactic acid Replenishment of myoglobin with oxygen Replacement of glycogen The 1st three of these require oxygen in substantial amounts. Hence, the reason for rapid breathing and high pulse rate to carry oxygen to the muscle cells. This need for oxygen to replace ATP and remove lactic acid is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) Oxygen deficit- the difference between oxygen actually used and the oxygen required for an amount of exercise. If exercise is intense enough active cells run out of PC.

Not enough ATP is produced aerobically, so glycolysis takes over as the predominant method of ATP supply. Eventually, ATP production via the anaerobic energy system will be used up and exercise must stop. During the exercise period an oxygen deficit is created, this is because the muscle requirement for oxygen is larger than the oxygen supply. The oxygen deficit for a specific exercise regime is calculated as the difference between oxygen required and oxygen actually consumed.