Physical and Physiological Aspects of Physical Education and Sports

P hysiological A spects of A ctivities The body’s physiological responses to exercise occur in the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and immune systems. Different types of exercises will have different effects upon the muscles exercised. Before performing any exercise, or workout body has to be warmed up properly for the efficient and effective functioning of muscles. Warm-up Warming up is a short time activity carried out prior to any intense or skilled activity.

It is important to warm up before exercising, which is usually done by including to minutes of light activities, such as, slow jog, calisthenics, and s tretching. Players need warm-up as it increases body temperature and heart rate, provide stretching, stimulate the entire body and major Do You Know? About . per cent of the total population of India is ‘disabled’.

The highest number of disabled persons in India is from the State of Uttar Pradesh. At all India level, . per cent of the disabled persons belong to the age group of – years. Focus today is on inclusive Education.

Source: Census Sport Conditioning Cool-down Types of Workout Warm-up biomechanical functions, provide practice for basic movements, and finally prepare the player or athlete for rigorous athletic activity/training. Stretching results in increased blood flow and prevents injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Proper warm-up exercises are not supposed to be done vigorously. A warm-up generally consists of a gradual increase in intensity of physical activity (a ‘pulse raiser’), joint mobility exercise, and stretching, followed by the main activity.

Warming up brings the body to a condition at which it safely responds to nerve signals for quick and efficient action. The objectives of the warm-up are to increase heart rate, blood flow, internal temperature of the muscles, respiratory rate, perspiration, and decrease the viscosity of joint fluids. A warm-up is intended to raise the body temperature and prepare a player physiologically and psychologically to compete in a game. Researchers have suggested that the optimum duration of the warm-up period, should be between to minutes.

This should consist of a gradual increase in intensity until the player is working at per cent of maximal heart rate. A warm-up at this intensity has the effect of allowing an increase in the range of movement of the joints and improving aerobic performance. This means the player becomes more flexible and movement efficiency improves. A warm-up produces a to degree rise in body temperature that can last for minutes.

Fig. . : General warm-up exercises General Warm-up It involves rhythmic movements using large muscle groups. The general warm-up should consist of a light physical activity like walking, jogging, stationary bike, skipping, or easy aerobics.

It is also beneficial in improving neuromuscular coordination of muscles that results in developing better control on muscles. This warming up in turn increases the body temperature resulting in reduced viscosity in muscle fibres and thus helps in getting better results. Both the intensity and duration of the general warm-up (or how hard and how long), should be governed by the fitness level of the participating athlete. Specific Warm-up It consists of specific exercises which are matched to the main activity.

In specific warm-up, some special sets of exercises need to be performed which have a direct relation with the activity to be carried out. In this part, the athletes are specifically preparing their body for the demands of their particular sport. During this part of the warm-up, more vigorous activity should be employed. Activities should reflect the type of movements and actions which will be required during the sporting event.

The set of activities and exercises in specific warming up differ from sport to sport. These are especially designed to meet the requirement of different activities and sports. For example in weightlifting, the athlete first needs to perform some exercises with a bar for specific warm-up. Similarly a basketball player practices layup shots or free throws before the competition, this helps to improve their coordinating abilities.

Different games have their own specific warm-up exercises. Some of them are described (along with the games they concern) as follows: . Basketball — shooting, dribbling, lay-up shots, free throws, shuttle run, dodging, etc. .

Cricket — bowling, catching, batting, fielding, running, etc. . Lawn Tennis — wall practice, service practice, passing shots, knocking, etc. .

Shot put — standing throws, putting the shot with both hands, gliding practice with or without shot, shifting the shot from left hand to right hand, and vice-versa. . Hockey — dribbling, rotation of stick, short passes, long hits, scoop, stopping the ball with stick, etc. .

Weightlifting — warming up rowing, high pull, snatch squat, shoulder shrug, good morning exercise, etc. Fig. . : Different types of warming up drills in basketball Methods of Warming up There are various methods of warming up for different games and sports, the most commonly used are by — .

exercise . massage . taking hot water bath . sipping some hot beverages.

Exercise Most sets of warm-up exercises include four to five very simple movements. The exercises that are included in this method are walking, jogging, running, jumping, bending, stretching exercises, etc. Massage Massaging of muscles is a good method to gain muscle tone and is an effective means of warming up. It helps in the removal of lactic acid and recovery from fatigue and healing of minor injuries of muscles.

Hot Water Bath This technique is very helpful in warming up and relaxation of muscles after competition. A hot water bath is helpful in raising body temperature which results in the activation of muscles by increasing blood circulation in them. Hot Beverage A small intake of tea, soup, coffee, or any other hot beverage stimulates the body functions and helps in preparing the body for competition. The drink should not be consumed in large quantities as it may cause discomfort.

Things to take into account when performing the warm-up: •• Always start with a continuous slow run to prepare the body and increase temperature. Move all the parts of your body, from head to toes. •• Do not get tired; don’t make too many repetitions of each movement and move the alternate parts of the body. •• It has to be progressive, from low-intensity to high- intensity exercises.

•• End up with some sprints or short, and fast races. It should last for – minutes, and your heart rate should increase until – beats/minute. Sports Conditioning Sports conditioning offers an edge over the competition. The purpose of sports conditioning is to complement current sports training.

Sports conditioning is ideal for children who strive for greater performance in any sporting activity. It is meant to enhance an individual’s strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, speed, and power, which can be carried over into all the sports. The conditioning programme is an important step in injury prevention. Proper training can reduce the incidence of injury in young athletes and also offers the teams a chance to grow strong together.

Sports conditioning helps to prepare athletes for better application of their sport-specific skills. Athletes of all levels and abilities need a more sports-oriented training programme besides general fitness. Sports conditioning should be directly related to the type of sport in which the individual participates. A good conditioning programme includes strength, power, speed, quickness, agility, movement, skills, deceleration, balance, reactivity, and anaerobic capacity.

The conditioning programme should be specific to the sport and should meet the individual needs of the athlete. Limber down or Cool down Cool down is a session of light exercises that follows rigorous physical activities. The session will usually include gentle exercises, and stretching activities. Stretching is a major factor in the procedure of cooling down.

Stretching allows the body muscles to build elasticity and repair from aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Cooling down is an easy exercise, done after a more intense activity, to allow the body to gradually transition to a resting or near resting state. The main aim of the cool down session is to promote recovery and return the body to a pre-exercise, or pre-workout level. During a strenuous workout, the body goes through a number of stressful processes.

For example, muscle fibres, tendons and ligaments get damaged, and waste products build up within the body. Effects of Cooling down . Helps heart rate and breathing to return towards resting levels gradually. .

Helps avoid fainting or dizziness, which can result from blood pooling in the large muscles of the legs when a vigorous activity is stopped suddenly. . Helps to remove metabolites (intermediate substances formed during metabolism) from muscles, such as lactic acid. .

Helps to prepare the muscles for the next exercise session, whether it’s the next day or in a few days’ time. Effects of Exercise on various Body Systems Effects of Exercise on Cardiovascular System Cardiovascular is the system of heart, blood vessels, and blood. The effects of exercise on cardiovascular system are summarised as — Heart rate: The number of beats or contractions of heart in one minute is called as heart rate. The number of contractions ranges from to beats/minute.

However, beats/minute is considered as the normal heart rate. During exercise, the heart rate increases and may range from to beats/minute depending on the intensity of exercise. Faster removal of lactic acid from fast twitch muscle fibre Faster removal of carbon dioxide from muscle tissue Reduction in the risk of muscle soreness Effects of a cool down Stroke volume: The amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle in each heartbeat is known as stroke volume. At rest, the stroke volume is around ml/beat for male and ml/beat for female, during exercise the stroke volume increases.

Cardiac output: It is the amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle of the heart in one minute. It is the product of stroke volume and heart rate. Endurance training results in increased cardiac output through increased stroke volume. Cardiac output increases directly with increased exercise.

Cardiac output = Heart rate × Stroke volume At rest it is around litre/minute; during exercise the increase may be about to fold. Cardiac hypertrophy: Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells. Cardiac hypertrophy is referred to as ‘athlete’ heart, which may occur after – years of vigorous physical training. Blood volume: The blood is a reddish fluid, alkaline in reaction and is salty in taste.

The body of an adult contains about – litres of blood which weighs / rd of the total body weight. Exercise produces the following effects. •• The effect of exercise on blood volume depends on the type and intensity of exercise. •• During endurance training, the resting blood volume increases approximately by per cent.

•• Plasma volume in the blood increases by per cent. •• Increase in blood volume is known as hemodilution. •• Increase in the number of blood vessels and their size too. •• By continuous and endurance training, capillarisa­ tion takes place.

Effects of Exercise on Respiratory System The mechanism of inspiration and expiration is known as respiration. It is controlled by medulla oblongata of the brain. It helps in adequate supply of O and elimination of CO from the body. The effects of exercise on respiratory system are summarised as follows: Tidal volume: It is referred to as the volume of air inspired or expired per breath.

During rest, it is around ml; during exercise it increases; during maximal Do You Know? There are two main types of muscle fibers; fast twitch muscle fibre and slow twitch muscle fibre. Activity . Record the heart rate from radial artery or carotid artery before and after completing metre sprint.

exercise, it increases to times above the resting values. Respiratory rate (F): It is also known as breathing rate or breathing frequency. It is defined as the number of breaths per minute. At rest, it is – per minute, during exercise it increases to – times.

Minute ventilation or Pulmonary ventilation (PV): It is commonly referred to as the breathing process of lungs during inhalation and exhalation. PV = Tidal volume × Respiratory rate PV = (TV × RR) During rest = litres/minute (PV changes with body size, it is smaller in female and larger in male.) During exercise: PV increases during exercising. The initial rise in the ventilation is due to the increased stimulation of the inspiratory centres caused by muscular activity. The second phase of gradual increase in the ventilation occurs due to an increase in the temperature, and chemical changes in the arterial blood produced by muscular activity.

Pulmonary diffusing capacity: The rate of diffusion of gas between the alveoli of the lungs and the blood of the lung capillaries is called pulmonary diffusing capacity. During exercise the pulmonary diffusing capacity for oxygen increases. Hyperventilation: An increased breathing due to an increased tidal volume or increasing respiratory rate or both is referred to as hyperventilation. Total lung capacity: The volume of air in the lungs at the end of maximal inspiration is termed as total lung capacity.

During exercise the total lung capacity slightly decreases. Vital capacity: The maximal volume of air which is forcefully expired after maximal inspiration is called vital capacity. Effects of Exercise on Muscular System Muscle is a tissue which has the power of contraction. Skeletal muscles are the main muscles for physical activities and exercises.

Several changes take place in the skeletal muscles depending upon the type of training which an individual is undergoing. The effects of exercise on muscular system are summarised as follows. Muscular hypertrophy: Due to regular exercise, training muscles become enlarged. Muscle fibers, diameter and length increases.

The total amount of protein, glycogen and enzymes are increased. Aerobic changes: By training, the amount of myoglobin increases which helps for better supply of O to the working muscles of the body. By training, muscles produce energy by increased oxidation of glycogen. A trained muscle uses more fat to supply more energy.

Anaerobic changes: These are the changes which help in supply of energy in the absence of O . •• Increased lactic acid tolerance •• Change in blood flow of the muscles •• Change in red and white fibres of the muscles Training and capillary supply: Endurance training increases the capillary ratio (expressed as capillaries per fiber). Training increases capillary density as well. Influence on performance: As muscles become stronger, they contract with less exertion during a maximum voluntary force.

A greater perfusion occurs, and the exercise can be continued without involving the anaerobic metabolism. This would help in delaying the lactic acid accumulation and increase in the muscular force. Strength, flexibility and endurance are increased after the training. Effects of exercise on Digestive System There are many effects of exercise on the body that can positively influence digestive system functioning.

Regular exercise makes our digestive system strong, speeding up metabolism and preventing constipation. The short term effects of exercise on the digestive system are — Blood flow increases: Exercise can improve the blood flow. Circulation of blood in all the areas of body also includes the digestive track organs and enhance their functioning. Speedup metabolism: Exercise can boost our metabolism.

Exercise can slightly increase our resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories our body burns at rest). Metabolism is the process in which the food we consume is converted into energy that is needed by the body to survive. Prevent constipation: Exercise helps in reducing constipation by decreasing the time taken by food to move through the large intestine, thus limiting the amount of water absorbed from the stool in to the body. Exercise accelerates our breathing and heart rate.

This helps to stimulate the natural contraction of the intestinal muscles which prevent constipation naturally. Prevent digestive diseases: Regular exercise helps to prevent digestive diseases. Many diseases are associated with stomach and if we exercise regularly, that will strengthen our internal organs, such as liver, stomach, intestine, various glands, etc., and prevents us from digestive diseases.