Effects of exercise

The minute you start training, you’ll notice more frequent muscle contraction, raised body temperature and pulse, and deeper breathing known as tidal volume

Longer-term effects occur as the body adapts to regular exercise, including your heart getting larger, bones becoming denser and the vital capacity of your breath deepening

The bones, joints and muscles

Immediate effects when first exercising include:

Muscles contract more often

Blood flow to muscles increases

Muscle temperature rises

Little effect on bones and joints

Effects of regular training include:

Muscles increase in size (hypertrophy)

Muscular endurance improves

Muscles, tendons and ligaments around joints get stronger

Joints become more stable and flexibility at joints increases

Bone width and density increases

The cardiovascular system

Immediate effects when first exercising include:

Heart contracts more often – increased heart rate

Effects of regular training include:

Heart muscle increases in size and strength

Heart contracts more powerfully – increased stroke volume, which is the volume of blood pumped from heart with each beat

Blood diverted to muscles, eg it is diverted from the digestive system to the muscles

Blood temperature rises

Blood vessels near skin open to allow heat to be lost

Cardiac output increases. Cardiac means relating to the heart so this is the amount of blood that the heart pumps out to the body

Lower resting heart rate, quicker recovery from exercise

Reduced risk of heart disease

Increased number of capillaries in muscles

Increased volume of blood and red blood cells

After exercise, you’ll find your body experiences immediate and more gradual effects

The respiratory system

Immediate effects when first exercising include:

Effects of regular training include:

Increased rate of breathing

Increased depth of breathing – rise in tidal volume

Increased ability of the lungs to extract oxygen from the air

Increased vital capacity

Greater number of alveoli

Increased amount of oxygen delivered to, and carbon dioxide removed from, the body

Increased strength of diaphragm and intercostal muscles