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Wize High School Grade 11 Biology Textbook > Human Physiology: The Respiratory System

Exercise & Respiration

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Aerobic vs Anaerobic Fitness

You may think that all professional athletes will have a similar fitness level, but the type of sport that an athlete specializes in can drastically change their aerobic fitness.

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise

Aerobic

  • Aerobic means "uses oxygen"
  • Aerobic exercise are prolonged activities where muscles require oxygen in order to function
  • Uses muscle groups known as "slow-twitch" muscles
  • Doctors recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5-7 times a week
  • Benefits:
  • Increases lung function, lowers cholesterol, increases respiratory efficiency, manages weight
  • Examples:
  • Swimming, running, rowing, walking, long duration high intensity interval training
Example: Running Marathons (CC BY 3.0)

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Anaerobic

  • Anaerobic means "without oxygen"
  • Anaerobic exercise are short activities where muscles rely only on glucose to function
  • Uses muscle groups known as "fast-twitch" muscles
  • Benefits:
  • Increases muscle strength and power output
  • Example:
  • Sprinting, power lifting, short duration high intensity interval training
Example: Sprinting (left) or Crossfit (right)
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Calculating VO2 max

  • A measure of aerobic fitness is the maximum amount of oxygen that a person can use, or their VO2 max
  • Measured in milliliters (mL) of oxygen per kg of body mass

The formulas:

VO2max⁡ = ((speed−133)⋅0.172)+33.3VO2\max\ =\ \left(\left(speed-133\right)\cdot0.172\right)+33.3

Where speed = dist. (meters)time (min⁡)speed\ =\ \frac{dist.\ \left(meters\right)}{time\ \left(\min\right)}

or

VO2max⁡ = 15 .3⋅ (HRmax⁡HR rest)VO2\max\ =\ 15\ .3\cdot\ \left(\frac{HR\max}{HR\ rest}\right)

or

VO2max⁡=dist. − 504.944.73VO2\max=\frac{dist.\ -\ 504.9}{44.73}

Example: VO2 max

Two athletes are training for a 10km race. One athlete finishes their practice 10km run in 60 minutes and the other finishes in 75 minutes. What is the VO2 max of each athlete? Which athlete has better aerobic fitness?

Athlete 1
speed = dist (meters)time (min⁡)speed\ =\ \frac{dist\ \left(meters\right)}{time\ \left(\min\right)}

speed =10 000 m60 min⁡speed\ =\frac{10\ 000\ m}{60\ \min}

speed =166.7 mmin⁡speed\ =166.7\ \frac{m}{\min}

VO2max⁡=((speed−133)⋅0.172)+33.3VO2\max=\left(\left(speed-133\right)\cdot0.172\right)+33.3

VO2max⁡=((166.7−133)⋅0.172)+33.3VO2\max=\left(\left(166.7-133\right)\cdot0.172\right)+33.3

VO2max⁡=39.1 mLkgVO2\max=39.1\ \frac{mL}{kg}

Athlete 2
speed = dist (meters)time (min⁡)speed\ =\ \frac{dist\ \left(meters\right)}{time\ \left(\min\right)}

speed =10 000 m75 min⁡speed\ =\frac{10\ 000\ m}{75\ \min}

speed =133.3 mmin⁡speed\ =133.3\ \frac{m}{\min}

VO2max⁡=((speed−133)⋅0.172)+33.3VO2\max=\left(\left(speed-133\right)\cdot0.172\right)+33.3

VO2max⁡=((133.3−133)⋅0.172)+33.3VO2\max=\left(\left(133.3-133\right)\cdot0.172\right)+33.3

VO2max⁡=33.4 mLkgVO2\max=33.4\ \frac{mL}{kg}

Athlete 1 has the higher aerobic fitness


Practice: Types of Exercise

Which of the following types of exercise are classified as aerobic?

Practice: VO2 max

You are running on a 400m track. You time yourself and discover that you are able to complete 4 laps of the track in 8 minutes. Given this information, what is your VO2 max during this exercise?