Physiological Changes Produced By Running

Physiological Changes Produced By Running

Running is one of the most effective exercises for People trying to improve their physical condition or lose weight. Running is physically exhausting and makes your body adapt to be more efficient when doing this activity. These psychological changes lead to improve your health and can greatly improve your quality of life. Consult your doctor before starting any training regimen, particularly if you have been sedentary or have concerns about your health.

Systolic volume

The stroke volume, which is the amount of blood your heart can pump in each beat, improves with resistance training. Kansas State University reports that resistance training can improve stroke volume up to 2, 5 times above normal levels. The average amount of blood pumped in an individual who does not train is about 14 to 15 liters per minute, while individuals who train can pump between 20 and 40 liters per minute. The increase in blood circulation implies a greater availability of oxygen for muscle use.

Blood Volume

Improvements in blood volume also increase the amount of oxygen available to the muscles that work as a result of the running exercise. The amount of water in the blood increases due to hormonal changes, which in turn increases the number of red blood cells. The greater amount of water reduces the viscosity of the blood, which allows it to circulate more easily through your body. The increase in red blood cells causes your body to retain more oxygen in the blood to carry it to the muscles.

Muscle resistance

The physiological changes that occur when running are not only cardiovascular in nature. Your muscles also adapt so you can run more efficiently. Resistance training improves the capacity of your muscle fibers by increasing the number of mitochondria in your muscle cells. Mitochondria are responsible for converting oxygen to produce energy. The more mitochondria there are in your muscles, the more oxygen you can use at any given time. This will allow you to exercise for longer without fatigue.

Weight Loss

Weight loss is a long-term adaptation to a running workout. You can expect to burn 584, 728 or 872 calories per hour for body weights of 160, 200 and 240 pounds, respectively, running at 5 miles per hour. This is equivalent to burning around 16, 21 or 25% of the total calories required to burn one pound of fat for each respective class of weight.

Video Tutorial: The Science of Marathon Running.

Like This? Share With Friends: