HEART RATE RESPONSE

Effect of Exercise on Heart Rate Response



Abstract

Exercise involves intense movement in muscle cells that requires abundant amount of oxygen. Increase flow of blood to muscle cells result in exchange of oxygen that is consumed during exercise activity. Heart stroke volume increases when exercising due to excessive amount of blood in muscle cells. Cardiac output represents the contraction and expansion of heart muscles that involves rapid flow of blood. This research aimed at examining the effect of exercise on heart rate response. Ten sports sciences students were included in the study. Results show that heart rate increased continuously during pre-exercise phase and show a rapid incline in the heart pulse rate during exercise stage. However, a continuous decline trend is observed in the heart rate of participants after the completion of exercise activity.

Effect of Exercise on Heart Rate Response

Introduction

Heart rate is defined as the time that the heart takes in completing the cycle of filling and emptying the chambers in a given time. It is expressed in pulse (a combination of heart contraction and expansion) per minute (Maass & Buck, 2009). Completion of these two activities results in changing the speed of blood circulation into the body. The pulse of heart of a person in a given time is dependent on multiple sets of variables. Majority of these subjects are independent to the subject, such as temperature, altitude or air quality, time of day or the individual's age (Bill, 2010). Other set of variables are intrinsic to the subject that relate to genetic condition of a person, such as height, gender etc (Dipla & Vrabas, 2010). Past researches show that psychological factors also impact the heart rate significantly. These factors include fear, love, stress, or sleep abnormalities (Maskell, 2010; Rockland, 2010). 

Physical activity and exercise have a notable impact on the blood circulation and heart pulse rate. This paper aims at examining the factors that affect the rhythm of heart and recount the relationship between the pulse and exercise (Fernhall, 2010). Generally, normal resting heart rate is between 50 and 95 beats per minute (Najafi, 2011). When a person is born, high heart rate is observed because the body's activity. From the first month of life, heart rate decreases in adulthood stage, remaining stable after 20 years (Rockland, 2010). Heart rate varies throughout the day and night in response to various stimuli, so its measurement is highly variable (Maass & Buck, 2009). The maximum frequency that can reach the heart before a higher exercise depends on the age and body weight of the person (Cornelissen, 2010).

Exercise produces changes in blood circulation and heart rate. While exercising, muscles start consuming oxygen that result in gradual increase in heart rate. In aerobic exercise, such as marathon running, increase in heart rate has been the main source of energy for oxygen in the body cells (Dipla & Vrabas, 2010). Increase in heart rate is a normal trend that is observed in aerobic and anaerobic exercise state. To increase the performance of long-distance running marathon exercise, muscle endurance capacity through aerobic ...