B6–B8 Responses, Adaptations and Additional Factors GapFill

There is a lot of individual variation in the responses and adaptations of the muscular system to exercise and training. This could be due to uncontrollable factors, such as genetics, or factors that are under an individual's control, such as the effectiveness of the training programme. Aside from these, we will focus in more detail on two additional factors that affect the muscular system during exercise and their effect on sports performance.

1.  StiffnessRuptureAtrophyCramp – defined as an sudden onset of involuntary skeletal muscle contraction. Although the exact mechanisms that causes this are unknown,  hydrationurinationthirstdehydration severely increases the risk of it occurring during exercise. This is characterised by a reduction in normal body water which occurs as a result of  fatiguebreathingsweatingurinating to reduce an excessive rise in core temperature during exercise. Consuming fluids to maintain total body water content during exercise could help offset the occurrence of this factor during exercise. As well as a loss of water, the body experiences a loss of   bloodvitaminsenergyelectrolytes, which must also be replaced. The risk of the performer experiencing this factor during exercise is exacerbated by   frostyhotwindycold weather conditions, increasing the importance of needing to consume fluids.
2. Age – The loss of muscle mass (i.e. muscular  atrophyhypertrophywastingdisease) occurs naturally in older adults as part of the ageing process. The more technical term for this is   sarcomeresarcopeniasarcophaguschronology, and it is accompanied by reductions in muscle size, power and strength. Although it cannot necessarily be prevented, it can be attenuated by exercise participation, with the most effective method being resistance exercise.