Exercise physiology

Exercise physiology is the study of how the body responds and adapts to physical activity, covering acute responses (immediate changes during exercise) and chronic adaptations (long-term changes from training). For OCR A-Level Physical Education, this topic is central to understanding the scientific principles behind performance, health, and fitness. It integrates knowledge from anatomy, energy systems, and cardiovascular/respiratory function to explain how athletes can optimise training and recovery.

This topic matters because it bridges theory and practice: you'll learn how the cardiovascular system increases cardiac output, how muscles switch between aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways, and how training programmes can be designed to improve specific components like VO₂ max or lactate threshold. Mastery of exercise physiology is essential for answering synoptic questions that link physiological concepts to practical sporting examples, such as why a marathon runner needs a high proportion of slow-twitch fibres or how interval training improves anaerobic capacity.

Within the wider OCR A-Level specification, exercise physiology sits alongside biomechanics and sport psychology to form the scientific backbone of the course. It directly supports topics like 'Energy for Exercise' (ATP-PC, glycolytic, and aerobic systems), 'Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems', and 'Training Principles and Methods'. Understanding these physiological mechanisms allows you to critically evaluate training regimes, explain fatigue, and justify recovery strategies — skills that are highly valued in both exams and real-world coaching contexts.