EPOC

What is EPOC? Excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption

• after exercise heart rate and ventilation rates stay elevated in order to aid the recovery process and restore the body to its preexercise state
• energy is provided by the aerobic system in order to remove any waste products produced by the exercise and to replenish any stores used
• an excess of oxygen needs to be present for these processes which is called EPOC

What is oxygen deficit? The difference between the O2 required for the exercise and the amount that is actually being taken in.

• O2 deficit has to be repaid
• extra O2 has to be brought into the body once exercise is finished to help return body to resting state

• CO2 is a byproduct of respiration
• travels as carbonic acid and carbominohaemoglobin
• CO2 taken to lungs where it expires
• respiration and heart rate remain elevated after exercise for this to happen
• high heart rate is caused by high metabolic functions and chemoreceptors

• glycogen stores deplete quickly which causes muscle fatigue
• glycogen replenishment can take hours or days
• fast twitch fibres replenish glycogen quicker than slow twitch fibres
• athletes use carbohydrate rich drinks to replace glycogen