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Why is the maximal cardiac output of a trained athlete different from that of an untrained athlete? (A) The untrained athlete has a higher cardiac output due to a lower resting heart rate - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 20 - 2011 - Paper 1
Question 20
Why is the maximal cardiac output of a trained athlete different from that of an untrained athlete? (A) The untrained athlete has a higher cardiac output due to a lo... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Why is the maximal cardiac output of a trained athlete different from that of an untrained athlete? (A) The untrained athlete has a higher cardiac output due to a lower resting heart rate - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 20 - 2011 - Paper 1
Step 1
The trained athlete has a higher cardiac output due to a larger stroke volume.
Answer
The maximal cardiac output (CO) of a trained athlete is generally higher than that of an untrained athlete primarily because of a larger stroke volume (SV). Stroke volume refers to the amount of blood pumped by the heart's left ventricle in one contraction.
Trained athletes often have a more efficient cardiovascular system, which allows their hearts to pump more blood with each beat. This is a result of adaptations in the heart muscle, enabling it to contract more forcefully and efficiently during exercise. In contrast, untrained athletes, having lower stroke volumes, rely more on heart rate (HR) increases to achieve the necessary cardiac output during physical activity.
Thus, for trained athletes, the increased capability to utilize a larger stroke volume leads to a higher maximal cardiac output during intense exercise. This significant difference is a key factor in their performance compared to untrained individuals.