ABSTRACT
E xercise physiology is defined as “the study of how the body, from a functional standpoint, responds, adjusts, and adapts to exercise” (Fox, Bowers, & Foss, 1993), and the exercise physiologist as one who
“studies the muscular activity and functional responses and adaptations during exercise” (ACSM, 2010). As is evident from these definitions, the two aspects of exercise physiology that form the core of the discipline are the responses and the adaptations to exercise. A response is distinguished from an adaptation in that a response is an acute or short-term change (adjustment) in the body that is associated with exercise. For example, as one jogs, the heart rate increases from the resting value. In contrast, an adaptation to exercise involves a long-term change in the body due to exercise training. For example, highly conditioned runners typically have lower resting heart rates than less-fit individuals. This decrease in resting heart rate (bradycardia) occurs over time as a result of regular exercise training. It is the study of these types of responses and adaptations that provides the scientific basis for the field of exercise physiology.
