Abstract
Two popular models hold that performance during exercise is limited by chemical factors acting either in the exercising muscles or in the brain producing either 'peripheral' or 'central' fatigue, respectively. A common feature of both models is that neither allows humans to 'anticipate' what will happen in the future and modify their exercise response accordingly. The peripheral fatigue model predicts that exercise terminates only after there has been catastrophic failure in one or more body systems and only when all the available motor units in the active muscles have been activated. The marathon race provides evidence that human athletes race 'in anticipation' by setting a variable pace at the start, dependent in part on the environmental conditions and the expected difficulty of the course, with the capacity to increase that pace near the finish. Marathoners also finish such races without evidence for a catastrophic failure of homeostasis characterised by the development of a state of absolute fatigue in which all the available motor units in their active muscles are recruited. These findings are best explained by the action of a central (brain) neural control that regulates performance in the marathon 'in anticipation' specifically to prevent biological harm.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.