A.2.3.4 Oxygen Deficit and EPOC (HL)

What is oxygen deficit?

the difference between oxygen and that your muscles demand vs the oxygen that you can supply

What is oxygen debt/EPOC?

the extra oxygen the body consumes after exercise that helps it recover and return to its pre-exercise state

Oxygen debt/deficit graph

What happens at the start of the oxygen deficit

oxygen demand exceeds the supply = relies on anaerobic energy systems

What happens at the EPOC phase?

oxygen consumption remains elevated to restore homeostasis. This curve gradually decreases as the recovery progresses

What does the steep initial decline suggest?

the alactacid acid phases (fast recovery)

What does the gradual, prolonged decline suggest?

the lactacid phase (slow recovery)

How many components does EPOC have?

2, fast and slow

Fast component

• ATP/PCr are resynthesized

• myoglobin is replenished with oxygen

• the first few minutes of recovery

Slow component

• removal of lactic acid

• maintenance of ventilation and body temp

• takes mins to hours