Endurance athletes such as marathoners, triathletes and cyclists are known for having significant amounts of cardiovascular and muscular endurance and small amounts of muscle mass and body fat. However, the training for endurance athletes promotes numerous adaptations to various body systems. For example, the benefits to the muscular system include improved blood flow to the muscles, energy production, muscle fiber contractions and heart rate function.
Blood
During an endurance event, your muscular system requires a large amount of oxygen, which is delivered from the blood vessels. As a result, the muscular system works with the cardiovascular system to improve the ability to gather, transport and deliver oxygen to the working muscles. The benefits include an increased number of capillaries and increased openings for capillaries to transfer oxygen with a higher density of capillary beds in the muscles. These adaptations and benefits allow more oxygen to reach the muscle resulting in improved performance by reducing the potential for fatigue.
Energy
The storing and production of energy during endurance events requires a specific system that maximizes recovery and energy potential. The aerobic system is the primary energy system used during endurance events, and it involves using stored fat and carbohydrates for producing ATP -- adenosine triphosphate, a coenzyme used to carry energy. For an endurance athlete, the muscular system benefit includes an increased number of mitochondria and myoglobin that increases the rate of energy production and ability for oxygen to be stored within the muscle.
Muscle Fibers
The human body has three types of muscle fibers -- fast-twitch, slow-twitch and intermediate. Endurance athletes primarily have slow-twitch muscle fibers that are responsible for slow muscle contractions and long workouts. Through endurance training, the muscular system adapts to improve overall muscle function by improving excitability, contractibility, extensibility and elasticity of the slow-twitch muscle fibers. This allows for increased performance in long-distance endurance events and the ability to maintain muscle contractions.
Heart
The heart is the most important muscle for every endurance athlete. Endurance training increases the mass and volume of the heart chambers. With increased wall thickness as well, the heart can increase cardiac output during endurance events by increasing heart rate -- beats per minute -- and stroke volume -- amount of blood pumped per heartbeat. Following exercise, endurance athletes have a lower resting heart as a result of a more efficient circulatory system.
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