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HMS, BM EQ-Bank 804

After conducting a 4-week study comparing how running, cycling, and swimming affect resting heart rate in high school students, the following results were observed:

\begin{array}{|l|l|}
\hline \textbf{Exercise Type} &  \textbf{Average Decrease in Resting Heart Rate} \\
\hline \text{Running} & \text{7 beats per minute}  \\
\hline \text{Cycling} & \text{5 beats per minute}  \\
\hline \text{Swimming} & \text{8 beats per minute}  \\
\hline
\end{array}

  1. Based on the results in the table, explain two physiological adaptations that likely occurred to cause the decrease in resting heart rate.   (2 marks)
  2. Suggest two follow-up research questions that could be explored based on these results.   (2 marks)
  3. Choose one of your research questions from part (b) and explain how it could be practically implemented in a school setting.   (2 marks)

Show Answers Only

Sample Answer

a.    Any 2 of the following or similar

Increased stroke volume:

  • Aerobic training strengthens the heart muscle, allowing it to pump more blood with each beat.
  • This means fewer beats are needed to circulate the same amount of blood, resulting in a lower resting heart rate.

Increased blood volume:

  • Regular aerobic training increases total blood volume, which improves cardiac filling and allows the heart to pump more efficiently at rest.

Improved cardiac efficiency:

  • Aerobic training makes the heart muscle stronger, allowing it to work less hard during rest and reducing the resting heart rate.

Increased mitochondrial density:

  • Aerobic exercise increases the number of mitochondria in muscle cells, improving oxygen utilization and reducing cardiovascular strain at rest.

b.      Research questions – or similar

  • Question 1: Does combining two forms of aerobic exercise (e.g., swimming and running) in a training program produce greater decreases in resting heart rate than a single exercise type?
  • Question 2: How does the frequency of training (2 days/week vs. 4 days/week) affect the magnitude of resting heart rate reduction across the three exercise types?

c.   For research question 1 combining exercise types:

  • Conduct during regular PDHPE classes over 4 weeks
  • Divide students into four groups (running-only, cycling-only, running+cycling, control)
  • Schedule 30-minute sessions twice weekly
  • Combination group does 15 minutes of each activity
  • Use school oval/track and stationary bikes in the gym
  • PDHPE teacher supervises all sessions
  • Measure resting heart rate at start and end of study
  • Students take own pulse for 60 seconds after sitting quietly for 5 minutes
  • Record data using simple spreadsheet or paper forms
  • Equipment needed: stopwatches and school’s existing bikes or access to gym facilities
Show Worked Solution

Sample answer

a.    Any 2 of the following or similar

Increased stroke volume:

  • Aerobic training strengthens the heart muscle, allowing it to pump more blood with each beat.
  • This means fewer beats are needed to circulate the same amount of blood, resulting in a lower resting heart rate.

Increased blood volume:

  • Regular aerobic training increases total blood volume, which improves cardiac filling and allows the heart to pump more efficiently at rest.

Improved cardiac efficiency:

  • Aerobic training makes the heart muscle stronger, allowing it to work less hard during rest and reducing the resting heart rate.

Increased mitochondrial density:

  • Aerobic exercise increases the number of mitochondria in muscle cells, improving oxygen utilization and reducing cardiovascular strain at rest.

b.      Research questions – or similar

  • Question 1: Does combining two forms of aerobic exercise (e.g., swimming and running) in a training program produce greater decreases in resting heart rate than a single exercise type?
  • Question 2: How does the frequency of training (2 days/week vs. 4 days/week) affect the magnitude of resting heart rate reduction across the three exercise types?

c.    For research question 1 combining exercise types:

  • Conduct during regular PDHPE classes over 4 weeks
  • Divide students into four groups (running-only, cycling-only, running+cycling, control)
  • Schedule 30-minute sessions twice weekly
  • Combination group does 15 minutes of each activity
  • Use school oval/track and stationary bikes in the gym
  • PDHPE teacher supervises all sessions
  • Measure resting heart rate at start and end of study
  • Students take own pulse for 60 seconds after sitting quietly for 5 minutes
  • Record data using simple spreadsheet or paper forms
  • Equipment needed: stopwatches and school’s existing bikes or access to gym facilities