Evaluate the importance of the central nervous system in both voluntary and involuntary aspects of movement during a marathon race. (8 marks)
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Sample Answer
Judgement Statement:
- The central nervous system proves highly important for marathon performance.
- It strongly meets criteria for voluntary movement control and adequately fulfils involuntary regulation requirements.
Voluntary Movement Control:
- The motor cortex strongly meets voluntary control requirements through continuous pacing decisions throughout the race.
- Frontal lobe planning enables runners to adjust pace based on energy levels and race conditions.
- Conscious changes to stride length and running rhythm help maintain efficiency over long distances.
- The brain processes environmental factors like hills, wind and temperature to adapt technique accordingly.
- Voluntary CNS control proves essential for maintaining good running form over 42.2 kilometres.
- Mental strategies and motivation also depend on higher brain centres.
Involuntary Regulation:
- The brain stem adequately fulfils automatic breathing and heart rate control without conscious effort.
- Temperature regulation through the hypothalamus prevents overheating by triggering sweating and blood vessel changes.
- Involuntary postural adjustments maintain balance and stability despite increasing fatigue.
- However, CNS involuntary control shows limitations when energy stores run low in later stages.
- Automatic functions can struggle during extreme exhaustion, requiring conscious effort to override natural stopping signals.
- The “wall” at 30-35km partly results from CNS protective mechanisms.
Final Evaluation:
- The CNS demonstrates high importance for marathon success, with voluntary control being more critical than involuntary regulation.
- While involuntary functions adequately maintain basic body needs, voluntary decision-making and movement control determine race outcomes.
- The CNS’s dual role proves essential for marathon completion, managing both conscious strategies and automatic responses.
- Voluntary control matters more because runners who pace poorly or lose form will struggle regardless of how well their automatic functions work.
Show Worked Solution
Sample Answer
Judgement Statement:
- The central nervous system proves highly important for marathon performance.
- It strongly meets criteria for voluntary movement control and adequately fulfils involuntary regulation requirements.
Voluntary Movement Control:
- The motor cortex strongly meets voluntary control requirements through continuous pacing decisions throughout the race.
- Frontal lobe planning enables runners to adjust pace based on energy levels and race conditions.
- Conscious changes to stride length and running rhythm help maintain efficiency over long distances.
- The brain processes environmental factors like hills, wind and temperature to adapt technique accordingly.
- Voluntary CNS control proves essential for maintaining good running form over 42.2 kilometres.
- Mental strategies and motivation also depend on higher brain centres.
Involuntary Regulation:
- The brain stem adequately fulfils automatic breathing and heart rate control without conscious effort.
- Temperature regulation through the hypothalamus prevents overheating by triggering sweating and blood vessel changes.
- Involuntary postural adjustments maintain balance and stability despite increasing fatigue.
- However, CNS involuntary control shows limitations when energy stores run low in later stages.
- Automatic functions can struggle during extreme exhaustion, requiring conscious effort to override natural stopping signals.
- The “wall” at 30-35km partly results from CNS protective mechanisms.
Final Evaluation:
- The CNS demonstrates high importance for marathon success, with voluntary control being more critical than involuntary regulation.
- While involuntary functions adequately maintain basic body needs, voluntary decision-making and movement control determine race outcomes.
- The CNS’s dual role proves essential for marathon completion, managing both conscious strategies and automatic responses.
- Voluntary control matters more because runners who pace poorly or lose form will struggle regardless of how well their automatic functions work.