Sciences and techniques of motor activities with biomedical curving

Pulmonary adaptations to chronic and acute exercise

Fisiologia dell’ esercizio - Teoria e pratica per forma fisica e performance di Powers - Howley

Unit 1 – General principles of physiological adaptation to exercise (6 hours) Week 1: Introduction to the concepts of physiological stress, acute response, chronic adaptation, and supercompensation. Interactive lecture using descriptive examples. Week 2: Integration among physiological systems during exercise (cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, endocrine). Guided classroom activity: creation of a concept map in small groups. Unit 2 – Metabolic and endocrine adaptations (6 hours) Week 3: Metabolic adaptations: energy pathways (ATP-PCr, glycolytic, oxidative), substrate utilization, glycogen sparing. Practical synthesis activity: constructing metabolic pathway charts based on exercise intensity. Week 4: Hormonal responses to acute and chronic exercise: GH, cortisol, testosterone, insulin. Guided interpretation of graphs comparing trained and sedentary subjects. Unit 3 – From concept to practice: applying adaptations (4 hours) Week 5: How to plan stimuli that induce functional adaptations: intensity, frequency, volume, progression. Practical activity: building a weekly progression plan for a target case. Week 6: Final discussion and application. Review of adaptations across systems, individual variability, and role in prevention. Self-evaluation and mini-presentations on "one case – one adaptation" logic. Unit 4 Acute and chronic adaptations to physical exercise and training from the perspective of skeletal muscle. Energy metabolism and thermodynamics of muscle contraction. Energetics of muscle contraction. Muscular changes induced by activity and inactivity. Unit 5 Acute and chronic adaptations to physical exercise and training from the cardiovascular and metabolic perspectives. Regional circulation: muscle, skin, myocardium. Functional adaptations during physical exercise. Regulation of cardiac output: functional capacity of the cardiovascular system. Local and central control of blood flow and their integration. Cardiocirculatory adaptations induced by training. Unit 6 Acute and chronic adaptations to physical exercise and training from the respiratory perspective. Pulmonary functional adaptations during physical exercise: maintenance of PCO₂ and PO₂ at homeostatic values. Passive and active adaptations. Acid–base balance: buffering systems. Exercise, performance, and environmental factors. Thermoregulation, thermal stress, and fluid–electrolyte balance. Self-evaluation and mini-presentations on "one case – one adaptation" logic.

In order to adequately understand the course content and achieve the expected learning outcomes, it is essential that the student possesses solid knowledge in the following areas: - Functional human anatomy, particularly regarding the cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, and nervous systems. - Basic physiology, including fundamental notions of homeostasis, cellular metabolism, neuromuscular transmission, hormonal regulation, and acute adaptation to external stimuli. - Biochemistry of energy metabolism, with reference to the main substrates utilized during physical activity (ATP, phosphocreatine, carbohydrates, lipids). It is also useful for the student to be familiar with: - Basic concepts of biomechanics and applied physics related to human movement (force, power, work, resistance). - General principles of training methodology (load, intensity, frequency, specificity).

- Kraemer W.J., Fleck S.J., Deschenes M.R. – Exercise Physiology Integrating Theory and Application 4th edition - American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) – ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 11th Edition (2021) - ACSM's Metabolic Calculations Handbook, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Attendance is mandatory for this course. Presence will be recorded at each session through an attendance sheet signature, managed by the lecturer. To fulfil the attendance requirement, students must be present for at least 75% of the total scheduled hours (i.e., a minimum of 12 out of 16 hours). Students who do not meet the minimum attendance threshold will not be allowed to take the final exam, unless they complete a formal recovery plan agreed upon with the lecturer.

1. Active participation and in-class activities Purpose: to recognize ongoing engagement, participation in discussions, and the quality of work produced during group or individual activities. Method: qualitative evaluation by the instructor based on exercises, brief reports, guided presentations, or weekly activities. Weight in final grade: up to 9/30 (30%) 2. Written test (open-ended questions) Purpose: to verify knowledge and understanding of the core topics and ability to apply them to simple cases. Method: 2–3 open-ended questions or short contextual scenarios. Duration: 45 minutes Weight in final grade: up to 9/30 (30%) 3. Oral exam Purpose: to assess critical thinking, integration of concepts, and use of appropriate technical language. Method: discussion on a chosen topic + structured analysis of a case proposed by the instructor. Duration: approximately 15 minutes Weight in final grade: up to 12/30 (40%) Incoming international students (Erasmus/Exchange) International students may complete both the written and oral exams in English upon request. The assessment structure and content remain unchanged.

- Brazile T.L., Levine B.D., Shafer K.M. (2024). Physiological Principles of Exercise. NEJM Evidence. DOI: 10.1056/EVIDra2400363 - Brazile T.L., Levine B.D., Shafer K.M. (2024). Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing. NEJM Evidence. DOI: 10.1056/EVIDra2400390 - Joyner M.J., Lundby C. (2018). Concepts about VO₂max and trainability are context dependent. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 46(3), 138–143. - Millet G.P. et al. (2021). Physiological adaptations to training across the lifespan. European Journal of Sport Science, 21(5), 632–644.

The course is delivered in traditional in-person format (didattica frontale/tradizionale), organised into 8 sessions of 2 hours each. A blended active teaching model is adopted, based on: - Interactive frontal lectures, providing structured explanations of key theoretical content; - Guided in-class activities, both individual and group-based, designed to apply physiological principles to practical examples; - Case-based discussion and scenario analysis, to develop critical thinking and contextual problem-solving; - Simulated practical exercises, such as interpreting basic physiological data, designing progression plans, or critically reading adaptation schemes; - Reflective and self-directed learning, encouraged through brief weekly assignments and in-class self-evaluation moments; - Use of multimedia materials (e.g., charts, diagrams, brief videos, animated physiology tools) to enhance the visual and applied understanding of complex physiological mechanisms.

Muscle plasticity and adaptation to physical exercise Cardiocirculatory adaptations to physical activity

Basic knowledge of biology, biochemistry, human anatomy and general physiology

Fisiologia dell’ esercizio - Teoria e pratica per forma fisica e performance di Powers - Howley

Mandatory for at least 66% of the total

Questions to evaluate the knowledge of the topics described and the critical competence

Classic teaching in the classroom, with seminars given by students, individual or in small groups