The Heart of an Athlete
According to Men's Health magazine here are some things to know about an athletes heart:
1. Stem cells- Regular cardio triggers your bones to produce additional stem cells, which can help form new blood vessels.
2. Capillaries- These tiny blood vessels deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Endurance training can increase the number and density of capillaries.
3. Vague Nerve- This nerve instructs your heart when to beat. With consistent exercise, it signals a slowdown of your heart rate at rest, decreasing the demand on your ticker.
4. Mitochondria- Known as the powerhouses of your muscle cells, mitochondria increases in size and density. This allows you to better utilize the oxygen you breathe to generate energy.
5. Left ventricle - This is the heart's primary pump. Resistance training causes a thickening of its walls, which allows the heart to pump with greater force. Aerobic exercise increases the amount of blood this chamber can hold, allowing more oxygen-rich blood to be delivered to working muscles.
Regular exercise slows your resting heart rate, which eases the demands on your ticker.
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