Lectures

Introduces foundational concepts of physical activity and exercise in relation to energy expenditure and metabolic strain. Covers short-term homeostatic balancing during exercise, including cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic and thermoregulatory responses. Presents homeostasis and hormesis as complementary frameworks for exercise-induced inflammation, contrasting negative feedback dynamics with biphasic dose-response adaptation, and discussing implications for healthy athletes and clinical populations (ME/CFS, Long COVID). Explores the physiology of sleep and wakefulness, including sleep architecture, NREM/REM cycles, and the bidirectional relationship between exercise and sleep quality.

Examines the immune system's role in protecting bodily integrity, covering innate and adaptive immunity, acute vs. chronic inflammation, and the effects of exercise on immune regulation. Defines the physiological and sports-medical limits of physical performance, including the influence of ageing, determinants of performance capacity, and the extended definition incorporating age-related mortality. Introduces energy balance, macronutrient metabolism (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins), and the pathways by which energy enters and is utilised by the organism.

Establishes the immunological foundations - the structure and cellular components of the innate and adaptive immune systems, the chronological immune response to viral infections, the role of dendritic cells, NK cells, and lymphocytes, and the principles of laboratory diagnostics at three levels of complexity.

Defines the anaerobic threshold as the upper border of the aerobic–anaerobic transition (MLSS), compares fixed (4 mmol/L) and individualised threshold concepts, walks through a Stegmann tangent worked example, and derives heart-rate–anchored training zones — with a critical look at why %VO₂max and %HRmax fall short as prescription anchors.

The Nes et al. (2011) model estimates VO₂max without exercise testing, using only age, BMI, resting heart rate, and a self-reported Physical Activity Index derived from three questions on training frequency, intensity, and duration. Separate regression equations for men (intercept 92.05) and women (intercept 70.77) were developed in the HUNT Study (n > 4,600). The model explains approximately 58% of variance (R² ≈ 0.58) with a standard error of estimate of 5–6 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, making it suitable for population-level screening but not a replacement for maximal exercise testing. In the worked examples, predicted values range from ~33 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ (inactive, older adult) to ~53 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ (moderately active young male), illustrating the dominant influence of BMI and age on the prediction.

Examines the molecular and metabolic foundations of exercise, covering ATP production through the phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative energy systems. Provides an in-depth treatment of glucose utilization pathways based on Lehninger's Principles of Biochemistry - glycolysis, pyruvate fates (aerobic oxidation, lactic acid fermentation, ethanol fermentation), the Warburg effect, gluconeogenesis, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Covers substrate utilization at different exercise intensities, hormonal regulation of exercise metabolism (catecholamines, insulin/glucagon, cortisol/growth hormone), and the lactate paradigm shift — including lactate production, clearance, MCT transport, the lactate shuttle, GPR81 signalling, and protein lactylation as an epigenetic mechanism. Addresses muscle fiber types, biochemical adaptations to endurance and resistance training (AMPK, mTOR, PGC-1α signalling), reactive oxygen species and hormesis, recovery metabolism (EPOC, glycogen resynthesis, muscle protein synthesis), and clinical applications of exercise biochemistry.

Presents the evidence base for Exercise Snacks — brief, intense physical activity bouts (≤1–10 min) repeated throughout the day — as a time-efficient strategy for cardiometabolic and immunological health improvement. Covers effects on glucose regulation (insulin-independent GLUT4 translocation), muscular adaptations, cardiovascular risk reduction (38–49% mortality reduction from 3×1–2 min VILPA/day), and immune function (myokine signalling, NF-κB suppression). Includes detailed physiological mechanism charts (energy metabolism, muscle signalling, aerobic capacity via Fick equation, immunological pathways), an interactive dashboard, and an example Exercise Snack protocol for clinical application.