Many studies in the field of sports physiology focus on the effects of exercise before and after a certain training period. The findings on what happens during the course of training, and when the first changes occur, are not often presented. The purpose of this research is to determine the nature and timing of changes that happen during a one-month non-stop endurance exercise. Seven volunteers were following a set program for running 2000 meters. During the training, their speed and heart rate were monitored. Three tests that measure aerobic and anaerobic parameters were conducted in the laboratory at the beginning of the program, after the first change and at the end of the program, at the same speed. The results showed a significant improvement of both types of parameters between the first two tests, while after that and until the end there were no significant changes. The contents of blood lactate lowered, as did the oxygen uptake and exertion, while the blood pH got higher. We concluded that the first noticeable changes happened approximately after 10 days, while further exercise did not have a visible effect. This led us to the conclusion that during continuous exercise, the greatest progress is taking place at the start of the training process, and further persistence in the same exercise regime does not give proportionate results.
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