Central governor

Central Governor

The Central Governor is a proposed model in exercise physiology that suggests the brain plays a crucial role in determining the limits of physical endurance. This model was first proposed by Timothy Noakes, a South African exercise scientist, in 1997.

Overview

The Central Governor model posits that the brain, not the body, is the primary determinant of physical performance. It suggests that the brain continuously monitors various physiological signals from the body during exercise and adjusts the intensity of effort to prevent harm to the body's systems. This is in contrast to traditional models of fatigue, which suggest that fatigue is a result of muscular exhaustion.

Mechanism

The Central Governor model proposes that the brain uses afferent feedback from the body to regulate exercise intensity. This feedback includes information about heart rate, blood pressure, core temperature, and muscle fatigue. The brain then uses this information to adjust the motor output to the muscles, effectively controlling the pace and intensity of exercise.

Evidence

Several studies have provided evidence supporting the Central Governor model. For example, research has shown that athletes can often continue to exercise at high intensities despite reaching what would traditionally be considered their physiological limits. This suggests that the brain may be overriding these limits to allow for continued performance.

Criticism

Despite the evidence supporting the Central Governor model, it has also faced criticism. Some researchers argue that the model oversimplifies the complex physiological processes involved in exercise. Others suggest that it underestimates the role of the body's physiological limits in determining exercise performance.

See also

• Exercise physiology
• Fatigue (medical)
• Timothy Noakes

References

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