Exercise training results in physiologic changes that affect the whole body. Cardiovascular adaptations to exercise training must be viewed in this context because changes in other organ systems influence the cardiovascular response to exercise. Several aspects of exercise training influence the physiologic response. The type of training is important as well as intensity and duration and the frequency with which training is performed. The end result of training is an increased ability of the body to perform muscular activities. Ultimately, athletic performance is determined not only by the effects of training on the body, but also by the ability to coordinate muscular activity.<sup>3 Blomqvist C.G. Exercise physiology: Clinical aspects Exercise and the Heart Philadelphia: FA Davis (1978). 

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> Thus, the achievement of high levels of physiologic conditioning does not necessarily equate to excellent athletic performance. There may be other health benefits to the physiologic consequences of exercise training, however, that make this topic of interest to everyone. More important for the cardiologist is to recognize the physiologic consequences of training and to distinguish them from apparently similar changes that occur in some disease states.

The most important determinant of cardiovascular response to exercise is the type of exercise performed. In general, exercise can be divided into dynamic or static exercise. <sup>1 Asmussen E. Similarities and dissimilarities between static and dynamic exercise Circ Res 1981 ;  46 : I3-10

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> Dynamic exercise results in a change in muscle length, with little or no change in tension. This is also referred to as isotonic exercise, an excellent example of which is running. With static exercise, there is little or no change in muscle length but a marked increase in tension. This is referred to as isometric exercise, and an excellent example of this is handgrip. Most exercise represents some combination of these two forms. At one extreme is running, which is mainly isotonic but does require some static muscular activity to maintain the upright position. Weight lifting is a good example of a largely isometric exercise. The differences in the physiologic response ascribed to these two types of exercise are based on studies involving dynamic exercise with large muscle groups, such as running, and static exercise with small muscle groups, such as handgrip. The marked difference in the amount of muscle mass involved in these studies may explain some of the differences observed.<sup>4 Blomqvist C.G., Lewis S.F., Taylor W.F. , et al. Similarity of the hemodynamic responses to static and dynamic exercise of small muscle groups Circ Res 1981 ;  48 : I87-I92

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> Although there are differences in the response to these two types of exercise, there are similarities as well.