Lactic acid and recovering from exercise
I can explain when lactic acid accumulates, how the body responds to different types of exercise and how to optimise recovery.
Lactic acid and recovering from exercise
I can explain when lactic acid accumulates, how the body responds to different types of exercise and how to optimise recovery.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Lactic acid is produced when we exercise anaerobically.
- Anaerobic exercise is when the intensity is too high to provide sufficient oxygen for aerobic respiration.
- Anaerobic exercise at high intensity can only last a short duration.
- During recovery respiratory rates remain elevated to remove lactic acid.
Keywords
Lactic acid - a by-product of anaerobic respiration that accumulates in muscles during intense exercise, contributing to muscle fatigue and soreness
Oxygen debt - the amount of extra oxygen required to remove the lactic acid and replace the body's reserves of oxygen
Lactate accumulation - the point at which intensity of exercise triggers a build up of lactic acid in the muscles and blood due to working anaerobically with insufficient oxygen
Recovery - time required to repair the damage to the body caused by training or competition
Common misconception
Exercise is either aerobic or anaerobic and lactic acid is bad.
All exercise is on a continuum from 100% aerobic (e.g. a long distance walk) to 100% anaerobic (e.g. a 1 rep max powerlifter) and the build up of lactic acid is perfectly natural and necessary to work at high intensity when insufficient O2 available.
To help you plan your year 10 physical education lesson on: Lactic acid and recovering from exercise, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 physical education lesson on: Lactic acid and recovering from exercise, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 physical education lessons from the Anatomy and physiology: anaerobic and aerobic exercise unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
marathon run
long jump
centre during a netball game
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a by-product of anaerobic respiration that accumulates in muscles
the amount of extra oxygen required to remove the lactic acid
the point where intensity of exercise triggers lactic acid build up
time required to repair the damage to the body caused by training
maintain elevated breathing and heart rates to remove lactic acid
replenish energy stores in muscles
replace fluids lost through sweating
reduces inflammation and muscle soreness through cold therapy
speed up recovery by relaxing muscle fibres and removing knots