Nano course: EPOC explained

EPOC stands for excess post-exercise oxygen consumption; you’ll already know about the calorie-torching benefits of regular indoor cycling sessions, but EPOC is like a secret weapon in the quest for a greater calorie burn and even better results from each session; it gives an extra burn for several hours after the workout which means the total calories burned as a result of the workout is increased, you can improve your performance in each session, and there are other health and weight loss benefits too.  

What is EPOC? 
EPOC is the increased amount of oxygen our bodies will consume after a workout that takes us to a higher intensity than that of our regular ‘baseline’ level of oxygen consumption, and the corresponding calorie burn (increase in metabolism)  that occurs in response to the body needing to work to return to the pre-exercise state. It means we burn more calories after exercise than we do before exercise, as our bodies are recovering and restoring depleted stores of oxygen and glycogen.  
EPOC is increased due to: 

• Increased core temperature 
• Increased heart rate 
• Increased respiration rate 

• Rexoygenation of the myoglobin (in muscles) and haemoglobin (in blood) 
• Conversion of lactate to glycogen (stored carbohydrate in the muscles and also liver) 

You can also manipulate EPOC for greater effect through the way you feed and train your body. More on that later. 

Why does EPOC happen?  
All bodily functions are geared around getting the body back in balance (homeostasis) after a change, and working out at increased intensity is no different. Returning to homeostasis requires energy to do so – and this means the calorie burn is elevated after a workout compared to where it was before it. During this period blood will be re-oxygenated, hormones will be rebalanced, there will be decrease in core temperature and heart rate and respiration will return to normal.  

How long does EPOC last?  
The science is not settled on this, but oxygen consumption (and therefore metabolism) can be raised  for up to 24 hours after the workout.  

How much does EPOC increase calorie burn? 
There is no definitive answer to this as there are so many factors that affect the overall burn after just one workout: 

• Type of exercise 

• Length of workout 
• Intensity of workout 
• ‘Shape’ of workout – endurance v power intervals 
• Fitness level 
• Body composition (more lean muscle tissue will increase the effect) 

• Sex 

Although the majority of calories will be burned during the workout, it’s likely there will be between 50-200 calories burned as a result of EPOC following interval training (McArdle et al 2014).  

This article was taken from the EPOC Explained nano course.

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