What does capillarisation refer to?

Capillarisation specifically refers to the process of increasing capillary density and blood flow to muscles. This adaptation occurs primarily as a response to consistent physical training, particularly endurance-type exercises. As you engage in regular aerobic activities, your body adapts by generating more capillaries within the muscle tissue to enhance oxygen delivery and improve nutrient exchange.

This increase in capillary networks allows for a more efficient transportation of oxygen and other vital substances to the active muscles, which is essential for improved performance, endurance, and faster recovery. Enhanced capillarisation is particularly important for athletes and individuals focusing on developing aerobic capacity, as it directly contributes to better muscle performance and lower fatigue levels during prolonged physical activity.

The other options do not accurately describe capillarisation. The increase in muscle fibers is related to hypertrophy from resistance training, a decrease in oxygen delivery contradicts the benefits of capillarisation, and reduced recovery time is a potential benefit of increased capillaries but does not define what capillarisation is.