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The central governor theory suggests that fatigue during exercise is caused by a mechanism that protects energy reserves, rather than physical depletion of muscles. This idea is debated, but supported by studies showing athletes finding extra energy in important situations and the effects of mental fatigue on physical fatigue.
The central governor is a theoretical idea that seeks to explain an alternative mechanism for fatigue in exercise. According to this theory, people’s muscles aren’t actually depleted when they start to feel tired. Instead, the theory suggests that a mechanism called the central governor creates a feeling of fatigue in the body as a way to protect a small reserve of energy for emergencies. Thus, the person feels tired and stops exercising before running out of energy in a physical sense. The concept of a central governor is still hotly debated and many fitness experts disagree at all.
Traditional theories of exercise fatigue are much more focused on the physical aspects of muscle function. For example, muscle fibers tear during strength exercise, and the body burns carbohydrates and fat when people engage in physical exertion. Most fitness experts agree that these things act as limits. They believe that muscles literally run out of energy reserves, which leads directly to pain and discomfort. Those who agree with the central governor’s idea don’t necessarily reject the basic concepts of physical energy, but they don’t think physical limitations are primarily responsible for most of the fatigue.
Supporters of the central governor point to many things that happen during sporting events as proof of their theory. For example, there are studies showing that absolutely exhausted runners are able to run faster at the end of their races. There are similar events in other sports where athletes are sometimes able to find an extra boost of energy in the most important situations, no matter how tired they may feel. For example, a boxer may rally towards the end of a fight and find the energy to knock out his opponent even though he was almost too exhausted to move in the previous round.
There are also some laboratory studies that support the central governor idea. Scientists have done research designed to trick the mind into thinking it was receiving sustenance when it really wasn’t by having people taste sugary drinks without actually ingesting them. These studies have shown that those who taste the drinks can function longer even if they haven’t actually gotten significant levels of carbohydrate energy. There are also studies showing that mental fatigue can lead directly to physical fatigue. These studies and others like them appear to show a more direct connection between mental function and fatigue levels than many other mainstream fitness experts would have expected.
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