Advanced strength and conditioning physiology

Question 1

What’s a motor unit composed of?

Answer 1

Muscle fibers and motornueron

Innervation ratio = motor unit per muscle fibres

1: 10 -eye
1: 500 - tibialis anterior
1: 1000 - biceps brachii

lower in the eye as need finer control

Question 2

Motor unit types?

Answer 2

Slow twitch oxidative

Fast twitch oxidative

Fast twitch glycolytic

Question 3

What is the motor pool?

Answer 3

Group of motor neurons in the spinal cord, innovating a single muscle

Large range of number motor neurones dependant on muscle

It’s heterogeneous

Question 4

What order is motor recruitment?

Answer 4

Size principle

Smallest then largest later

Asynchronous activation

Question 5

What is rate coding?

Answer 5

AKA frequency coding

Range of 3 to 120 impulses per second

Constant tension/slow =15-50

Fast = 80-12-

Question 6

Notes for the exam:

Answer 6

2 x 500 word essay

Each essay may include one small table that is not included in the word count but only counts for section C

Each essay is to be the same content and structure

Overall mark is worth 30% of your grade

One to the medical team, one to the athlete

A) Why is rate of force development important for athletes?

B) What are the key physiological aspects to consider when looking at rate of force development

C)How can you assess and improve RFD

Section A - One small paragraph

Section B - Two paragraphs, so two aspects

Section C - One smallish paragraph and a table

Referencing doesn’t count to word count (in brackets)

Harvard

Turn in 10th December

End of week 4 will be ready to start assessment

Scientific third person past tense

Lay summary more informal

Question 7

Explosive strength?

Answer 7

The rate of rise in contractile force at the onset of contraction

Question 8

Rate of force development?

Answer 8

The maximal rate of rise in muscle force

Question 9

Boxing = contractions times of?

Answer 9

50-250ms

But sometimes it might be impossible to get reach the required force in that time so can be 300ms plus

Question 10

Higher rate of force development do what?

Answer 10

Run faster and jump higher

Question 11

Is rate of force development more sensitive to changes in neuromuscular function?

Answer 11

yes

So rate of force development as a measure of muscle damage

Rate of force development as an adjunctive outcome measure for return to sport decisions after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Myofibre damage in human skeletal muscle: effects of electrical stimulation versus voluntary contraction

Question 12

How to measure RFD?

Answer 12

You measure either voluntary contractions or evoked reactions?

Voluntary contractions:
Big hump
RFD = change in torque (force) / change in time

Evoked:
Purely down to a stimulation causing the muscle to contract

Question 13

What is compliance?

Answer 13

Rope for dog lead = lots of compliance

Metal pole for dog lead = little compliance

On graph lots of up and downs = lots of compliance

Question 14

Biological compliance?

Answer 14

Soft tissues compression

Question 15

What’s smoothing?

Answer 15

When you smooth out the data curve on the graph, remove the ups and Downs

Mad as doesn’t accurately show where the contraction starts

Question 16

Force relies on?

Answer 16

Amount of motor recruitment

What time the motor units discharge at = rate coding

Question 17

Motor units are recruited in size of?

Answer 17

Size of soma

Smallest to biggest

Small ones small muscles low velocities

Big ones big muscle high velocities

Motor unit pool is pretty much all recruited before the peak so it’s the rate coding aka discharge rate (Hz) which is responsible for the max value

Question 18

Notes for RFD assessment?

Answer 18

Important as can show when athletes are ready to return to play

Helps acceleration due to rapid increase in force development

General everyday abilities

Key physiological functions: (pick one from each)

Neural:
MU recruitment threshold
MU discharge rate/ rate coding
Muscle activation/neural drive
MU synchronisation

Muscle:
Muscle fibre type
Muscle size
Pennation angle - not understood
Fascicle length - not understood
Muscle tendon stiffness

How can you asses RFD:
Force time curve

Question 19

Reduced Ca2+ in calcium kinetics results in?

Answer 19

Slower force production

Reduced troponin C leads to a reduced force production

Also by delivering a triplet stimulation results in increased calcium then increased force but quickly returns to normal levels, hence it might not be useful when things starts to fatigue

Question 20

Ortenblad et al 2000 showed that 5 week Wingate cycle training resulted in?

Answer 20

Increased Ca2+ release

Enhanced Power output rate and average power output rate

Enhanced sarcoplasmic reticulum content:
Increased SERCA1, SERCA2, RyR
No change in SR Ca2+- ATPase capacity or uptake rate
No change in MHC distribution

Question 21

RFD could be affected by?

Answer 21

Increase in calcium sensitivity

Question 22

Chronic changes vs acute changes?

Answer 22

Chronic:
Calcium release
Calcium reuptake
Enhanced SR content 
Increased SR Ca2+ ATPase capacity

Increase in calcium sensitivity

Can put this in my assessment

Question 23

Self case study?

Answer 23

Conduct a thorough assessment of your ability to technically execute each exercise

Identify effective methods that can be implemented to improve the technical skill execution of each exercise

Implement suggested methods

Once methods for improvement have been implemented, perform a before and after analysis appraising any improvement or lack of improvement

Suggest further methods for improvement (eg. if given a longer time period to make improvements/how would you make further progress

Squat variation:
Bodyweight
Goblet
Front
Back
Overhead

Other type:
Deadlift
Lunge
Push up
Bent over row
Romanian deadlift

Question 24

Steps for second piece of CW?

Answer 24

Choose exercise

Record yourself doing the exercise

Asses your ability to do the exercise, highlighting areas of improvement

Identify methods to improve exercises

Implement methods to improve exercise

Record yourself doing the exercise (after)

Compare before and after footage of you doing the exercise. Appraise improvement and/or non improvement

Identify future methods for improvement

Squat university

`film front and side

10 minute video, microsoft stream?

don’t have to have references

Look at oliver whitton practical videos to get a good idea how to do the video

show exercises and gradual improvement

Question 25

What is velocity based training?

Answer 25

a method that uses velocity to inform or enhance training

Lets you accurately predict 1RM with sub maximal loads

Question 26

Variables of interest?

Answer 26

Mean concentric velocity

Peak concentric velocity

Question 27

Minimal velocity threshold?

Answer 27

is the mean concentric velocity produced on the last successful repetition of a set to failure performed with maximal lifting effort

Question 28

Linear periodisation?

Answer 28

Reductions in training volume accompanied by increases in training intensity

Also a periodic sequence focusing on distinct physical qualities

Question 29

Non-linear periodisation?

Answer 29

Varying volume and intensity using different RM’s or near RM’s

Question 30

Reverse linear periodisation?

Answer 30

Reductions in training intensity accompanied by increases in training volume as the programme advances

Question 31

Block periodisation?

Answer 31

Focused mesocycles arranged in sequential blocks (e.g. accumulation, transmutation, realisation)

Question 32

Conjugate periodisation ?

Answer 32

Training several physical qualities during that compliment each other (e.g. strength and power)

Question 33

Concurrent periodisation?

Answer 33

Training competing qualities within a mesocyclone (e.g. strength and endurance)

Question 34

Early view on more mechanical stress causing fitness adaptations?

Answer 34

Improved performance until reaching points such as burnout