Aerobic training Flashcards
Define ‘aerobic capacity’
The ability of the body to inspire, transport and utilise oxygen to perform sustained periods of aerobic activity relying on the efficiency of the CV, muscular and respiratory system
Define ‘VO2 max’
Max. volume of oxygen inspired, transported and utilised per minute during exhaustive exercise
Name four factors affecting aerobic capacity
Training, age, gender and physiological make up
Describe how training affects aerobic capacity
- Specificity: can increase VO2 max b 10-20%
- Max. aerobic conditioning achieved within 8-19 months
- Lifestyle and diet
Describe how physiological make-up affects aerobic capacity
Optimum performance relies on:
- Strong respiratory muscles
- Large lung capacities
- Large and strong left ventricle
- Capilliarisation for gaseous exchange
Describe how age affects aerobic capacity
- Decreases by 1% every year after age of 20
- Training slow decline
- Due to decreased left ventricular elasticity affecting HR, S and Q so transport to muscles and lung volumes decrease linearly after maturation due to decreased elasticity of lung tissues and thoracic cavity so inspiration
Describe how gender affects aerobic capacity
Women naturally have a 15-30% lower VO2 max
- Higher levels of body fat
- Lower lung volumes
- Lower haemoglobin concentration
- Less inspiration and transport
Name some additional factors affecting aerobic capacity
- environment
- cardiac e.g. size of heart
- respiratory e.g. size of lungs
- vascular e.g. capilliarisation
- muscular
- cellular e.g. myoglobin stores
Name four methods of evaluation
Direct gas analysis
Cooper 12 minute run
NCF multi stage fitness test
Queen’s college step test
Describe the Queen’s college step test
Stepping on and off a metronome with HR measured every 3 minutes so the difference is applied to a formula for an estimated VO2 max
Evaluate the Queen’s college step test
:) sub-maximal, simple and cheap, easy to monitor HR
:( not sport specific, step height is not relative to height of the performer, prediction not measure
Describe direct gas analysis
Measures O2 consumption and CO2 production when a performer is running on a treadmill, inline increases per minute to work max HR but test is limited to 10 mins total
Evaluate direct gas analysis
:) direct measure of VO2 max, done with different types of exercise e.g. rowing, accurate
:( max test to exhaustion, not for all ages, specialist equipment required
Describe the Cooper 12 minute run
Participants run around a set grid as far as possible for 12 minutes, their distance is measured against a standardised score table
Evaluate the Cooper 12 minute run
:) can be self administered, cheap, large groups at once
:( prediction, not for all ages, self-motivated
Describe the NCF multi-stage fitness test
Run between cones at a set distance until exhaustion with speed increasing per level, results applied to a graph
Evaluate the NCF multi-stage fitness test
:) large groups at once, simple and cheap, normative data published publicly so can be self-administered
:( prediction, self-motivated, not for all ages or appropriate for those with heart conditions
Describe Karvonen’s principle
Training HR = resting HR + [(max HR - resting HR) x % of desired work intensity]
How is max. HR calculated?
220-age
What percentage of work is needed to increase fat metabolism and increase the lactate threshold?
Fat metabolism = 60%
Lactate = 80%
What are three categories benefits of aerobic training are broken down into?
Respiratory, CV and muscular
Give two respiratory benefits of aerobic training
- muscles become stronger -> max lung capacity increases
- alveoli surface area increases so increases external respiration
Give some CV benefits of aerobic training
- hypertrophy (ventricular elasticity, force of contraction, lower resting HR)
- elasticity of arterial walls (efficiency of vascular shunt and lower BP)
- RBCs (transport of O2 and gaseous exchange)
- capilliarisation (surface area for blood flow)
Give some muscular benefits of aerobic training
- type one muscle fibres (aerobic energy production)
- myoglobin stores (storage ad transport of O2 in muscle cells)
- size and density of mitochondria (utilisation of O2)
- glycogen stores
- ligament and tendon strength (joint stability)
- articular cartilage thickness (synovial fluid production for joint nourishment)
- calcium deposits (bone strength)
