Diet, Nutrition and Water

Question 1

Explain how carbohydrate loading can improve an athlete’s performance in a long distance event [4]

Answer 1

By eating a high carbohydrate diet before the race
And tapering/reducing training intensity in days leading up to race
Athlete maximises glycogen stores in muscles prior to event
Marathon runner can sustain intensity for a longer period and reduce their overall time

Question 2

Give 2 benefits of drinking water on a long distance athlete’s performance

[2 marks each]

Answer 2

Allows athlete to maintain core body temperature through sweating

Makes the blood less viscous, so more blood + oxygen can be transported to working muscles

Question 3

Describe how vitamins or minerals can be used to aid a tennis player’s performance
[3]

Answer 3

Iron is used to form haemoglobin, which increases the body’s ability to carry oxygen, so the athlete’s working muscles will receive enough oxygen to continue to play effectively

Vitamin C aids growth and repair of tissue, and therefore helps in the healing of cuts and wounds, so if the athlete is injured they can return to competition faster

Question 4

Describe why a power athlete and an endurance athlete would have different optimum weights

Answer 4

• A power athlete will have an increased muscle mass + denser bones, which would make their optimum weight heavier
• an endurance athlete would have a much lowe muscle mass, and therefore a lower optimum weight