Elite Athletes

Question 1

What characteristics make high level sports more challenging

Answer 1

Heavy training load

Demanding competition schedule

Frequent travel

Unusual environments for training adaptations or competition preparation (heat, altitude)

Culture of the sport (price and rewards of fame and publicity

Influence of and power of coaches and other personnel involved with the athlete

Question 2

List reasons why beetroot juice/nitrate supplements may be less effective in elite athletes

Answer 2

Elite athletes have different composition of muscle fiber type

Greater muscular capillarization and adaptation (reduces the development of hypoxia and metabolic acidosis)

More developed pathways to produce nitric oxide from arginine

Question 3

What is the coefficient of variation

Answer 3

Ratio of the standard deviation to the mean

Question 4

What is a worthwhile change in sporting events

Answer 4

0.3-0.5% times the variability (coefficient of variation) of performance in a specific event

Question 5

What is the coefficient of variation in top sports

Answer 5

0.5-3.0%