Environmental training

Question 1

who uses altitude training?

Answer 1

•endurance performance atheletes

-marathon runners

Question 2

what happens when you do altitude training?

Answer 2

•the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) is reduced.
•body adapts to this by increasing the production of red blood cells and haemoglobin.
>improved oxygen carrying capacity and vo2 max.
•also increases myoglobin levels and the lactate buffering capability in muscle tissue.

Question 3

How long do benefit of AT last for

Answer 3

2-8 weeks after returning to sea level.

Question 4

why and how do red blood cells increase when doing AT

Answer 4

Why-
increase amount of oxygen getting to muscles.
How-
increased secretion of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO).

Question 5

3 methods of altitude training?

Answer 5

• Live high, Train high
• Live high, Train low
• High, High/low

Question 6

what is live high, train low

Answer 6

•you live and train above sea levels

Question 7

problems with live high, train high?

Answer 7

•difficult to keep intensity high due to fatigue

Question 8

what is live high, train low?

Answer 8

• sleep high to cause adaptations

* train low to keep intensity of training up and keep neuromuscular adaptations (capillary and mitochondrial density)

Question 9

can you do live high and train low without living above sea level?

Answer 9

• yes, sleep in a laboratory and change oxygen levels to mimic high altitudes.
• can also do this when training high too.

Question 10

what is high, high/low?

Answer 10

• live at high altitudes
• carey our easy/moderate training session at high altitudes
• return to low levels for hard workouts 1-3 times a week.

Question 11

what is artificial altitude training?

Answer 11

Altitude tents/chambers and ‘high altitude houses’ that mimic high altitude conditions.

Question 12

how does artificial AT mimic high altitude conditions?

Answer 12

•Intermittent Hypoxic Exposure
>regular exposure to low oxygen conditions.
•Intermittent Hypoxic Training
>regular training in low oxygen conditions.

Question 13

problems with altitude training?

Answer 13

•variation in the benefits to individuals
•decrease in plasma volume = increased blood viscosity
•increase inventilatory response
(breathing harder due to lack of available oxygen)
•athletes can’t train as hard or recover as quickly

Question 14

what is the thermoregulation mechanism?

Answer 14

•decides whether you get goosebumps or if you sweat

Question 15

what do thermoreceptors do?

Answer 15

•detect changes in temp and send information to the hypothalamus which controls homeostasis.

Question 16

what are the detrimental effects on training in extreme heat?

Answer 16

• increases sweating - dehydration
• increases blood viscosity - blood becomes thicker
• blood flow/velocity decreases
• cardiovascular drift - gradual increase in HR over long duration exercise
• increased breathing rate - causes dehydration
• reduced amount of nutrients to working tissues - fatigue

Question 17

what are the adaptations from acclimatisation training (heat)?

Answer 17

• increases sweat response - sweat earlier and in greater volume
• increases blood volume - increases blood flow to skin

Question 18

what are the detrimental effects of training in extreme cold?

Answer 18

• increased breathing rate - dehydration
• blood pressure increases
• muscular strength and muscular endurance decreases
• blood flow to skin decreases.

Question 19

what are the adaptations from acclimatisation training (cold)?

Answer 19

• improved energy source usage - earlier fat breakdown

* reduces blood pressure