Exercise physiology Flashcards
what is an ergogenic aid?
a substance, object or method used to improve or enhance performance.
what are pharmacological aids?
a group of ergogenic aids taken to increase the levels of hormones or neural transmitters naturally produced by the body.
name three types of pharmacological aids.
anabolic steroids, erythropoietin (EPO) and human growth hormone (HGH)
what are the performance benefits of anabolic steroids?
increased muscle mass and strength, increased speed of recovery, increased intensity and duration of training.
what are the risks of anabolic steroids?
irritability, aggression and mood swings, liver damage and potential heart failure, acne and hormonal disturbances.
what WADA status is anabolic steroids?
illegal
what is erythropoietin?
a naturally produced hormone responsible for the production of red blood cells.
What is recombinant erythropoietin (RhEPO)
an illegal synthetic product copying natural erythropoietin hormone responsible for red blood cell production.
what is hyper-viscosity?
excessively thickened blood with high resistance to flow.
what are the performance benefits of EPO?
increased red blood cell and hemoglobin count, increased oxygen transport and aerobic capacity, increased intensity and duration of performance before fatigue.
what are the risks of EPO?
increased blood viscosity, decreased cardiac output, increased risk of blood clots and heart failure, decreased natural production of epo.
what WADA status is EPO?
illegal
what is human growth hormone?
an illegal synthetic product copying natural growth hormone to increase protein synthesis for muscle growth, recovery and repair.
what are the performance benefits of HGH?
increased muscle mass and strength, increased fat metabolism and decreased fat mass, increased blood glucose levels, increased speed of recovery, increased intensity and duration of training.
what are the risks of HGH?
abnormal bone and muscle development, enlargement of vital organs - potentially leading to multi-organ failure, increased risk of certain cancers and diabetes.
what are physiological aids?
a group of ergogenic aids used to increase the rate of adaptation by the body to increase performance
name three types of physiological aids.
blood doping, intermittent hypoxic training and cooling aids.
what WADA status is HGH?
illegal
what is blood doping?
an illegal method of increasing red blood cell content by infusing blood prior to competition
what are the performance benefits of blood doping?
increased red blood cell and haemoglobin count, increased oxygen transport and aerobic capacity, increased intensity and duration of performance before fatigue
what are the risks of blood doping?
increased blood viscosity, decreased cardiac out out, increased risk of blood clots and heart failure, risk of transfusion reactions and infections such a hepatitis and HIV.
what WADA status is blood doping?
illegal
what is intermittent hypoxic training (IHT)?
interval training with work intervals performed under hypoxic conditions
what is hypoxia?
a condition where the body is subjected to an inadequate oxygen supply to maintain normal function.
define buffering capacity.
the ability to resist changes in pH
what are the performance benefits of IHT?
acclimatization for events at altitude, increased red blood cell, haemoglobin and oxygen-carrying capacity, increased intensity and duration before fatigue, increased mitochondria and buffering capacity, delaying OBLA
what are the risks of IHT?
any benefit will be lost when IHT stops, may lose motivation and disrupt training patterns, hard to reach normal work rates, decrease immune function and increase risk of infection, cause dehydration
what is onset of blood lactic accumulation (OBLA)?
the point where there is a dramatic rise in blood lactate levels causing the onset of fatigue.
what are cooling aids?
a range of products used to reduce core temperature, treat injury and speed up recovery.
what WADA status is IHT?
legal
what is thermal strain?
additional pressure placed on the body by an increase in temperature that can cause short and long-term negative effects.
define cardiovascular drift.
the upward drift of heart rate during sustained steady-state activity associated with an increase in body temperature
what are the performance benefits of cooling aids?
reduced core body temperature, decreased sweating, dehydration and early fatigue, decreased injury pain and swelling, increased speed of recovery and repair, decreased DOMS
what are the risks of cooling aids?
difficult to perceive exercise intensity, ice burns and pain., hide of complicate injuries, chest pain and reduced efficiency in the elderly, dangerous for hypertensives or those with heart conditions.
what WADA status are cooling aids?
legal
For endurance training, what should the athlete have/do for their pre-event meal?
3 hours before - eat a slow digestive carbohydrate meal e.g. porridge oats or beans and green veg.
1/2 hours before - a small, fast digesting carbohydrate meal e.g. honey on a bagel or an energy bar
what is glycaemic index?
a rating scale showing how quickly a carbohydrate affect blood glucose levels.
what is hypoglycemia?
low blood glucose levels associated with dizziness, shaking and raised heart rate.
For endurance training, what should the athlete have/do during the event?
consume regular small amounts of fast-digesting carbohydrates to maintain blood glucose levels and preserve muscle glycogen stores. e.g. glucose tablets or gel, bananas, sports drinks
For endurance training, what should the athlete have/do for their post-event meal?
consume 1-1.5g per kg of moderate and fast-digesting carbohydrates within 30 minutes after the event, the repeat this at two hour intervals for up to 6 hours post event.
what WADA status is endurance training?
legal
what should a strength trainer do/consume?
5-6 meals per day every few hours,
up to 30% lean protein to enhance muscle building and repair e.g. tuna and turkey,
complex carbohydrates to release energy slowly, control blood sugar levels and minimise fat storage e.g. black beans and oatmeal,
limit fat intake, provides energy and is import and for hormone production e.g. flax-seed rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
for a strength trainer, what should the athlete do/have for a pre-training meal
30/60 minutes prior to training, a small meal with equal quantities of fast digesting carbohydrates and protein. e.g. white bagels or rice with whey protein or egg whites.
for a strength trainer, what should the athlete do/have for a post-training meal?
asap but withing 2 hours, a meal with fast digesting carbohydrates and protein - replaces lost glycogen. due to time, most consume this in liquid such as a protein shake.
what WADA status is strength training?
legal
what is glycogen/carbohydrate loading?
the manipulation of carbohydrate intake in the week before competition to maximise stores of glycogen.
what is the protocol for glycogen loading?
day 1 : glycogen-depleting bout of endurance exercise
days 2-3 : high protein, high fat diet
day 4 : glycogen-depleting bout of endurance exercise
days 5-7 : high carb diet while training is tampered or reduced to resting
what are the performance benefits of glycogen loading?
increased glycogen stores, increased endurance capacity, delays fatigue, increased time to exhaustion by up to 30%
what are the risks of glycogen loading?
hypoglycemia in the depletion phase, poor recovery rates in depletion phase, lethargy and irritability in depletion phase, gastrointestinal problems, increased risk of injury, affects mental preparation pre-competition
what WADA status is glycogen loading?
legal
what happens when you become dehydrated during exercise? Why?
you can lose body weight, 2% body weigh loss = 20% performance decrease.
Due to :
decreased heart regulation and increased temperature
increased blood viscosity
increased heart rate
increased fatigue
decreased cognitive function and skill level
what is lost through sweat whilst exercising?
electrolytes (salts and minerals)
name three types of sports drinks that contain glucose and electrolytes.
hypotonic solutions, isotonic solutions and hypertonic solutions
what are hypotonic solutions?
drinks which contain a lower concentration of glucose the the blood stream. It quickly replaces fluid lost while sweating while still providing small amounts of glucose for energy production.
what are isotonic solutions?
drinks which contain an equal concentrations of glucose to the blood stream. Absorbed at the same rate as water, they quickly rehydrate and supply glucose for energy production
what are hypertonic solutions?
drinks which contain a higher concentration of glucose than the blood stream. Absorbed at a slower rate than water, usually used post-exercise to maximise glycogen replenishment in recovery. Additional fluid is required with hypertonic solutions as dehydration can be caused by the high levels of glucose.
what type of athlete should use hypotonic solutions?
jockeys and gymnasts.
what type of athletes should use isotonic solutions?
middle and long-distance runners and games players.
what type of athletes should use hypertonic solutions?
ultra-distance athletes
what WADA status are energy drinks?
legal
what is creatine supplementation?
the consumption of creatine monohydrate to increase stores of PC to increase intensity and duration of performance.
what performance benefits come from creatine?
increased PC stores, increased fuel for very high intensity energy production (ATP-PC system), increased intensity and duration of training, increased maximum and explosive strenght
what are the risks of creatine supplementation?
increased weight gain, increased water retention, muscle cramps, gastrointestinal problems, long-term effects on health unclear.
what is caffeine and what does it do?
a stimulant used to heighten the central nervous system and mobilises fats to prolong aerobic energy production
what WADA status is creatine supplementation?
legal
what are the performance benefits come from caffeine?
increased nervous stimulation, increased focus and concentration, increased mobilisation of fats, preservation of muscle glycogen, increased endurance performance
what risks come from caffeine?
diuretic effect leading to dehydration, insomnia and anxiety, gastrointestinal problems
what WADA status is caffeine?
legal but has been placed on the 2025 in-competition monitoring programme to detect patterns of misuse in sport.
what is bicarbonate and what does it do?
an alkaline which acts as a buffer to neutralise the rise in lactic acid associated with intense anaerobic acivity
what performance benefits come from bicarbonate?
increased buffering capability, increased tolerance to lactic acid, delaying OBLA, increased intensity and duration of performance
what risks come from bicarbonate use?
possible gastrointestinal problems, unpleasant taste causing nausea.
what WADA status is bicarbonate?
legal
what is nitrate and what does it do?
an inorganic compound which dilate blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and increasing blood flow to the muscles.
what are the performance benefits of nitrates?
reduces blood pressure, increases blood flow, increased intensity of performance, delays fatigue
what are the risks of nitrates?
headaches, dizziness or light-headedness, long-term effects on health unclear, possible carcinogenic risk
what WADA status are nitrates?
legal
name the principles of training.
moderation reversibility specificity progression overload variance
what is specificity?
training that is relevant and appropriate for the individual, sport, energy system, muscle fiber type and movement pattern.
what is progression?
when the training demand gradually increases overtime to ensure the performer adapts and improves
what is overload?
when the intensity of training is above the performers comfort zone to place stress on the body to force adaptation.
what is variance?
training that includes a range of exercises and activities to prevent boredom, maintain motivation and limit overuse injuries.
what is moderation?
the training must be appropriate for the performer to adapt while maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
what is reversibility?
the training must be maintained to prevent deterioration in performance.
what is FITT?
Frequency
Intensity
Time
Type
what is frequency in overload?
how many sessions per week are performed
what is intensity in overload
how hard the sessions are
what is time in overload?
how long the sessions, intervals, sets are
what is type in overload
the method of training used
define principles of training?
the rules that underpin training programme design to ensure safe and effective fitness adaptation
what is periodisation?
the organised division of training into blocks, each with a goal and time frame
what is a macro-cycle?
a long-term training plan, typically over one year, to achieve a long-term goal
what is a meso-cycle?
a mid-term training plan, typically 4-16 weeks, to achieve a mid-term goal
what is a micro-cycle?
a short-term training plan, typically one - three weeks, to achieve a short-term goal
what are the three phases of periodisation?
the pre-season, competition season and the transition season
what happens in pre-season?
general, sport-specific and skill based fitness is focused on.
what happens in competition season?
this is when fitness is developed in pre-season is maintained and focus on strategies and tactics occurs to avoid injury.
what happens in the transition season?
active rest and recuperation. Low-intensity aerobic work and injury treatment occurs
