Improving Performance IQ2: What are the planning considerations for improving performance?

Question 1

WHat do the initial planning considerations focus on?

Answer 1

Focuses on the specific sport of the athlete (s). The sport is broken down to identify specific components of fitness that are more fundamental. These components of fitness become the focus for planning training programs as they must be developed in both the individual and the team.

Question 2

How are effective programs developed?

Answer 2

Based on data gained from previous seasons and current performances. Data is gathered in the form of tests, standards, stats and performance records, which become the basis of planning to address individual and team requirements

Question 3

Why should there be different planning to address both individual and team considerations?

Answer 3

Because some individuals may have maintained a high level of fitness during the off-season, whereas the team as a whole may not have.

Question 4

What are some considerations for individuals performance and fitness needs?

Answer 4

Physical fitness

Physical attributes such as strength, power, endurance and flexibility

SKills such as running and batting

Development of game sense and tactics

Psychological considerations such as arousal and motivation

Social considerations such as friendships and support

Question 5

What are some considerations for team performance and fitness needs?

Answer 5

Establishment of team goals

Development of tactics and strategies that involve groups of players such as line outs for rugby forwards

Organisational considerations such as training days and venues

Leadership issues such as captaincy

Allocation of support roles such as managers and equipment personnel

Question 6

How should sport specific performance and fitness needs be addressed?

Answer 6

The athlete’s sport should be broken down into its various components, and the key components of fitness identified.

Question 7

What is an example of addressing sport specific performance and fitness needs in individual sports? (2)

Answer 7

A triathlete focusing on their cardiovascular fitness or a specific component of their race such as the swimming component

A 100m sprinter might want to focus on reaction time and power

Question 8

How should sport specific performance and fitness needs in team sports be addressed?

Answer 8

In team sports, the sport specific performance and fitness needs are essentially the performance and fitness needs of the team.

For example, an AFL team will all need good cardiovascular endurance, power, muscular endurance and coordination, all of which are team performance and fitness needs. The team may also need to introduce days to address strategy and leadership

However, within the team, certain members of the team may need more specific performance requirements as opposed to others. For example, a football striker needs to be fast, coordinated and accurate, however a centre back may not need the same accuracy or speed.

Question 9

What are the types of athletes that performance and fitness needs will have to address?

Answer 9

Elite and recreational/amateur athletes

Question 10

What are the performance and fitness needs of elite athletes?

Answer 10

Have much more detailed and higher level performance and fitness needs.

Will complete a wider range of fitness and performance tests to determine their performance and fitness needs

Question 11

What are the performance and fitness needs of recreational/amateur athletes?

Answer 11

Would not complete as many tests and would often have more general low level performance and fitness needs. For example, they may only require a lower level achieved on the beep test, as compared to the elite athlete.

Moreover, their goals would be to develop relationships rather than be performance focussed.

They thus have less performance/fitness needs

Question 12

Why is the schedule of events/competitions important in the initial planning considerations?

Answer 12

Because we need to identify when major events and competitions are held, to allow athletes to peak their performance for competition. Careful planning of training leading up to, during and after events/competitions is vital for an athlete to perform their best.

The schedule of events/competitions is used to guide the creation of a year or more long training program. This training plan needs to reflect schedules and ensure that players are not underloaded or overloaded in terms of training volume. Each individual sport will have a different schedule of events/competitions. For example, a track athlete will want to peak during summer (in Australia), whereas an NRL player will want to peak sporadically during the season

Question 13

What needs to be considered as part of the schedule of events/competition?

Answer 13

Need to consider major competitions (i.e. State of Origin), weekly competitions,

Question 14

What is the difference between elite and recreational athletes when it comes to schedule of events/competition?

Answer 14

Elite athletes have a larger array of events/competitions that they can compete in, including club, state, international levels of competition. They have a more COMPLEX schedule of events. For example, an athlete may play in the A-league, but also have Asian champions league and play for Aus in international games, causing competitions to overlap with each other, and requiring the athlete to prioritise when to peak.

Many recreational athletes do not make schedules of competition, but simply know when they are competing and turn up. They may also not show up to training as it isn’t compulsory and only has to worry about the weekly weekend game.

Question 15

Why does initial planning need to consider climate and season?

Answer 15

Climate and season is important as it determines the type of environmental conditions in which the sport will be played. The climate and season then affects how to best prepare for the sport

It is important that athletes are fully prepared in terms of attire both for training and during competition which may be at various climates or seasons, especially if competing internationally.

For example, heat, wind, rain, cold, fog and humidity are examples of climactic influences which require implementation of specific strategies such as protective clothing

Question 16

What is an example of the implementation of specific strategies to address climate and season?

Answer 16

Protective/reflective clothing, sunscreens and fluid during hot weather to prevent heat stress and dehydration, allowing for the athlete to perform optimally.

In addition to that, a sport which is played in summer should be prepared for by training in the heat with summer like conditions, whereas the opposite applies for winter

Question 17

How does an individual consider climate and season?

Answer 17

Need to consider where the competition is played at, the altitude which it’s played at etc, which all contribute to various climates an athlete needs to compete in.

Question 18

What is an example of considering climate and season for the sport played? (2)

Answer 18

For example, tennis competitions are held at various locations around the world, each requiring specific preparation according to the climate and season where the competition is held. (Tennis Grand Slams are held in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York, each requiring different acclimatisations)

There is also a similar situation in athletics, where the place where the competition (i.e. Olympics) is, will influence how the athlete trains to be able to acclimatise to the environment in which they are going to be competing in

Question 19

What are the differences between elite and recreational/amateur athletes when it comes to planning for climate and season?

Answer 19

Elite athletes will have to consider a wider range of climates and seasons in their planning. They will have to travel around the country and sometimes around the world for different competitions, pushing them into different climates and seasons, thus requiring greater consideration for climate and season in their planning

Meanwhile, the amateur participant will not have the same issues as they will only have local competitions, thus not having to consider the climate of a different country which they may be playing in, and instead just has to consider the climate and season at the local level where they play. They will not have the same amount of variation as an elite player has to adapt to

Question 20

What is periodisation?

Answer 20

The process of breaking the year down into smaller time periods in order to structure the training program effectively

Question 21

What three main subphases does periodisation have to combine?

Answer 21

Macrocycle
Mesocycle
Microcycle

Question 22

Why is periodisation important?

Answer 22

To structure the year and ensure the athlete peaks in performance at the right time (i.e. for major competitions such as Olympic trials etc.). It ensures that volume and intensity for training are ideal

Question 23

What are the 3 phases of competition in a training eayr?

Answer 23

Pre=season (preparatory)

In- Season (Competitive)

Off-season (Transition)

Question 24

What are the 7 considerations that needs to be addressed for effective periodisation?

Answer 24

Planning - needs to be planned out

Solid base - general fitness established, addressing the specific components of fitness

Progression - A logical progression of activities that should lead to attainment of set short and long term goals. Prevent training plateaus, with progression to higher levels require as soon as adaptations take place

Balance volume and intensity - program should show how different activities enable volume and intensity to be manipulated for the benefit of the athlete

Rest and recovery - Needs to incorporate sufficient variety + relief to avoid overtraining and fatigue and decreased motivation

Avoid injury - The plan needs to carefully manage loads, expectations and skill requirements, as injury will set back gains. This could be achieved by having less number of training sessions a week

Individualisation; the plan must be adapted to each athlete and address their specific needs. Physiological differences and differences in positions (for team sports) played will mean that individual needs will be different

Question 25

What is the pre-season?

Answer 25

It is the period before competition, where the trainer focuses on developing the basis or fundamentals required for the sport

Question 26

How long does the pre-season last?

Answer 26

6-12 weeks or longer, depending on the type of competition.

Question 27

What happens in a typical pre-season workout?

Answer 27

It requires a high volume of training at moderate levels of intensity. It needs to target the appropriate energy systems. These training sessions are typically longer, and aims to increase stamina and mental aspects such as drive and commitment

Question 28

What are the goals of pre-season training? (5)

Answer 28

Improve all aspects of fitness such as strength or flexibility, particularly those specifically required in the sport

Develop technique

Improve performance biomechanics

Introduce strategies and familiarize players with them

Teach appropriate mental skills

Question 29

What are common forms of training during pre-season training phase?

Answer 29

Continuous training
Fartlek training
Interval training
Circuits
Resistance work
Variations of long slow work with short fast work

Question 30

What should occur towards the end of pre-seaosn phase?

Answer 30

Physical condition and quality of skill performance (for example, technique, biomechanics and strategies) should reach targeted levels. As it progresses into the specific phase of preparation, it may start to focus on more sport specific aspects of training, including the development of skills such as power, speed, ball control etc.

Question 31

What is the in-season?

Answer 31

This phase is commonly referred to as the competition phase, and it will vary in duration, depending on the type of sport. During this period, there are great number of competitions which the athlete will be needed to peak for, and thus very specific sport skills will be improved during this period

During this season, there is an increase in intensity and an emphasis on technique, strategies and tactics.

It is also essential to MAINTAIN skill and sport-specific fitness levels which have been gained from the pre-season

Question 32

What is the aim during the in-season period? (5)

Answer 32

Maintain stamina

Practice and improve tactics and strategies

Perfect skill execution

Gain competitive experience

Continue work on developing appropriate mental skills

Question 33

How are the aims of the in-season best achieved?

Answer 33

Supplementary work on required fitness components, including strength, power, agility, flexibility and speed

use of highly specific skills practices (drills)

Continuation of conditioning training

Use of small games, grids and resistance work to increase intensity and provide relief

Question 34

What principle of training is especially important during the in-season? Why?

Answer 34

The principle of specificity needs to be applied more during the competition phase. This is because we want to prepare the athlete for the competition, to allow them to perform their best. For example, sports which require explosive actions such as sprinting and high jump will require a decrease in overall volume, and increase in intensity and speed.

Question 35

What is the off-season/transition phase?

Answer 35

It is the period immediately following the competition, and focuses on relaxation and recovery. During this period, training volume and intensity decreases and may even become non-existent. It ultimately allows the athlete to recover from the intensities of competition before they once again begin to increase training volume and intensity in the pre season

It is essentially a physical and mental recovery from training and competition, allowing for time for general refreshment

Question 36

What is the off-season phase characterised by? (6)

Answer 36

One week of total rest

Remaining weeks consisting of active rest, with training sessions being reduced to a couple of times per week, and a corresponding reduction in both volume and intensity

A change in environment, such as outdoors to indoors or use of swimming for runners and cyclists

Diet modification to reflect the decreased workload

Maintenance of strength and flexibility

Work on weaknesses such as injuries or perhaps on specific technical skills

Question 37

What are the 3 subphases?

Answer 37

Macrocycles, mesocycles, microcycles

Question 38

What is a macrocycle?

Answer 38

It is the larger training cycle and normally encompasses the whole year. They can be both larger or smaller than a year, but it will vary depending on the sport. Athletes will often set macrocycle goals that they wish to achieve

For example, an athlete training to win the olympics will have a four year macrocycle in order to qualify for and then peak during the olympics

Question 39

Why do we need other measures other than macrocycles?

Answer 39

It is because more specific detail is contained in mesocycles and microcycles, which reflect small changes in habits to improve training outcomes.

Question 40

What are mesocycles?

Answer 40

These are smaller chunks of time than a macrocycle, and typically last a few weeks (4-8 weeks), and they often match up with the 3 phases of competition (pre, in and off season). Mesocycles join together to create the macrocycle. Typically, the macrocycle goals are broken up into smaller goals that are to be achieved during each mesocycle

This allows for detailed planning and specific objectives to be achieved

Question 41

What are microcycles?

Answer 41

These are even smaller periods of time than mesocycles, with it lasting a few days - a week (7-10 days). It is often used to focus on a singular aspect that adds together with other microcycles in order to achieve mesocycle goals, which accumulate to achieve macrocycle goals

These are the building blocks to create the year long training program using periodisation. They include detailed info about frequency of training, intensity, duration and volume together with skills, activities, resistance training, plyometrics and specific season organisation

Question 42

What is an example of a microcycle

Answer 42

Microcycle for a week:

Monday: AM: strength training, PM: skill development + technique

Tuesday: AM: plyometrics, PM: long intervals

Wednesday: AM: Strength training, PM: Circuit + technique

Thursday: AM: Pilates, PM: Circuit + technique

Friday; AM: Strength training PM: skill development + speed drills

Saturday: Competition

Sunday: Rest

Question 43

When writing a training plan, for example if there is a day for plyometrics what should you write with it?

Answer 43

Detail each session for sets, repetitions and recovery

I.e. Jumps, reactive drop jumps, speed hops etc

Question 44

What are the 9 different types of training which should be implemented into a microcycle/mesocycle? WHat should you include with a description for each? (I.e. if given macrocycles to fill out, should fill it out with reference to these)

Answer 44

Warm up: Detail exercises for duration, reps and recovery

Cool down: Detail exercises and duration

Strength: Detail each set, repetition, resistance, speed, rest between sets + recovery

Endurance: Detail activities to maintain cardiorespiratory endurance

Speed and agility: Detail activities to maintain speed

Flexibility: Detail exercises to maintain flexibility and improve core stability

Technique: Detail how to continue development on technique improvement

Plyometrics: Detail each session for sets, repetitions, recovery

Psychology: detail and be alert for signs of overtraining

Question 45

What is peaking?

Answer 45

This is a temporary state where the athlete is performing at their absolute best during competition

It is the phase of training in which performance is optimised to meet the demands of a race competition or series.

Question 46

What are the physiological indicators of peaking?

Answer 46

A state of excellent health

Heightened rate of recovery from training

Body systems, particularly the circulatory, respiratory, muscular and energy systems are tuned for optimal functioning

Adjustments to technical and tactical preparation completed

Superior neuromuscular coordination

Question 47

What are the social and psychological indicators of peaking?

Answer 47

Heightened self confidence and motivation

Ability to tolerate higher levels of frustration and react positively to practices that simulate the competition environment

A state of mental alertness and readiness for action

Question 48

How is peaking achieved?

Answer 48

Requires months of preparation, gradual increases in volume and intensity of training and a short tapering period just prior to performance

First the athlete undergoes intense training to ensure their body and the relevant components of fitness are at their highest. they will undergo a large volume of high intensity training, however before the competition they will taper down to allow nutrient levels to be at optimum levels and allow the athlete to fully recover from training before the competition

Question 49

How should peaking be prioritised?

Answer 49

It should be aimed to have the athlete peak for the most important competitions, but it can be difficult especially in sports which have a long in-season such as rugby, AFL, cricket etc.

Question 50

What does peaking require the athlete to have?

Answer 50

Great general body conditioning, good sports specific conditioning and great skill execution combined with strategy and tactics that enable them to perform at their best

Question 51

What is tapering? How does it work?

Answer 51

The reduction of training volume and intensity just prior to competition to allow peaking to occur. This is especially because high volume and intensity of training impairs performance as there are lots of muscle tears –> reparation of the tears from training. It also allows the body to replace nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals required for competition which can only be replenished during rest periods

It ultimately aims to boost performance and allows for tissue to rebuild and replace energy stores

Question 52

How is tapering implemented?

Answer 52

It is implemented through the reduction in volume and even training sessions leading up to the competition but continue with the same intensity (intensity might even increase).

The frequency and volume should decrease but intensity remain the same

It should be implemented a few weeks prior to competition instead of just a few days before for the greatest benefits

Question 53

What are the four different tapering methods?

Answer 53

The Step taper

The Linear taper

The exponential, slow decay taper

The exponential, fast decay taper

Question 54

What is a step taper?

Answer 54

33% reduction in training volume in the first week, followed by a further 33% in the second week

Question 55

What is a linear taper?

Answer 55

It is a reduction in volume and intensity gradually over the designated time period

Question 56

What is the exponential, slow decay taper?

Answer 56

Has a greater reduction in training load at the beginning of the taper, before levelling off at 40-50%

Question 57

What is the exponential, fast decay taper?

Answer 57

Has a greater reduction in training at the beginning, with the training load reduced to 20-30%

Question 58

How do you select which taper to use?

Answer 58

The type of taper used generally depends on the training load. In the case of endurance events such as a marathon, a two week taper is required, however shorter distances such as 5km only require a one week taper

The best results for athletes in resistance programs such as weightlifting is through the step taper, while exponential decay tapering seems to work the best for endurance athletes

Question 59

What are sport specific subphases?

Answer 59

Refers to the selection of what is focused on during the subphases of competition in order to cater specifically for the relevant sport. It refers to the meso and microcycles that combine in order to achieve the larger goals of the athlete or team.

Each sport has specific components of fitness, skills tactics and other variables that needs to be focussed on, these differences in sports require sport specific subphases to be developed in order to best prepare the athlete for competitions

Essentially the subphases will always differ according to sport and fitness of the athlete as well

Question 60

Develop and justify a periodisation chart

Answer 60

MAKE MY OWN OR LOOK AT THE SS IN THE PDHPE FOLDER

Question 61

What are the elements to be considered when designing a training session? (6)

Answer 61

Health and safety considerations
providing an overview of the session to athletes
Warm up and cool down
Skill instruction and practice
Conditioning
Evaluation

Question 62

Why is it important to consider health and safety when designing a training session?

Answer 62

This is because a disregard for health and safety can lead to injury, illness and poor performance

Question 63

What are some important considerations for health and safety? (6)

Answer 63

Injury prevention

Protective equipment

General equipment

Apparel

Environmental hazards

Illnesses

Question 64

How should injury prevention be considered as part of health and safety considerations?

Answer 64

Activities such as warm ups/cool downs and stretching are safety prerequisites for all physical activity. Athletes need knowledge of how to safely use specialised equipment such as strength training machines. Spotting and supervision is required in many gymnastics and weight lifting activities

This will ensure that the athlete’s health will be maintained through the use of preventing injury

Question 65

How should protective equipment be considered as part of health and safety considerations?

Answer 65

Essential protective equipment such as mouthguards, helmets, face guards, padding etc. need to be worn both during practice and games to ensure the athlete doesn’t suffer an injury and remains safe.

Question 66

How should general equipment be considered as part of health and safety considerations?

Answer 66

Equipment such as bats, clubs, javelins etc. should be checked regularly for safety. Cracked, worn or suspicious equipment need to be repaired or discarded. This will ensure that the athlete does not suffer from an equipment malfunction during competition, which may lead to an injury or a risk to health for the athlete. For example, a pole vaulter’s pole may snap in the middle of the jump, causing the athlete to fall, having detrimental impacts.

Question 67

How should apparel be considered as part of health and safety considerations?

Answer 67

Clothing such as shorts, tops, jumpers etc. need to be comfortable while providing some protection, and must allow freedom of movement and airflow. Freedom of movement will prevent the athlete from being restricted by their apparel, which may lead to trip hazards, etc. It must allow good airflow so that the athlete is not too hot, which may increase the chances of the athlete suffering from health conditions such as a stroke.

Good footwear must also be supportive and protective, as poor footwear may contribute to blisters, calluses and even structural deformities. This may impair the health of the athlete as well

Question 68

How should environmental hazards be considered as part of health and safety considerations?

Answer 68

Depending on the sport, sunglasses, sunscreen, protective suits, hats and caps may be needed to protect the body from potentially damaging ultraviolet rays. This could impair the individual’s health, and thus actions should be taken to prevent these environmental hazards from affecting the individual

Question 69

How should illnesses be considered as part of health and safety considerations?

Answer 69

The risk of illnesses such as colds and influenza is a health risk, and may put the athlete off training for a while, which may have detrimental impacts. However, the use of safe health practices and awareness of modes of viral transfer during training may reduce the risk of illness affecting the athlete’s health.

Question 70

What are some other essential considerations for athlete health and safety, other than the ones listed above?

Answer 70

The training session must suit the athlete being trained; if a child has low levels of fitness, then the training session should match their fitness and skill levels, similar for adults.

The health and safety considerations must also consider the athlete’s state of health and whether they are ready for training. This can be both mental and physical health.

Question 71

Why is providing an overview of the training session to athletes as part of designing a training session important?

Answer 71

It ensures that the intentions of the coach and expectations of players are channeled in the same direction. It also has the advantage of gathering the players in a forum situation, where specific issues can be addressed, to ensure optimal performance in game.

When an athlete knows what the aims of the training session is, and how these aims are going to be achieved, it improves the results of training. This is because the athlete understands the purpose of each activity, and how it will benefit them, thus motivating them to train better

It also allows athletes to have input into training and their expression of the confidence in the program

Question 72

How long should providing an overview take?

Answer 72

It is not normally a length process, and is simply the coach letting the athletes know that they have thought through and prepared the training session to improve their performance in a particular area

Question 73

When should an overview be done?

Answer 73

Should be completed just prior to a warm up or even during the warm up

Question 74

What is the purpose of a warmup?

Answer 74

It prepares the body for the session, improving performance, which during training means improved physiological adaptations and promoting safety in the session

Question 75

What should a format of the warm up follow?

Answer 75

General body warm up until the body begins to sweat. I.e. jogging and skipping

Stretching - important in ensuring that the required muscle groups are extended before the range that is required of them in the sport itself. Stretching also promotes blood circulation, increases muscle relaxation and improves performance

Calisthenics - General bodyweight exercises such as push ups and abdominal crunches that involve large muscle groups. These should be specific to the game, and should work the muscle groups used in the activity

Skill rehearsal/drills - In this phase, the athlete performs some routines required later in the game/sport/training. For example soccer players may participate in patterns that increase agility and replicate movements required in the game.

Question 76

What is required for a warm up?

Answer 76

A warm up should be specific to the activities that are going to be completed in the session and the muscles being used

Question 77

What is a cool down? What is the goal?

Answer 77

A cool down occurs after the training session and needs to be included in order to speed up recovery and help ensure good physiological adaptations occur.

Goal is to help remove waste products, and fluid in order to decrease post exercise oedema (swelling)

Question 78

What does a cooldown consist of?

Answer 78

Low intensity movements using the same muscle groups and body systems that were used during the training session.

Question 79

What does instruction at a training session involve?

Answer 79

Refers to delivery of a body of knowledge by a coach (or coaches) to the players.

Question 80

What does good instruction require?

Answer 80

Prior organisation and effective communication skills. All coaching sessions need to be well planed, provide guidance on how to perform the fundamental skills and should allow these to be practised in related drills and movements.

Question 81

What are the 7 requirements to have effective instruction when planning a training program ?

Answer 81

Brief - the instruction is concise and factual to allow maximal practice time

Well timed - use words when their impact will be greatest

Specific - instruction needs to be specific to the skill, game and situation, and it should not be general

Constructive - Focus on the positive points for improvement, not on how poorly the skill is being performed

Clear - There should be no misunderstanding about the information communicated by the coach

Informative - All instruction should relate specifically to information that the players need to know. Additional, unrelated material is confusing and can actually hinder the learning process

Demonstrable - Effective instruction is supported by visual aids such as demonstrations to provide clear pictures of skills and techniques required

The allocation of time to specific skill related activities need to be deided, along with how the activities will flow together for best development of the skill. The selection of skill instruction and practice activities should be determined by the athletes’ stage of skill acquisition

Question 82

How long does skill instruction and practice take?

Answer 82

Skill instruction should be short and to the point

Question 83

What does skill instruction normally include?

Answer 83

Demonstration of the skill (may be broken down into its various parts before being combined to perform the entire complex skill

Question 84

What is conditioning?

Answer 84

Conditioning is the base work required for the sport, and varies from sport to sport. It is NOT just cardiovascular endurance, however it is about bringing the body to the desired state for use in the particular sport. This type of training largely occurs in the pre-season or the preparation phase of competition

It covers all of the components of fitness (health and skill related)

Question 85

How long should be spent in training session for conditioning?

Answer 85

The amount of time spent on conditioning should match the requirements during competition and the need of the athlete. Generally, 20+ minutes is set asied for conditioning during a training session.

Question 86

Which part of the training session should be reserved for conditioning?

Answer 86

If the focus of training is the end of the game and the coach wants the athletes to perform well when fatigued, then conditioning should be done at the beginning

If focus is on skill development, conditioning should be left until the end of the training session.

Question 87

How intense should fitness conditioning sessions be?

Answer 87

It should reach the training zone intensity (70-85% MHR) and remains there for at least 20 minutes. While the fitness session needs to be thorough and challenging, it doesn’t have to be completely exhausting, and may even encompass skill practices over cardiovascular endurance

Need to ensure that it is not so intense that the athlete is fatigued and is unable to carry out their fitness conditioning well.

Question 88

What is the evaluation, as part of planning for a training session?

Answer 88

During this period, coaches should re-address the goals or aims of the training session that were discussed in the overview. Athletes should be given a chance to provide feedback to the coach on the training session, as well as the coach providing feedback to the athlete.

It is an appraisal of performances after the training session, and is typically carried out during and after the cooldown, involving the coaches and players reporting on the value of the session.

Question 89

What is included in an evaluation?

Answer 89

Includes some planning for the next session and checking in with the athletes - a time to review the training session and how the athletes feel after the session. After the training session, there should be further evaluation between members of the training staff + coach to determine if the session was effective

Question 90

What is the key point to the evaluation process?

Answer 90

It focuses on the achievement of goals, and if further actions are needed in order to achieve them.

Question 91

What is overtraining?

Answer 91

Overtraining occurs when a person exceeds their body’s ability to recover from strenuous exercise. It is the point where a person may have a decrease in performance and plateauing in training

It often occurs when an athlete does high intensity training in high volumes and not allowing for enough rest between sessions of high intensity, affecting their recovery and preventing physiological adaptations from occurring.

It is a psychological and physiological condition caused by training loads which are too demanding.

Question 92

What can overtraining lead to?

Answer 92

Poor performance and leads to injuries, particularly overuse injuries. It will also affect their recovery and prevent physiological adaptations from occurring.

Question 93

What often occurs to athletes who suffer from overtraining?

Answer 93

They become fatigued, tired, lethargic and experience a lack of motivation.

Question 94

What are the symptoms of overtraining?

Answer 94

Lack of motivation
Poorer performances
Increased resting heart rate
Higher blood lactate level
Lack of drive and level of enthusiasm
Insomnia
Decreased appetite

AND A LOT MORE

Question 95

What should be done if an overtrained athlete is identified?

Answer 95

Reduce the amount and intensity of training sessions

May need to take a complete break from training

Change in frequency, intensity and time may be adjusted

Rehab and testing and treatment should occur for the athlete if they receive injuries due to overtraining.

Question 96

How can overtraining be avoided?

Answer 96

Have a good balance in the amount and intensity of training

Planning a training year ensuring the athlete has regular rest periods (weekly)

Inclusion of recovery sessions and skills or tactical training - allows recovery from higher intensities

Monitor each athlete closely looking for the signs and symptoms of overtraining

Question 97

How does amount and intensity of training contribute to planning to avoid overtraining?

Answer 97

This is because overtraining is primarily caused by too much training, so adjustment to the amount and intensity of training needs to be made.

Better attention to training volume and intensity projections established in periodisation charts help prevent overtraining, as it allows for the identification of how much training and how hard training should be to allow for appropriate recovery

Large volumes of training at high intensity cause overtraining because the athlete does not have enough time between training sessions to recover from the previous training session

Question 98

How long should strength training have for rest?

Answer 98

48 hours of rest for the muscles to recover and adapt appropriately to the training

Question 99

What are the symptoms of overtraining? (Psychological considerations)

Answer 99

Increased nervousness
Poor concentration span
Irratibility or anger
Emotional sensitivity
Depression
Lack of motivation
Sensitive to criticism
Confusion during competition
Responds poorly to criticism/on field banter
Easily gives up

Question 100

What are the strategies to improve the mental well being of athletes suffering overtraining?

Answer 100

Reduction or cessation of training

Active rest

use of relaxation techniques

Change of routine and environment such as using cycling as a break from swimming

Replacing pressure with positive reinforcement

Question 101

What is the main psychological consideration of overtraining?

Answer 101

A lack of motivation. An athlete who has overtrained will lack motivation. They will be tired and not want to get up in the morning, but they will also no longer feel like training. They will lose focus on their goals and no longer want to do the hard work to get there.

Question 102

WHy is a lack of motivation different to lethargy?

Answer 102

Lethargy is about a lack of energy to train whereas a lack of motivation is not wanting to train or compete. Lethargy can lead to a lack of motivation as body is tired, causing our emotions to become elevated.

Question 103

What are the symptoms of an overtrained athlete? (physiological considerations)

Answer 103

Pain
Lack of energy
Headaches
Loss of appetite
Injuries
Poor technique
Excessive thirst
Frequent error in performance
Poor performance
Increased resting heart rate

Question 104

What are the 2 focus areas in physiological considerations?

Answer 104

Lethargy
Injury

Question 105

What is lethargy?

Answer 105

It is characterised by feelings of slowness, tiredness and lack of energy. Athletes in a lethargic state do not train or perform to their best ability, leading to a gradual deterioration in performance.

Question 106

What is lethargy (as a form of overtraining) caused by?

Answer 106

Caused by excessive training volume and intensity without sufficient rest and relaxation periods. Measures will thus need to be taken to address the problem.

In addition to that, after training, there are minor injuries to muscle cells. This constant low level pain wears the athlete out, causing them to become tired and more lethargic

Question 107

What does lethargy cause?

Answer 107

It leads to the athlete not being able to train or perform to their best ability, leading to a gradual deterioration in performance

Question 108

How does overtraining contribute to the physiological consideration of injury?

Answer 108

Need to understand how it is caused at the muscular level.

Every high intensity training session causes minor injuries to muscle cells, but they require time to heal. These micro-tears usually stimulate the physiological adaptations that occur from training, but if they havent fully recovered before the next training session, the small injuries become reinjured and become larger. The longer this goes on, the larger the injury which can lead to other injuries

Question 109

What could contribute to an athlete’s risk of suffering from overtraining

Answer 109

There are some general guidelines, but everything is and always should be athlete specific. Individual aspects include:

Stress from work or family
Medical conditions
Nutrition
Sleep
Use of recovery strategies

Question 110

How much training is too much?

Answer 110

As a general rule, athletes should not be completing high intensity training every day. Training intensities should be in their relevant training zones and need to only occur 3 times a week.

However, the amount of training considered ‘too much’ will vary from individuals depending on their past experience (i.e. amateur or professional)

The type of training should also be examined to ensure the amount and intensity of training does not place too much stress upon the athlete

Question 111

What do you do if you identify an overtrained athlete?

Answer 111

Reduce the amount and intensity of training sessions

May need to take a complete break from training to recover fully from their training session

If overtraining is identified early, a change in frequency, intensity and time may be adjusted

Often overtraining is not identified until after injuries begin to occur, in this case, rehab should occur and testing be done before the athlete returns to normal training and competition

Question 112

How can overtraining be avoided?

Answer 112

Have a good balance in the amount and intensity of training

Planning a training year ensuring the athlete has regular rest periods (weekly) is vital

Inclusion of recovery sessions and skills or tactical training - allows recovery from higher intensities

Monitor each athlete closely looking for the signs and symptoms of overtraining

Question 113

How do you identify an overtrained athlete?

Answer 113

Look at the psychological and physiological considerations of training above. All of these are symptoms of overtrained athletes.

Question 114

What What are the symptoms of overtraining? (Psychological considerations)

Answer 114

Increased nervousness
Poor concentration span
Irratibility or anger
Emotional sensitivity
Depression
Lack of motivation
Sensitive to criticism
Confusion during competition
Responds poorly to criticism/on field banter
Easily gives up

Question 115

What are the symptoms of an overtrained athlete? (physiological considerations)

Answer 115

Pain
Lack of energy
Headaches
Loss of appetite
Injuries
Poor technique
Excessive thirst
Frequent error in performance
Poor performance
Increased resting heart rate