Preparation and Training Methods Flashcards
Why do we fitness test (6)
- Provide objective, measures about an individuals current state of fitness or health
- Highlights strengths and weaknesses
- Evaluate effects of a training programme
- Identifying talent
- Providing motivation
- Adding variety to training
How does a fitness test become sport specific
Must be appropriate for age, sex and fitness and ensure variables tested are relevant to the sport
Examples of making fitness tests sport specific
• Use of a flume pool for swimmers
• Use of a cycle ergometer for cyclists
Why should a fitness test be sport specific
Increases validity
Factors that can influence fitness test results (6)
- Specificity of the test
- Prior test experience
- Time of day
- Environmental factors (eg. Weather/surface)
- Personal factors (eg. Sleep/diet)
- Reliability/ validity of the test
What are the two types of testing methods
Lab and field tests
What’s a lab test
Only performed within the confines of a laboratory (controlled environment) with lab testing equipment (eg. Gas analyser)
What’s a field test
A test conducted in a natural sport specific environment
Advantages of lab tests (2)
- High amount of control over conditions
- Highly valid and reliable
Disadvantages of lab tests (2)
- Expensive and time consuming
- Artificial environment (not sport specific can affect results)
Advantages of field tests (3)
- Natural, sport specific environment
- Can test large groups
- Cheap and accessible
Disadvantages of field tests (2)
- Lacks reliability as some variables can’t be controlled
- More open to human error (eg. Inaccurate counting of HR)
What’s validity
A test that measures exactly what it’s supposed to meaisre
What’s reliability
The ability to carry out the same test methods and expect the same results
What should a test protocol ensure
A test produces measurable, definite (objective) results and human error and opinion (subjective) must not be allowed to influence results
How does a standardised test protocol eliminate inaccuracies
- Correct technique/ equipment that’s efficient and accurate
- Use of protocol for scoring
- Elimination of crowd effects
- Controlled wam up
- Same conditions for repeated tests
List the tests that measure sub-maximal aerobic fitness (2)
- Functional thresholds
- Maximum steady state
List the tests that measure maximal aerobic fitness (5)
- 12 minute Cooper run
- Multi-stage fitness test
- Step tests
- Yo-yo tests
- Gas analysis
List the test that measures exercise economy
Gas analysis
List the tests that measure anaerobic capacity (4)
- Wingate test
- Maximum accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD)
- Repeat anaerobic sprint test (RAST)
- Cunningham and Faulkner
List the tests that measure anaerobic power (3)
- Jump tests
- Agility tests
- Margarita-Kalaman
List the test that measures maximum speed
Spring tests less than 100m
Outline the functional threshold test
• Conduct 3min test to gage target wattage (70-80%)
• Using a wattbike, pair HR monitor and maintain the same pace for 20min.
• Record average power and HR at the end
Outline the gas analysis test
• Lab test on a treadmill, bike, rowing ergometer
• Start at ‘comfortable but not too comfortable’ speed, every min increase incline/speed
• Oxygen uptake is calculated from mesures of ventilation and o2/co2 in expired air
• Maximal level (plateauing of o2 uptake) is determined at/near test completion
Outline the maximum steady state test
• Lab test where velocity/resistance is increased at regular intervals. Blood samples are taken at every increment to measure lactate levels (mmol/L)
• Usually test vo2 max, HR data, co2 levels and RPE
Outline the multi-stage fitness test
• Performer runs till exhaustion, 20m back and forth on a marked path in time with a bleep on a pre-recording.
• One foot must be placed on/beyond the 20m marker at the end of each shuttle, failure to get there leads to a warning. Test ends after missing 2 bleeps
Outline the 12 minute Cooper run test
Run the greatest distance possible in 12 minutes, best completed on a 400m track
Outline the Harvard step test
• Determine aerobic capacity and estimates vo2 max
• Step onto a block with right foot and bring your left foot beside it. Continue in an ‘up,up,down,down’ pattern for 3 minutes
Outline the yo-yo test
• Athlete starts running 20m then turns and returns to starting point on the bleep.
• There’s an active recovery period of 10 sec between each shuttle- must walk/jog to third cone and back (5m)
Outline the sit and reach test
Measures flexibility, subject sits on the floor and measures how far they can reach past their feet
Outline the Wingate test
• Athlete pedals as fast as possible on a cycle ergometer with no resistance for 30 seconds. • • • • Revolutions are recorded at 5 second intervals to determine power output
• Determines anaerobic power and capacity
Outline the maximal accumulated oxygen defect (MAOD) test
• Determines how efficiently your body can resynthesise used ATP molecules using phosphocreatine
• Vo2 max is found and the athlete cycles/runs to exhaustion at a constant speed for (usually) 2-3min
• The MAOD finds the difference between oxygen consumption and expected oxygen consumption at 100% of Vo2 max
Outline the repeated anaerobic sprint test (RAST)
Athlete performs 6 x 35m sprints with 10 second recovery. Each 35m spring is times to work out power output, fatigue index and anaerobic capacity
Outline the Cunningham and Faulkner test
After a warmup, the treadmills set to 8mph at 20% incline and the athlete should run to exhaustion, the score is the time completed before exhaustion
Outline the Margaria -Kalaman test
• Start 6m in front of the first step, the athlete sprints and jumps when they reach the line, taking 3 steps at a time (3,6,9).
• The time is taken from step 3 to step 9.
Outline sprint tests <100m (4Ms)
• Most common is the 30m sprint
• More accurate using timing gates
• More sport specific when below 100m
• Modified with specific physiological requirements for the activity (eg. Differ from netball to football)
Outline strength tests
• Most commonly 1/3RM using compound/multi-joint exercises (eg. Squat/bench press/deadlift)
• Other tests include isokinetic strength test and hand grip dynamometer
Outline the Illinois agility test
• Cones mark the course, the subject starts face down with head on the start line and hands by shoulders, on the whistle, the subjects runs the 10m long, 5m wide course
• (Draw course layout)
Outline the standing broad jump test
• Determines horizontal anaerobic power
• Stand with 2 feet behind a marked line, swing arms to generate momentum and jump as far as possible. The athlete must make sure they fall forwards as if they fall back, that distance is recorded
Outline the Seargant jump
• Position next to a wall, both feet on the ground, chalk your fingers and reach the highest point you can.
• From a static position, jump and reach the highest point possible and measure the distance between the two points
What’s quantitative data
Numerical data
What’s qualitative data
Subjective data
What are the most important determinants of fitness for an endurance performer (3)
- Submaximal aerobic fitness
- Maximal aerobic fitness
- Exercise economy
What are the most important determinants of fitness for an anaerobic performer (4)
- Exercise economy
- Anaerobic capacity
- Anaerobic power
- Maximum speed
What’s are the 7 physiological determinants of sporting performance (focussing on movement/running)
- Sub-maximal aerobic fitness
- Maximal aerobic fitness
- Maximum speed
- Anaerobic capacity
- Anaerobic power
- Exercise economy
- Body composition
Define exercise economy
The energy required to maintain a constant velocity of movement. This is the ability to transfer energy into movement.
Define anaerobic capacity
The amount of energy obtained from anaerobic sources in a single bout of exercise- the greatest amount of energy that can be released from the anaerobic system.
Define sub-maximal aerobic fitness (aerobic capacity)
The ability to maintain a high percentage of Vo2 max for a prolonged period of time.
Define maximal aerobic fitness
The maximum amount of oxygen that can be utilised in one minute. This is the upper limit of the aerobic system (the persons vo2 max)
Define maximum speed
Time taken to move a body (part or whole) through a movement over a predetermined distance or speed
Define anaerobic power
The rate at which energy’s produced. This is the fastest rate at which energy (ATP) can be produced anaerobically during activity.
Define body composition
The proportion of muscle mass compared to fat mass
List the components of fitness
- Localised muscular endurance
- Aerobic capacity
- Strength
- Maximum speed
- Power
- Agility
- Balance
- Co-ordination
- Flexibility
- Reaction time
Define fitness
The ability to meet the demands of the environment
What does fitness consist of
• Physical components that are anatomically and physically based
• Skill components which are neuromuscular and skill-based and include the capacity to repeat a particular exercise
Outline localised muscular endurance
• The ability of a muscle (group) too sustain repeated contractions against resistance for an extended period of time
• Relies on both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, stressing slow twitch and fast twitch (IIa) fibres which are both fatigue resistant
What tests test for localised muscular endurance (5)
- Wingate
- RAST
- MAOD
- Harvard step test
- 12min CRT
Outline aerobic capacity
• The ability to utilise oxygen, incorporates vo2 max and sub-maximal aerobic fitness
• impacted by percentage of slow twitch muscle fibres and mitochondria as well as myoglobin concentrations and diet
What tests test for aerobic capacity (4)
- Yo-yo test
- MSFT
- Harvard step test
- 12min CRT
Outline strength
• Can be developed through weight training and resistance training as they promote hypertrophy with the growth of type IIx muscle fibres
Includes:
• Strength: the force developed in a muscle/ group of muscles during a contraction
• Maximal strength: the maximum force that can be developed in a muscle/group of muscles during a single maximum contraction or 1RM
What are the 3 types of strength
- Static strength
- Dynamic/explosive strength
- Elastic/ Plyometrics strength
Outline static strength
• Exerted without change in muscle length (isometric contraction)
• EG- pushing hard during a stationary scrum
Outline dynamic strength
• Exerted during movement or exercise where muscle length changes- most common type of strength in sport
• EG- Olympic weight lifter clean and jerk
Outline elastic strength
• The ability to apply as large a force as possible using an eccentric followed by a concentric contraction
• EG- high jump take off
Outline maximum speed
• Time taken to love a body (part or whole) through a movement over a pre-determined distance or speed
• Improved through a combination of interval, plyometric and weight training to increase hypertrophy of type IIx muscle fibres to increase potential for motor recruitment
What tests test for maximum speed (2)
- RAST
- Sprint tests
Outline power
• The rate at which force is produced, it’s a combination of strength and speed that’s measured in Watts
• Developed using weight training and Plyometrics to increase hypertrophy and recruitment of type IIx fibres
• Most important COF in shot put and powerlifting
What tests test for power (4)
- Vertical jump
- Standing broad jump
- Margaria-Kalaman
- Wingate
Outline agility
• Changing position quickly and with control without losing balance in response to a stimulus
• Improved with the use of SAQ training that improves proprioception and dynamic balance
• Linked to balance, co-ordination and speed
What tests test for agility (3)
- Illinois agility test
- 505 agility
- T-test
Outline balance
• The ability to maintain your centre of mass over a base of support. Developed through unilateral movements that challenge centre of mass on unstable surfaces to promote increased proprioception recruitment
Can be:
• Static - holding a position steady
• Dynamic - ability to maintain balance on the changing conditions of body movement, shape and orientation
What tests test for balance
Standing stork test
Outline co-ordination
• The ability of the body to link movements together, either with other movements or in relation to an external object
• Developed through intricate skill development practices, combines with agility to improve physical literacy, increasing skill level
Outline flexibility
• The range of movement available at a joint, incorporating muscle tissue, ligaments and tendons around the skeletal joint
• Developed through the use of PNF and static stretching incorporating stress-overload principle by forcing the contractile tissues to operate at full strength
What tests test for flexibility
Sit and reach test
What are the principles of training (5)
- Individual needs
- Specificity
- Progressive overload
- Overtraining
- Reversibility
Outline individual needs as a principle of training
Each training programme must meet the specific personal fitness of the athlete
What factors influence individual needs as a principle of training
Age, gender, weight, height, experience, previous injuries, strengths and weaknesses, current level of fitness and level of performance
Outline specificity as a principle of training
• The relevance of the choice of exercise to the athletes activity being improved
• Focus on the most appropriate way to develop the required COF for the sport/ position and where possible match the activity
What factors affect specificity as a principle of training
Contribution of energy systems, COF, muscle fibre types, skills and movements required in the sport/position
Define progressive overload as a principle of training
The need to increase training demands on the body in order to encourage it to adapt further
What’s the mindset of progressive overload
• ‘More than normal’
• Gradually working with more intensity throughout the programme. This allows the body to adapt to incremental training demands, improving fitness levels safely and reducing injury risk
How is progressive overload achieved
Through the FITT principles
What does FITT stand for
Frequency
Intensity
Time
Type
Outline frequency as a FITT principle
How often a performer trains
Outline intensity as a FITT principle
• How hard a performer trains
• Can be manipulated by changing length of session, increasing resistance, modifying work-relief ratios. Should be specific to the activity (training zones)
Outline time as a FITT principle
How long/ the training duration- specific to the aims of the sport
Outline type as a FITT principle
The method or type of training/ exercises should be specific to the oaks of the sport (matching) but will vary depending on the periodised training year
Outline overtraining as a principle of training
• Occurs when intensity or volume of training are increased to extreme levels and there’s a lack of recovery within or between training sessions
• Lack of recovery doesn’t allow time for the repair of micro tears or the replenishment of energy stores which could lead to fatigue, causing illness and/or injury
Define reversibility as a principle of training
When training loads are reduced or removed completely, the state of fitness for performance returns to normal training state