Recovery, Altitude and Heat Flashcards
What is EPOC?
Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is the volume of oxygen consumed post exercise to return the body to a pre-exercise state.
What is oxygen deficit?
The volume of oxygen that would be required to complete an activity entirely aerobically.
Describe the fast component of recovery.
- Alactacid (before lactic acid)
- Shows the volume of oxygen required to complete the initial jobs to return the body to a pre-existing state ( 1-4 litres )
- replenishes blood and muscle oxygen
- resynthesis of ATP and PC stores
Describe the slow component of recovery.
- Shows the volume of oxygen required to complete the more complex and time-consuming jobs to return the body to a pre-exercise state ( 5 - 8 litres )
- Provision of energy to maintain ventilation, circulation and body temperature
- Removal of lactic acid and replenishment of glycogen
How can having a warm up help aid recovery?
By performing a warm up, respiratory and heart rates increase. This accelerates the use of the aerobic system which minimises the time spent using the anaerobic energy system. This will reduce the oxygen deficit.
How can active recovery help to aid recovery?
Maintains respiratory and heart rates, flushing the muscle and capillary beds with oxygenated blood flow. This speeds up the removal of lactic acid and reduces the length of slow lactacid component of EPOC.
How can cooling aids help to aid recovery?
Lower the muscle and blood temperature to resting levels, reducing the metabolic rate and demand on the slow lactacid component of EPOC.
What other elements can help aid recovery?
- Intensity of training
- Work : Relief ratios
- Strategies and tactics
- Nurition
What is altitude?
The height of an area above sea level
What decreases as altitude increases?
As altitude increases, barometric pressure decreases. This is the pressure exerted by the earth’s atmosphere at any given point. Partial pressure of oxygen also decreases.
What occurs as a result of competing at high altitude?
- Rate of oxygen diffusion decreases
- Haemoglobin saturation decreases
- Poor transport of oxygen
- Breathing frequency increases
- Blood volume decreases
- Q, HR and SV decrease
What is acclimatisation?
A process of gradual adaptation to a change in environment.
How long does each altitude need for acclimatisation?
Low = 3 - 5 days
Moderate = 1 - 2 weeks
High = 2 + weeks
Extreme = 4 + weeks
What are the benefits of acclimatisation?
- release of erythropoietin increases within 3 hours of altitude exposure, which increases red blood cell production
- breathing rate stabilises
- stroke volume and cardiac output reduce
- reduced incidence of altitude sickness
What is thermoregulation?
The process of maintaining internal core temperatures
How much sweat can an athlete produce during exercise in the heat, and what can this lead to?
Sweating, although critical for heat loss, leads to fluid loss. An athlete exercising in the heat can lose around 2-3 litres per hour, which if not replaced decreases blood volume and can lead to dehydration.
What is the difference between hyperthermia and hypothermia?
HYPERTHERMIA = Significantly raised core body temperature
HYPOTHERMIA = Significantly dropped core body temperature
What is cardiovascular drift?
An upward drift in heart rate during sustained steady-state activity associated with an increase in body temperature
What effect does heat and humidity have on the cardiovascular system?
- dilation of arterioles and capillaries = increased blood flow
- decreased blood volume, venous return, stroke volume, cardiac output and blood pressure
- increased heart rate
What effect does heat and humidity have on the respiratory system?
- dehydration = increased mucus production
- constriction of airways
- increased breathing frequency
What can athletes do pre, during and post competition to minimise a decrease in performance?
PRE:
- Acclimatise to increased temperatures
- Use cooling aids
DURING:
- Use pacing strategies to alter goals
- Wear suitable clothing
- Rehydrate as often as possibe
POST:
- Cooling aids
- Rehydrate
