The training session and training year

Question 1

What is an accepted protocol and why is it important?

Answer 1

• To gain the most from the investment of time in training, each session must follow an accepted protocol
• which will allow the athlete to prepare their mind and body for work then progress through the stressful part of the session then finally, slowly come down from the session returning to pre-exercise state at the completion of workout.

Question 2

What should each training session comprise?

Answer 2

WARM UP: general to specific
CONDITIONING/SKILL DEVELOPMENT PHASE
WARM/COOL DOWN: this may include active recovery modalities

Question 3

What is the purpose of a the warm-up part of a training session?

Answer 3

• Prepare the body for competition or conditioning exercise.
• Reduce the possibility of joint or muscle injury or soreness.

Question 4

What are the elements of a warm-up? Provide a specific example

Answer 4

• The warm-up should include exercises that prepare the muscles to be used and activate the energy system required.
• It should be related specifically to the activity that follows.
• The warm-up should incorporate the following activities: A continuous activity, light resistance exercises, flexibility exercises.

For example; a hockey warm-up:
A continuous activity: A light jog for ~5mins

light resistance exercises:
Some hitting and trapping

flexibility exercises such as dynamic stretching:
Leg and arm swings; walking hamstring stretches

Question 5

What are the physiological responses that can be observed as a result of a warm-up session?

Answer 5

• There is an increase in blood flow through the muscles as the small blood vessels dilate (vasodilation) and therefore an increase in local temperature takes place.
• (The increased temperature increases the enzyme activity within the muscle fibres while improving the extensibility of fibres and tendons.)
• (Warming up alerts the nervous system, therefore preparing you physiologically and psychologically for the strain to come.)
• Increases in heart rate and respiratory rate, resulting in mobilisation of oxidative energy sources, making it easier to switch to aerobic energy production.
• There is reduced viscosity (stickiness) in the muscles, so they can contract and relax more quickly.

There is increased speed and force of contraction of the muscles.

Question 6

What is the conditioning/ skill development phase?

Answer 6

• This phase incorporates conditioning and skill development.
• Sometimes conditioning occurs first and then skill development and vice versa.
• At times, these two phases are combined.
• This greatly depends on the type of the sport, level of participants, time within the training year and other factors such as ground availability.

Question 7

What happens during the conditioning phase?

Answer 7

• During the conditioning (or fitness) phase, the specific fitness components for a particular sport are developed using the training methods you favour.
• Proven training principles should be utilised during this phase.

Question 8

What happens during skill development?

Answer 8

Skill development focuses on the specific skills and teamwork required for the sport.

Sometimes during this phase, appropriate skills can be worked on in conjunction with any conditioning work.

Question 9

What is the cool-down phase?

Answer 9

The cool-down is the tapering off after completion of the workout.

It should be a continuation of the activity at a much-reduced intensity (e.g., after running, keep walking).

Question 10

What exercises does the cool-down phase include?

Answer 10

All cool-downs should include either static stretching exercises or PNF stretching exercises for all muscle groups involved.

Question 11

What is the purpose of a cool-down phase and what are the physiological effects if you do/ don’t do it?

Answer 11

• The cool down is needed to prevent venous pooling (i.e., pooling of blood in the veins).
• After strenuous exercise, the heart keeps pumping blood at a rapid rate.
• If you end your workout abruptly, the muscles are no longer contracting (helping to propel the blood back to the heart) so blood may pool in the veins and tissue.

Question 12

Stages of designing a training session.

Answer 12

Focus on the specificity of training, considering training principles-> determine what fitness components are being trained-> determine training method

Question 13

What should be considered when designing an annual plan?

Answer 13

• The individual’s test results
• Calendar dates of competitions
• Rate of progressive overload
• Fitness components to be developed
• Climate and season
• The fact that a high level of competitive fitness cannot be maintained for the whole year

Question 14

Periodisation

Answer 14

An annual plan must be divided into smaller phases of training.
- It basically means the cycling of specificity, intensity and volume of training to achieve peak levels of fitness for competition.
- The training year is divided into periods that will achieve different things.

Question 15

What are the phases of the periodisation model?

Answer 15

PREPARATORY (PRE-SEASON)
- General preparation phase.
- Specific preparation phase: start to look at the needs of the sport
COMPETITIVE (IN-SEASON)
Pre-competition phase
Competitive phase
TRANSITION (OFF-SEASON)

Question 16

Emphasis of general preparatory phase.

Answer 16

developing general fitness as a solid base on which to build and specialise in the following phases.
- special emphasis on developing the aerobic energy system

Question 17

What is another word for the preparatory phase?

Answer 17

fitness foundation phase

Question 18

How long does the subphase of general preparatory phase last for?

Answer 18

4-10 weeks

Question 19

Describe the training within the general phase (preparatory: pre-season)

Answer 19

• During this sub-phase, the volume of training is high, but the intensity is low to start with, and increases very slowly.
• Specialised programs to remedy specific player weaknesses should be continued during this sub-phase.

Question 20

What happens within the specific preparatory sub-phase? How long does this sub-phase last for?

Answer 20

During the specific preparatory sub-phase, there is a shift in training towards more specific game-related fitness work.
The intensity of training (higher percentage of heart rate) should increase while the volume slowly decreases. (amount of training)
This sub-phase usually lasts 2–6 weeks.

Question 21

What is the emphasis in the competitive (in-season) phase? Describe the length and intensity of this phase.

Answer 21

The competitive phase usually lasts 4–6 months.
During the competitive season, the emphasis is on maintaining pre-season fitness.
Because of the heavy demands of competition, not every training session during this phase should be long and intense.

Question 22

Describe the training spread during the competitive (in-season phase). (intensity at diff times)

Answer 22

Training should work on a hard–easy cycle.
Sessions early in the training week should be longer and more intense.
Sessions later in the week should be lighter and less intense so that players are not still recovering from fatigue on competition day.

Question 23

transition phase (length, aim)

Answer 23

The off-season period should be both a psychological and physical break from the sport in which you have been competing.
It usually lasts 6–12 weeks.
Training during this period should be devoted to remaining reasonably active without staying involved in the chosen sport.

Question 24

What happens when an athlete is inactive during the transition phase?

Answer 24

If you are inactive during this period, you will rapidly lose the benefits of previous training.

Question 25

What kind of exercises/ training should be included in transitional phase?

Answer 25

• low-intensity weight and running training
• active recreational games (e.g. basketball, tennis and swimming) played for enjoyment.
• specialised weight-training or speed programs to remedy any diagnosed weaknesses.

Question 26

What training methods suit the transitional phase?

Answer 26

Training methods that suit this phase of training include continuous training, cross training and resistance training.

Question 27

What is peaking?

Answer 27

Peaking refers to those training techniques that result in players reaching their optimum state of readiness to perform.

Question 28

What is peaking related to and what are the levels that has to be considered?

Answer 28

Peaking is related to training intensity and must be considered on two levels:
- Over the whole year
- For specific individual games or events

Question 29

Describe peaking when considered on a whole year basis.

Answer 29

• In a whole year plan, the goal is to have players peaking during the in-season period.
• A training program with a longer pre-season phase, which includes gradual overloads in intensity into the early in-season, will result in a slower improvement rate, but a higher final peak that can be maintained longer i.e., for the duration of the in-season.
• An example relates to most team sports with a roster.

Question 30

What is in-season peaking? What has to be done for this to occur?

Answer 30

• This relates to peaking for specific matches/ competitions/ events during the in-season period (e.g., a crucial match, selection, qualifier, trials, Grand Final, Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Cups).
• This requires some rest from training or at least easing up to allow complete recovery and a build-up of peak strength and endurance on competition day.

Question 31

What are some examples of in-season peaking?

Answer 31

Examples include sports such as swimming, gymnastics, athletics, dance, rowing etc. but could also relate to some team sports such as the Australian Soccer Team.

Question 32

What is tapering?

Answer 32

Tapering is a reduction in training before a major event to allow for complete recovery and optimal performance due to reduced fatigue and maximum strength or endurance.