Training prescription for aerobic adaptation

Question 1

What are the characteristics of easy and steady training?

Answer 1

• Prolonged bouts of exercise moderate intensity
• Largest volume of work, typically 1-4hours at 60-70% vo2max
  Should not elicit an accumulation of blood lactate

Question 2

What are the characteristics of threshold training?

Answer 2

• Training at or around LT will result in improved performance
• At the intensity when blood lactate rises dramatically, controlled by either pace, HR or workload
• Typically 30-60minutes

Question 3

Why do changes in blood volume lead to changes in vo2max?

Answer 3

• Increased blood volume results in an increase in end diastolic volume that results in an increase in stroke volume
• Decreases the heart rate at the same intensity of work performed
• Maximal cardiac output increases which is a major determinant in vo2max. If Qmax increases, vo2max increases

Question 4

How does increases in hemoglobin concentrations affect o2 carrying capacity?

Answer 4

• Red blood cell concentration increase
• Enhanced concentration of haemoglobin
• Increased O2 carrying capacity

Question 5

How does changes in heat tolerance effect our ability to dissipate heat?

Answer 5

• Improved heat tolerance and dissipation

- Enhanced plasma volume, improved skin blood flow, improve sweat response all help to dissipate heat

Question 6

Why do we get a shift to the right in the graph lactate as a result of threshold?

Answer 6

• Reduced rate of lactate production combined with increased rate of lactate removal
• Reduced production due to less reliance on anaerobic glycolysis and increased ability to generate atp aerobically
• Due to increased size and density of mitochondria and increase in key enzymes in the kreb cycle and ETC.

Question 7

What are the possible physiological reasons/benefits of interval training?

Answer 7

• Due to a reduction in CHO oxidation and lactate accumulation at the same absolute intensity
• Peripheral adaptations – enhanced buffering capacity of hydrogen ions as these affect muscle force production, ATPase activity, muscle cross bridge formation, inhibition of key glycolytic enzymes (pfk).
• Greater buffering allows for maintenance of high intensity muscular activity and higher glycolytic ATP yield.
• Enhanced heat tolerance

Question 8

Is there an optimal training intensity distribution?

Answer 8

• Low intensity – stable lactate concentrations <2mmol.L
• High intensity – lactate concentrations of >4mmol.L
• 80:20 ratio of low intensity to high intensity training