Week 10 - Training for Performance

Question 1

What is the influence of training on initial fitness levels

Answer 1

Training improvements is always greater in individuals with lower initial fitness:
1. 50% increase in VO2 max in sedentary adults
2. 10-20% improvement in normal active subjects
3. 3-5% improvement in trained athletes

Question 2

What is the influence of genetics on training

Answer 2

Genetics plays an important role in how an individual responds to training

Anaerobic capacity is more genetically determined than aerobic capacity

Different responders could have improvements between 5%-50% increase in VO2 max

Question 3

Why should athletes warm up

Answer 3

Increases cardiac output and blood flow to skeletal muscle
Increases muscle temperature and enzyme activity
Can reduce risk of exercise-induced muscle injury

Question 4

What are the methods to improve aerobic power, and what do they improve

Answer 4

Interval training
Long, slow distance
High-intensity continuous exercise

VO2 max, Lactate threshold, running economy

Question 5

What are some laboratory test to quantify endurance exercise potential

Answer 5

Lactate threshold
Ventilatory threshold
Critical power
Exercise economy

Question 6

What training outcomes occur from HIIT

Answer 6

Improved VO2 max, running economy, lactate threshold better than low-intensity intervals

Increases mitochondrial volume

Question 7

What does long, slow distance running target, and how does induce improvements

Answer 7

Targets aerobic base, underpins many performance demands.
Training improvements are based on volume of training

Question 8

What does high-intensity continuous exercise attributes to

Answer 8

Increasing VO2 max and lactate threshold
(80-100% VO2 max)

Question 9

How to determine intensity and duration for training

Answer 9

Heart rate is the determining factor

Zone 1: 60-71% (1-3h)
Zone 2: 72-82% (1-2)
Zone 3: 83-87% (30-90min)
Zone 4: 88-92% (10-40min)
Zone 5: 93-100% (5-10min)

Question 10

Where do injuries originate from, and what should be done to reduce the chances of injury

Answer 10

Injuries occur from overtraining
Short: High-intensity
Long: Low-intensity

Increase intensity or duration 10% per week

Other injury risk factors include: strength and flexibility, footwear problems, malalignment, poor running surface, disease

Question 11

What does training need to emphasise when improving anaerobic power

Answer 11

ATP-PC system (rapid recovery)
Glycolytic system (depletion of glycogen levels)

Question 12

What are the types of strength training exercises

Answer 12

Isometric : Application of force without joint movement
Dynamic: Includes variable resistance exercise
Isokinetic: Exertion of force at constant speed

Question 13

What is the difference between strength and power

Answer 13

Strength: ability to exert force in order to overcome resistance
Power: ability to exert force with respect to time, rate at which force can be applied

Question 14

What are some sex differences in response to strength training

Answer 14

Males have greater absolute strength than females (50% upper, 30% lower)

Question 15

What are some recommendations on combined strength and endurance training programs

Answer 15

Perform strength and endurance training on alternate days for optimal strength gains
Athletes whose sport requires maximal strength should avoid concurrent training

Question 16

How does nutrition influence training induce beneficial muscle adaptations

Answer 16

1. Low muscle glycogen is a positive influence on endurance training-induced adaptations (promotes proteins synthesis)
2. Ingesting protein increases rate of protein synthesis post-training
3. Antioxidant supplements may prevent damage and fatigue induced from free radical production

Question 17

What is muscle soreness

Answer 17

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Appears 24-48h after strenuous exercise, due to microscopic tears in muscle fibres or connective tissue

Common treatments for DOMS include: rest, ice, compression, elevation, and anti-inflammatory drugs

Question 18

How to improve flexibility

Answer 18

Static stretching
Dynamic stretching
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation

Question 19

Define tapering and training periodisation

Answer 19

Tapering: short-term reduction in training load prior to competition. Allows muscles to resynthesise glycogen and heal from training-induced damage

Training periodisation:
1. Marcocycle (entire season)
2. Mesocycle (2-6 weeks)
3. Microcycle (around 7 days)

Question 20

What are some common training mistakes

Answer 20

Overtraining
Undertraining
Performing non-specific exercises
A lack of long-term training plan
Failure to taper before a performance

Question 21

What are some key concerns for female athletes

Answer 21

1. Exercise and menstrual cycle
2. Eating disorders
3. Bone mineral density
4. Exercise during pregnancy

Question 22

What is the relevance of menstrual disorders during exercise

Answer 22

Amenorrhea is caused from the modified release of hormones from hypothalamus

Causes: amount of training, increased psychological stress, low energy availability

Dysmenorrhea is painful menstruation due to prostaglandins, which may limit training due to discomfort

Question 23

What are some eating disorders female athletes experience

Answer 23

Anorexia nervosa: extreme steps to reduce body weight
Excessive weight loss, amenorrhea or death

Bulimia: pattern of overeating followed by vomiting
Damage to teeth and esophagus from vomiting stomach acids

Question 24

What are some bone mineral disorders female athletes experience

Answer 24

Osteoporosis: loss of bone mineral content
Caused from estrogen deficiency due to amenorrhea, or inadequate calcium intake from eating disorders

Question 25

What is the risk of knee injuries associated in female athletes

Answer 25

Female athletes are at higher risk of certain knee injuries compared to men (3.5x of ACL)

Reasons include: Fluctuation in hormones during menstrual cycle, sex differences in knee anatomy, dynamic neuromuscular imbalance

Question 26

Can people with type 1 diabetes train competitively

Answer 26

Yes if they
1. Are free from diabetic complications
2. Can obtain same benefits as nondiabetics
3. Have safe participation avoiding hypoglycemia
4. Have insulin injection site

Question 27

Define sarcopenia

Answer 27

Age-related loss of muscle mass

Due to:
1. Decrease muscle fibre size
2. Decrease number of fibres

Contributing factors:
1. Inactivity
2. Oxidative stress to muscle fibres
3. Inflammation
4. Decreased anabolic hormones

Exercise can reduce this loss

Question 28

What are some adaptations that occur in age-related loss of muscle mass

Answer 28

Muscle mass declines 1-2% per year after 50
Endurance performance declines after 60
VO2 max declines 1% per year after 40
Exercise can slow both VO2 and strength decline

Age-related decay in maximal oxygen extraction is due to decreased capillary density and mitochondrial volume

Question 29

What are some training guidelines for master athletes

Answer 29

Medical clearance must be obtained
Training principles similar to younger athletes
Training program should be individualised
Avoid overuse injuries

Question 30

Outline factors responsible for age-related decline in endurance performance

Answer 30

Decreased maximal heart rate, stroke volume, a-v O2 difference, exercise economy, VO2 max, lactate threshold

Question 31

What are the general strength training principles

Answer 31

Improvements in strength come from progressive overload
Intensity (8-12 rep max)
2+ sets for optimal gains (<10 sets)
2-4 times a week, or 4-6 times a week with split routines
Should involve muscle used in competition
Speed of muscle shortening similar to speeds used in events

Question 32

Why is it important to plan year-round conditioning

Answer 32

Structure training across year to target different sport demands
Timing to develop aspects of endurance, strength and speed skills will need to focused
Taper and maintenance considerations will depend on sport