WHAT IS CONDITIONING? Flashcards
CONDITIONING ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO WHAT?
Energy management
HOW IS EFFECTIVE ENERGY MANAGEMENT DEVELOPED?
By training the brain and the body to be prepared for the stress of the competition environment
WHAT IS THE “CURRENCY” OF YOUR BODY
Energy, specifically, ATP
The human body shuttles energy to different tissues or functions to meet the needs of what 3 broad categories?
- Vital biological functions
- Physical recovery & stress
- Tissue recovery & adaptation
Vital Biological Functions
3
- Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is essentially a measure of how much energy it takes to keep you alive every day.
- This includes organs & tissues that require a constant supply of energy to function.
- Your body distributes energy to attend these needs first and foremost.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & MENTAL STRESS
- Is hugely energy-intensive because muscles and the brain need ATP to fuel movement.
- Mental stress causes energy to be mobilized (via the stress response) and then stored.
- This process of mobilizing and storing energy is also energy-intensive, making it very inefficient.
TISSUE RECOVERY & ADAPTATION
Remodeling tissues to become bigger, stronger, and more efficient requires a significant amount of energy
Remodeling tissues to become bigger, stronger, and more efficient requires a significant amount of energy and can affect what 6 things?
- Muscle fibers
- tendons/ligaments
- fascial tissue
- Cardiac tissue
- Vascular network
- mitochondria
Additive model of expenditure
Traditional research suggested the more physically active you are, the more calories you’ll burn.
Metabolism (how much energy you can create) has its limits. Explain.
(2)
(1) Current research has actually found your body can’t just infinitely keep increasing how much energy your body can produce in a day.
(2) Just because you increase your body’s demand for energy it doesn’t mean your body can match that energy production in a linear manner.
What occurs as a result of metabolism having its limits?
2
(1) The body will take energy away from other areas that are more pliable - such as recovery & adaptation.
(2) If your physical activity exceeds a certain threshold, your body won’t (or can’t) necessarily produce more energy, it will just divert it away from other processes like building bigger muscles, rebuilding immune system etc. which can lead to energy deficits in these areas.
Stress (3)
(1) Caused by hormones released by the brain which travel to different parts of the body.
(2) These hormones are designed to regulate energy production.
(3) This process happens through the ANS
What are the 2 branches of the ANS?
(1) Sympathetic branch
(2) Parasympathetic branch
What do the 2 branches of the ANS do?
Regulate energy production and distribution
Sympathetic System (3)
(1) Often called the “fight or flight” system
(2) increases energy and drives it into the muscles that need it most
(3) Includes mobilizing stored energy to carry our stress-related bodily functions
Parasympathetic System (3)
(1) Often called the “rest & digest” system
(2) promotes energy storage and tissue remodeling/rebuilding
(3) drops heart rate & decreases blood pressure, which promotes these restorative processes
Examples of Sympathetic System responses (7)
(1) Increases heart rate
(2) Raises blood pressure
(3) diverts blood flow to muscles
(4) drives sugars/fats into bloodstream
(5) Inhibits digestion
(6) Reduces appetite
(7) Dilates pupils
Examples of Parasympathetic System Responses (7)
(1) Slows heart rate
(2) decreases blood pressure
(3) dilates blood vessels
(4) promotes energy storage
(5) Stimulates digestion
(6) Increases appetite
(7) Constricts pupils
How do the Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Systems work together?
work together to either provide energy where it is needed or, to shift the body into a recovery state
Why is it important to understand the training process?
2
(1) Because training dictates the type of performance our bodies become capable of
(2) The human body adapts in a specific way based on the type of training it is exposed to
The process of training occurs in 4 stages:
(1) Homeostasis is interrupted
(2) Mechanical & metabolic sensors triggered
(3) Specific gene expression
(4) Structural & functional neuromuscular adaptations
The 4 stages of training ultimately do what?
Cause our bodies to get bigger, stronger, faster, and more efficient
Stage 1: The training session
2
(1) Homeostasis is the body’s drive to keep physiological functions within normal parameters (ie. temperature, blood PH, blood pressure, hydration, blood sugar)
2. When you train, your body has to produce a higher level of energy which means these physiological factors will change or be disrupted.
Stage 2: The signal to adapt
2
(1) A variety of metabolic by-products and hormones provide a signaling mechanism when they bind to cells including:
- testosterone
- Hypoxia
- Cytokines
- ROS
- Catecholamines
- Amino acids
What do the signals that get produced in the second stage of training depend on?
Depend entirely on the type of training you’re doing and the environment that you’re doing the training in
Stage 3: Genetic pathways activated
2
(1) When the cellular sensors are sent in stage 2, it causes specific genetic pathways to get activated and these pathways cause an increase in protein synthesis in certain parts of the body.
(2) The types of stress or training that you’re doing lead to different pathways being activated which leads to upregulation of protein synthesis in different cells.
Stage 4: Remodeling & adaptation
(1) Depending on the type of training you’re doing, which will cause different changes in homeostasis, along with the environment you’re doing them in, your body will adapt by building bigger, stronger, more durable tissues that are better suited to handle the environment.
What are two other adaptations related to stage 4 of the process of training?
(1) Improved energy production & more efficient energy expenditure
(2) Motor skill development (more effective movement patterns)
The four stages of adaptation (the training process) cause what?
A variety of tissues within the body to remodel and this leads to changes in fitness, movement, and performance.
What else has a big impact on the changes that occur through the training process?
The stress of the environment
What will dictate how our bodies adapt?
The varying degrees and differences of stress
How do the effects of the environment carry over to conditioning? (2)
(1) A big part of performance is preparing athletes for the environment they are going to be competing in.
(2) The stress of the environment during competition changes things and it’s going to be different than the training environment.
Performance is dictated by what 3 things?
(1) Power output - fitness & conditioning
(2) Level of technical skill - technical development
(3) Tactics & Strategy - tactical preparation
What separates high-level athletes from lower-level ones?
Those at the higher level have obtained higher levels of proficiency in the 3 key performance indicators
- power output
- level of technical skill
- tactics and strategy
POWER OUTPUT
(1) Result of many different factors that all relate back to energy production & expenditure
(2) The ability to maintain a high level of power output over time (competition) is a key driver and measure of conditioning
is a key driver and measure of conditioning
The ability to maintain a high level of power output over time (competition)
What does conditioning largely come down to?
Your body’s ability to create or produce energy and how it utilizes energy to create the movement needed for the specific demands of the exercise being performed
Energy production: Your body’s ability to produce energy comes down to what 3 things?
(1) Energy systems development (aerobic & anaerobic)
(2) Muscular size 7 fiber type (bigger, stronger muscles need more energy and can produce more energy)
(3) Nutrition (How your body is fueled at the time of competition will dictate energy production)
Energy expenditure comes down to what 3 things?
(1) Movement capacity
(2) Skill & technique
(3) Mental performance
Energy expenditure
2
(1) The 3 factors will determine how well you’re able to turn the energy you’re capable of producing into performance.
(2) If any of the 3 factors (Movement capacity, skill & technique, Mental performance) is lacking, energy will not be utilized effectively, and performance will suffer.
Conditioning vs. Fitness
2
(1) It is possible to have a high level of fitness, but poor level of conditioning.
(2) Fitness is the measure of the potential qualities that MAY lead to performance including:
- VO2 max
- Resting HR
- Heart rate variability
- Anaerobic threshold
- strength
- power
- joint mobility
Conditioning (2)
(1) Is the physical & mental ability to utilize your fitness to meet the demands of the environment.
(2) It is the ability to take the measurable potential qualities of fitness, and turn them into performance.
Well-conditioned athletes will be able to: (2)
(1) Execute their skills to the best of their ability throughout the competition
(2) In order to perform well, you have to have both fitness and conditioning
What is the job of the conditioning coach?
To develop a high-level of fitness and prepare the athlete to perform within the competition environment
How can the conditioning coach ensure he is developing a high-level of fitness and preparation for his client?
By learning how to develop the body (physical performance), the brain (mental performance), and prepare athletes for the stress of the competition environment.
