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MYTHS OF TRAINING What is a myth? • …a traditional narrative usually involving supernatural or imaginary persons and often embodying popular ideas on natural or social phenomena, a widely held but false notion. Myths of training - True or False Write true/false or agree/disagree for each of the statements 1. Energy bars and sports drinks are always good for training 2. No pain no gain 3. You don’t need to cool down after a workout Answers 1. Energy bars and sports drinks are always good for training (True/False) Most fitness professionals agree that unless you’re exercising for more than two hours a day, energy bars and sports drinking aren’t necessary. Unfortunately, high energy generally means high-kilojoule when its comes to these products. Sticking to a healthy, well-rounded eating plan and drinking plenty of water should meet most exercisers needs. Answers 2. No pain no gain (Agree/Disagree) If you are looking for effective training, longer periods of moderately intense workouts are most effective. Short periods of high intensity training are fine when integrated into circuit training workout or when used for athletic training. For the average fitness enthusiast however, too much intensity will only lead to soreness and burnout. Answers 3. You don’t need to cool down after a workout (True false) Just as your body needs to warm up after it also needs a cool-down. Take some time to gradually let your heart rate lower. Stopping aerobic activity abruptly can cause a number of problems such as blood pooling in your lower extremities or making you feel light-headed. A good stretching programme can also provide you with lasting flexibility. Match up activity • Each student gets a mix and match card. • You need to move around the room until you find the card that you match with. • Once they have found your match sit down with your match. • Each group will read their card to the class. Fitness Components What are fitness components? These are the different elements that can be developed for fitness and training. A coach/trainer/athlete must decide on which elements they want to develop and that best suit the sport requirements Write down as many fitness components that you can think of Hint – There are 11 of them • • • • • • • • • • • Aerobic Power Anaerobic Power Muscular Strength Muscular Power Muscular Endurance Agility Flexibility Balance Reaction Time Speed Coordination Aerobic Power The capacity the body has to work in an activity for long periods of time when energy is produced aerobically. Eg running a 10km race Anaerobic Power The ability to put body parts into motion quickly and to sustain high-intensity efforts, the energy is supplied anaerobically. Eg 100m sprint Muscular Strength The ability your muscles have to apply a force and overcome a resistance. Eg Lifting heavy weights Muscular Power A combination of muscular strength and speed of performance to get an explosive force. Eg Shot put Muscular Endurance The ability of a muscle or group of muscles to work for long periods of time Eg 2 minutes of sit ups Agility A person’s ability to change direction and body position quickly and precisely. Eg side step in rugby Flexibility The ability to stretch a muscle or ligament so that the joint moves freely. Eg splits Balance Where an athlete maintains a state of equilibrium while stationary and while moving. Eg Balancing on surf board Reaction time The amount of time it takes for an athlete to start reacting to a stimulus. Eg start of 100m sprint Speed The ability to carry out a movement in a short period of time, it can be the whole body or parts of the body. Eg Sprinting to score a try in rugby Coordination The ability to combine the senses and body movement to produce action that flows and is accurate Eg netball shot Activity 1. Complete the fitness component table 2. Complete questions 1 to 5 Activity AP Tennis ANP or Weights Jogging MST MP or MEN AG FL RT SP CO Skating Cricket Golf Soccer Squash Cycling Netball Swimming (event dependent) Basketball Softball BA Volleyball Ballet Answers 1. Aerobic Power 2. Muscular strength. 3. Strength, Performance 4. Muscular endurance 5. Aerobic Power, Muscular Endurance Fitness Testing WHY DO WE HAVE FITNESS TESTING? • to identify strengths and weaknesses • to get feedback on success of previous training programmes • to compare 1 athlete with another • to design a training programme • to motivate athletes • to check an athletes readiness to return to activity after injury What fitness tests can you think of? Examples Aerobic Power • Beep test • 3 km run • Coopers 12 min run Flexibility • Sit and reach Muscular Power • Standing jump – vertical or horizontal Muscular Endurance • Prone bridge hold • Sit ups • Chin ups • Press Ups Speed and Agility • 10 and 20m sprint • shuttles AEROBIC VS ANAEROBIC FITNESS The difference between these two systems is that one supplies energy using oxygen (aerobic) and the other system supplies energy with out the use of oxygen (anaerobic). The anaerobic energy system can be broken down into 2 systems: • Lactic acid system – produces lactic acid as a result of delivering energy to muscles • ATP-CP (Phosphagen) system – uses phosphagen as fuel to deliver energy to the muscles. AEROBIC VS ANAEROBIC FITNESS This graph shows the relationship between the 3 energy systems The relative contribution of each energy system will change according to the intensity and duration 0f the activity and the genetics and fitness of the athlete. AEROBIC FITNESS This is the ability of the heart and blood vessels to supply oxygen to the muscles. The oxygen is then used to fuel physical activity over long periods. The more efficient this process the better the athlete is able to use oxygen and the more aerobically fit they are, allowing them to perform continuous activity for longer periods and at higher intensity. High levels of aerobic power allow individuals to recover faster from high-intensity exercise (eg repetitive sprinting that occurs in many team sports). Improved levels of aerobic fitness decrease heart rate at rest, during exercise and in recovery (heart rate returns to normal quicker). This is very beneficial for health, because the heart does less work – it will last longer. ANAEROBIC FITNESS This is the ability of the body to produce explosive bursts of energy without oxygen. This energy system uses stored energy within the muscle (phosphagen system) or it uses energy from the breakdown of carbohydrates without oxygen to produce a substance called lactic acid. Anaerobic fitness allows a person to work very intensely for a short period and is closely related to speed and power. Anaerobic fitness is used for explosive activities such as sprinting, jumping and throwing. It is improved through interval training, resistance training and speed training. Respiratory System • Function of the Respiratory System • The function of the respiratory system is to transport air into the lungs and to facilitate the diffusion of Oxygen into the blood stream. It also receives waste Carbon Dioxide from the blood and exhales it. Parts of the Upper Respiratory Tract • Mouth, nose & nasal cavity: warm, filter and moisten the incoming air • Pharynx: Here the throat divides into the trachea (wind pipe) and oesophagus (food pipe). • Larynx: This is also known as the voice box as it is where sound is generated. Parts of the Lower Respiratory Tract • Trachea: Also known as the windpipe this is the tube which carries air from the throat into the lungs. • Bronchi: The trachea divides into two tubes called bronchi, one entering the left and one entering the right lung • Bronchioles: Tertiary bronchi continue to divide and become bronchioles, very narrow tubes, less than 1 millimetre in diameter • Alveoli: Individual hollow cavities contained within alveolar sacs (or ducts). Alveoli have very thin walls which permit the exchange of gases Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide. They are surrounded by a network of capillaries, into which the inspired gases pass. There are approximately 3 million alveoli within an average adult lung. • Diaphragm: The diaphragm is a broad band of muscle which sits underneath the lungs, attaching to the lower ribs, sternum and lumbar spine and forming the base of the thoracic cavity. Respiratory Volumes Respiratory volumes are the amount of air inhaled, exhaled and stored within the lungs at any given time • Tidal Volume: The amount of air we breathe in and out each time we breathe. • Total Lung Capacity: Volume left in the lungs at the end of a maximum inspiration. • Respiration Rate: The amount of time you breathe per minute. • Ventilation: The amount of air breathed per minute. • Oxygen Uptake: The amount of oxygen that can be taken up and use by the body in 1 minute (VO2). Gaseous Exchange in the Lungs The main function of the respiratory system is gaseous exchange. This refers to the process of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide moving between the lungs and blood. • Diffusion occurs when molecules move from an area of high concentration (of that molecule) to an area of low concentration. • This occurs during gaseous exchange as the blood in the capillaries surrounding the alveoli has a lower oxygen concentration of Oxygen than the air in the alveoli which has just been inhaled. • Both alveoli and capillaries have walls which are only one cell thick and allow gases to diffuse across them. • The same happens with Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The blood in the surrounding capillaries has a higher concentration of CO2 than the inspired air due to it being a waste product of energy production. Therefore CO2 diffuses the other way, from the capillaries, into the alveoli where it can then be exhaled. Cardiovascular System • The main organ of the cardiovascular system is the Human Heart. The other main parts of the cardiovascular system include the Arteries, Arterioles, Capillaries, Venules, Veins and Blood. The lungs also play a major part in the pulmonary circulation system. The Functions of the Cardiovascular System? • The function of a human cardiovascular system is to transport blood around the body. The blood itself also carries numerous other substances which the body requires to function. • The main substance being Oxygen, carried by a protein called haemoglobin, found inside red blood cells. White blood cells are also vital in their role of fighting disease and infection. Blood contains platelets which are essential for clotting the blood, which occurs following an injury to stop blood loss. Blood also carries waste products, such as Carbon Dioxide away from muscles and organs in order to be dispelled by the lungs. The Functioning of the Heart • When the heart contracts, it squeezes blood out of the heart and into the arteries. When the heart relaxes, it fills with blood form the vena cava. As a consequence of this there are key features of the heart’s function that we need to be aware of. Heart rate A measure of the number of beats per minute. Factors that can affect this are: Drugs, illness, stress, temparture, exercise, emotions Why does the heart rate increase with increasing intensities of exercise? More Oxygen is required for the working muscles. Stroke Volume • This is the amount of blood ejected by the heart Per Beat • It is measures in Litres (L) Cardiac Output • This is the amount of blood ejected by the heart Per minute • It is measured in Litres per minute (L/min) Blood Pressure: • This occurs as a result of blood being forced out of the left ventricle and into the arteries. It is the pressure of blood on the arterial walls. Venous Return • This is the return of blood to the heart via venules and veins. If this is slow, the volume of blood pumped from the heart with each beat (stroke volume) is lower • This lowers cardiac output and reduces blood pressure and flow rate. Physiological Response to Exercise What short term Physiological Response to Exercise can you think of? What long term Physiological Response to Exercise can you think of? Short-term Effects of Exercise When we begin to exercise the body has to respond to the change in activity level in order to maintain a constant internal environment (homeostasis). Here are the changes which must take place within the muscles, respiratory and cardiovascular system: Cardiovascular System • The release of adrenaline (often before exercise even begins) causes the heart rate to rise • This increases Cardiac Output • Venous return increases due to the higher Cardiac Output and the skeletal muscle pump and respiratory pump • Increases in Lactic Acid (produced during the early anaerobic phase of exercise), Carbon Dioxide (due to increased rates of energy production) and temperature all act as stimuli to the cardiac control centre which responds by further increasing the heart rate • Oxygen levels within the blood decrease which causes increased diffusion at the lungs • Blood pressure increases, thus increasing flow rate and the speed of delivery of O2 and nutrients to the working muscles • Vasodilation and vasoconstriction ensure blood is directed to areas that need it (muscles, lungs, heart) and away from inactive organs Respiratory System • Changes in the concentration of CO2 and O2 in the blood are detected by the respiratory centre which increases the rate of breathing. • The intercostal muscles, diaphragm and other muscle which aid the expansion of the thoracic cavity work harder to further increase the expansion during inhalation, to draw in more air. Muscular System • The higher rate of muscle contraction depletes energy stores and so stimulates a higher rate of energy metabolism. • The body’s energy stores are slowly depleted • Myoglobin releases its stored Oxygen to use in aerobic respiration. O2 can now be diffused into the muscle from the capillaries more quickly due to the decreased O2 concentration in the muscle. Long-term Effects of Exercise • Regular exercise results in adaptations to the circulatory, respiratory and muscular systems in order to help them perform better under additional stress. Here are the changes which must take place within the muscles, respiratory system and circulatory system: Cardiovascular System • The cardiac muscle surrounding the heart hypertrophies, resulting in thicker, stronger walls and therefore increases in heart volumes. The more blood pumped around the body per minute, the faster Oxygen is delivered to the working muscles. • The number of red blood cells increases, improving the body’s ability to transport Oxygen to the muscles for aerobic energy production. • The density of the capillary beds in the muscles and surrounding the heart and lungs increases as more branches develop. This allows more efficient gaseous exchange of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide. • The resting heart rate decreases in trained individuals due to the more efficient circulatory system. • The accumulation of lactic acid is much lower during high-levels activity, due to the circulatory system providing more Oxygen and removing waste products faster. • Arterial walls become more elastic which allows greater tolerance of changes in blood pressure. Respiratory System • The respiratory muscles (Diaphragm/intercostals) increase in strength. • This results in larger respiratory volumes, which allows more Oxygen to be diffused into the blood flow (VO2 max) • An increase in the number and diameter of capillaries surrounding the alveoli leads to an increase in the efficiency of gaseous exchange. Muscular System • Increased numbers of mitochondria (the cells powerhouse) means an increase in the rate of energy production. • The muscles, bones and ligaments become stronger to cope with the additional stresses and impact put through them. • The amount of myoglobin within skeletal muscle increases, which allows more Oxygen to be stored within the muscle, and transported to the mitochondria. • Muscles are capable of storing a larger amount of glycogen for energy. • Enzymes involved in energy production become more concentrated and efficient to aid the speed of metabolism. PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING • For training to be effective, training guidelines must be followed. These guidelines are based on how the body responds to different types of training and the suitability of training to a particular type of activity. • A programme based on these principles allows the training to be successful • If principles of training are not followed, training can become damaging and cause harm There are 10 principles that we will be looking at in detail: 1. Specificity 2. Progressive overload 3. Adaptation 4. FITT 5. Rest 6. Reversibility 7. Generalisation before specialisation 8. Quality better than quantity 9. Progress should be measurable 10. Variety is the spice of life SPECIFICITY A training programme should match the specific demands of the activity the person is preparing for, as the physical requirements of most activities are different. The physical requirements of an activity can be divided into the following areas: • • • • • Fitness components eg strength Movement patterns/muscle groups eg jumping, shuffling Speed of movement eg slow or fast Duration eg short, long, continuous Environment eg water, land, indoor Case Study: Specificity of Training The following analysis was performed to assess the physical requirements of a 100m sprinter. Physical requirements of 100m sprinter Eg’s of training activities (perform each activity 3 times, with 5 min rest b/w each) Fitness components Speed M power Movement patterns Sprint, knee lift, arm/leg drive Speed of movement Fast & explosive Duration Short & intermittent Environment Outdoor track 12 tuck jumps 50m hill sprint 4 x 20m block starts Stair hop (20 stairs each leg) Give examples of how specificity can be applied to the sports in your workbook • Swimming (1500m) • Netball (centre) • Duathlon (school duathlon) Progressive Overload A progressive programme means that as a person’s level of fitness improves, training gets harder to keep challenging their body to improve. As soon as training is not challenging, the body stops adapting and remains at the same level of fitness. The overload principle governs all fitness and skill training. If an individual wants to improve, the individual must exercise at an intensity greater than his or her existing capacity, and this intensity must move towards his or her performance objective. By training in overload, an athlete’s body is constantly challenged to adapt and improve its level of function in order to cope with the increasing demands of the training load Applying progressive overload to a training programme Continuing to progressively apply overload across a number of sessions will allow the person to reach their required fitness level for the activity they are training for. How do you apply overload to a training programme? • Increase the intensity • Using advanced/challenging exercises • Increase the amount of time • Reduce the rest in between bouts of exercise ADAPTATION As a result of applying the principles of training, the body will adapt. Adaptations made, tend to occur very early on in training. As time progresses, the gains made tend to become smaller Implications of this law – motivation and more intense training are required to produce adaptations as training progresses. FITT PRINCIPLE • • • • F I T T = Frequency = Intensity = Type = Time FREQUENCY • How often you train For most endurance athletes the training frequency should be at least 4-5 days per week (some sports require more ie swimming, triathlon) The training frequency for non-endurance athletes should be 3-5 days per week How often you train will also vary according to your goals, how fit you are, your age and how interested you are in training. INTENSITY • How hard you train Training intensity can be calculated several ways. We will look at Age Predicted Max Heart Rate. This uses the principle that optimal cardiorespiratory training occurs in a zone lying between 70-85% HR max. This is known as the training heart rate zone. Max HR is calculated 220-age Example: 20 year old male HR max = 220- age = 200 .7 x 200 = 140 .85 x 200 = 170 So the target training zone = 140bpm – 170 bpm (What is your target training zone?) Perceived Rate Exertion (PRE) • This rating scale is used to determine how hard you are training. • It relies on you as the trainer knowing how hard you are training and what your capacity is to work harder. • You can also measure this by measuring your heart rate so you know how heart you are working. • Perceived exertion rate needs to be linked to your target heart rate See table in your workbooks for rating system. Can be useful if not able to take heart rate TYPE • What type of activity you do • Choosing the type of activity will depend on what activity you are training for. It is important that your methods of training are specific to the activity and will enhance your performance in this activity (we look at this in detail later) TIME • This refers to the length of a training session. • In order to develop aerobic fitness, you need to undertake training programmes not less than 12 weeks long For anaerobic fitness improvement – you need a training programme only 8-10 weeks long. How much can be monitored by a variety of methods: • Time eg 30 min swim • Distance eg 2km swim • Number of reps eg 10-12 reps • • REST Without rest an athlete can become physically and mentally fatigued. Rest plays a key role in recovery after training, competing and preventing over-use injuries. Without sufficient rest our bodies will not develop or perform to optimal levels. Following major competitions, athletes are totally exhausted and sometimes take weeks to recover and get in training again. Physical fatigue is a build-up of lactate in the muscles (removed 1-4 hrs during recovery); deplete energy stores (generally replenished within 48hr) and muscle soreness (generally disappear after 72 hr). It appears, also, that psychological fatigue also has a large effect on recovery, which highlights the importance of relaxation strategies. (Martin Dawson p 84 – The Fitness Advisor) Training adaptations occur during these rest periods eg always rest for approx 36hrs between training sessions that training the same muscle groups or energy systems. Always include one rest day in a weekly training programme. The rest day should suit the athlete’s lifestyle. REVERSIBILITY The biological adaptations produced by training will be reversed if training ceases. The longer the build up, the slower the reversal process will be. Also called ‘detraining’ . GENERALISATION BEFORE SPECIALISATION A competitive athlete in any sport should develop a sound general fitness, including all fitness components, before specialising in the dominant components of a particular sport. An athlete who specialises too quickly runs the risk of injury or not fulfilling his/her genetic potential. QUALITY IS BETTER THAN QUANTITY There is a trade-off between the amount (quantity) and intensity (quality) of training. The more work a person does, the less intensity they are able to achieve with their training performance. High-intensity training can allow individuals to improve levels of fitness more rapidly. 1. Give 2 examples of activities that should be performed at: a) Low intensity and over a long time period b) High intensity and over a short time period 2. Are there any factors that may allow the duration of a session to be extended while maintaining a high intensity? 3. Identify situations where low-intensity training may be used for high-intensity activities. 4. What are advantages and disadvantages of using high intensity training? 1. a)Road cycling, walking b) sprinting, plyometrics 2. Performing interval training where highintensity bouts of exercise are followed by periods of rest 3. When learning new techniques, injured, recovering from demanding session 4. Advs – improving fitness more rapidly, allows high intensity activities to be developed, more challenging, training sessions can be shorter Disadvs – large amounts of fatigue and discomfort, making this possibly mentally demanding. PROGRESS SHOULD BE MEASURABLE Athletes should be able to see improvements in their performance. Such improvements may be tested regularly, so the athlete can make comparisons between his or her recent performance and the performance given at the beginning of the season. Training diaries are useful here. VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE Using a variety of exercises and training methods can help prevent boredom and helps and individual stay motivated towards his/her training. Doing this athletes are less likely to become psychologically and physically stale or bored and less likely to plateau • Initial gains in fitness are made quickly. However, fitness levels tend to reach a plateau – that is remains stationary after the build up. Plateau performances may last for varying lengths of time. An athlete may experience a number of plateaus during a season, but they can be shortened by changing training methods, and rest. • Group training is another good method of maintaining training motivation. METHODS OF TRAINING The type or method of training is very important in determining effectiveness of a programme. Each method of training targets different components of fitness. The key principle is to make sure you are training in a specific way for the sport you are training for. WHAT METHODS OF TRAINING DO YOU CURRENTLY KNOW OF? CIRCUIT TRAINING Circuit training is an extremely versatile form of training. It can be adapted to develop aerobic power, agility, flexibility, strength plus other components. Circuits can be low impact or extremely intense so that not only can the type of exercise be varied but also the level at which people work. Circuits can cater for large groups of people, which are advantageous in team trainings and makes maximal use of equipment. • When planning a circuit there are several factors to consider: • The layout and sequence of activities of each exercise must be thought through so that one muscle group is not overloaded • There may need to be an activity in between each station such as jogging, skipping etc because – Provides opportunity to disperse built up lactic acid – It adds to the aerobic value of the circuit When an athlete reaches a station, there are two methods of deciding how many of each exercise will be done. Method One For each station there is a fixed number of repetitions to be done depending on which of the levels the subject is exercising at eg Station One: Press Ups • Level 1 20 • Level 2 30 • Level 3 35 Method Two • For each station the athlete completes as many repetitions in a set amount of time (usually about 1 minute) and tries to improve this each time she/he completes the circuit. Questions – What are some advantages to using circuit training? – What do you need to consider when putting a circuit together? – When an athlete reaches a station there are two methods of deciding how many of each exercise will be done. These are: CONTINUOUS TRAINING • Is designed to improve aerobic power (endurance) and muscular endurance. • It requires the athlete to work continuously at an activity over a period of time of at least twenty minutes. • The heart rate must remain at a critical threshold for the full time. (As referred to in measuring intensity – training heart rate zone). • Continuous training must be repeated at least three or four times per week. • Continuous training improves the cardiorespiratory and local muscle function. Examples of continuous training: • Running, Swimming, Cycling, Aerobics, Skipping Advantages: • Less demanding and more enjoyable compared to intense exercise • Good health benefits • Can be performed at a person’s own pace. No expensive equipment required Disadvantages: • Can be time consuming due to long duration of some activities • Not specific to many physical activities such as team sports, which are stop-start in nature and high intensity • Can take longer to achieve a fitness benefit compared with more intense exercise • Heavier individuals can experience stress related injuries due to repetitive impact of joints When performing continuous training it is important to use the following guidelines: • All training requires a thorough warm up and warm down • Intensity of training is usually 70-85% • When beginning continuous training, seek professional advice • All activities are performed continuously for at least 20 min or longer RESISTANCE TRAINING This can be divided into 2 sections – Weight training and Calisthenics (we will look at these separately) Resistance training involves the muscles working to overcome a resistance (eg external weight – dumbbell, body weight). Resistance training • should be completed when the body is warm – so muscles can be stretched without being damaged • develops muscular strength, power and endurance – depending on how training is performed. • Improves the force used in physical activity – such as a person increasing the length of their pass • Reduces injury allowing the person to cope with the demands of an activity – such as strengthening part of a person’s body as protection from injury. Terminology Repetition (Rep) - number of times an exercise is performed without resting Repetition Max - highest number of reps performed at one load Eg 4RM is amount of weight a person can only lift 4 times • Load • Set the amount of weight lifted in an exercise, can be a % of RM of % of body weight groups of consecutive reps performed together eg 3 sets of 8 reps – person completes exercise 8 times before resting, then repeats this another 2 times Hillary was performing some weight training. She lifted a weight of 60kg 10 times, took a break, and then lifted a weight of 100kg 8 times. After this she lifted 140kg once. What load was initially lifted? How many sets were performed? 60kg 3 How many repetitions were performed at 100kg? What was Hillary’s 1RM? 8 140kg The main principle of resistance training is OVERLOAD, where the muscles work against a heavier resistance than normal. • There are 4 ways to do this: • Increase the load • Increase the number of reps • Increase the number of sets • Decrease the rest period To develop the various fitness components an athlete needs to use resistance training in a variety of ways: To develop muscular strength • High load progressively increased • Low reps- (3-5) • Few sets (2-3) To develop muscular endurance • Slowly increase load (start 45-55% max) • Higher reps (15-20) • 3-5 sets To develop muscular power • Moderately heavy weights • Few fast reps (8-10) • Few sets (2-3) • What do you think some benefits of Weight training are? • Benefits of Resistance training – Improve muscular strength, endurance and power – Make significant changes in body composition – Improve posture – Increase lean body mass – Strengthen muscles for sports performance – Rehabilitate muscles after injury – Improve self esteem – Be adapted to all fitness levels Increased metabolic rate to help decrease body fat • Questions 1. What type of sports would be interested in developing muscular endurance? 2. What type of sports would be interested in developing muscular power? 3. How would you apply overload to weight training? Interval Training • This involves a person working intensely for a short period and then resting, which allows the body to work more intensely the following work period. Work periods may last for a short time (a few seconds up to a number of minutes), depending on the type of activity performed. • Interval training allows the three energy systems to be developed according to the length of the work interval. The variables than can be manipulated in an interval routine are: 1. 2. 3. 4. Duration of the work period or distance Intensity of work (speed) Number of work or recovery repetitions Duration of recovery periods and activity Advantages: • Fastest way to improve fitness as it places more stress over the body due to high intensity of training • Fewer stress related injuries for heavier individuals, due to short duration of most activities • More specific to team sports (eg basketball, touch) which are stop-start in nature and of high intensity Disadvantages: • Mentally demanding, as it can involve intense fatigue through the build up of lactic acid • When performing interval training it is important to use the following guidelines: – All training requires a through warm up and warm down – Intensity of training is usually 100% – When beginning resisted and assisted training seek professional help Work: Rest ratio • Interval training is divided into work periods and rest periods. The ratio of work to rest is called a work:rest ratio. If the work:rest ratio is 1:1, the work and rest periods are equal. • Example: • Someone took 1 minute to sprint 400m. If they were using a work:rest ration of 1:1, they would have a rest period of 1 minute. A 1:8 B anaerobic fitness, power, speed C 1:2 D aerobic fitness, endurance E 1:4 F anaerobic fitness, power, speed G 1:10 H anaerobic fitness, power, speed • Why does training speed need a work:rest ratio of 1:10? • To allow the body to recover between bouts of exercise so the next exercise can be performed at 100% intensity and continue to train speed and power properly • Why does training aerobic fitness need a work:rest ratio of 1:1 • If too much rest is given (eg work:rest ratio of 1:3, 1:10) Heart rate will decrease and not remain at a rate where the cardiovascular system remains stressed • When training the ATP-CP system and using interval training why would the rest period be passive? • To build up ATP stores • When training the lactic acid and aerobic system and using interval training why should you perform light exercises between reps? • To remove lactic acid