Specialised TrainingLearning Objectives:1. To understand how elite athletes use

specialised training methods to develop power, flexibility and endurance.

2. To understand the theories behind carbo-loading.

3. To know how training schedules can be broken down to maximise their effect.

4. To know how training intensity can be accurately measured.

Specialised Training

To maximise performance elite athletes use specific specialised training methods to improve fitness and technique.

Plyometrics With a partner discuss what this is and which

component of fitness it is designed to improve.

• Upper Body Plyometrics• Lower Body Plyometrics

How Plyometrics Works• Plyometrics is a type of training designed to produce fast, powerful movements.• It involves bounding, jumping or hopping to make muscle groups work

eccentrically before a powerful concentric contraction. Plyometrics involves explosive muscular contractions that engage the stretch reflex (a protective mechanism that prohibits overstretching of muscle fibres and is detected by muscle spindles).

• A muscle that is eccentrically stretched before a concentric contraction will contract more forcefully and more rapidly. (think about how you prepare for a vertical jump).

• Plyometrics movements involve 3 phases:1. Eccentric contraction during the downward movement.2. A very short phase during which you change from eccentric contraction

(lengthening, downward) to concentric contraction (shortening, upward).3. The actual contraction of the muscle being trained.

PNF Training

With a partner discuss what this is and which component of fitness it is designed to improve.

• PNF Tutorial

How PNF Stretching Works• Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation uses alternating contraction

and relaxation movements to increase flexibility (range of motion around a joint).

• PNF facilitates the body’s muscular inhibition. • Isometric (no movement) muscle contraction is performed.• This is immediately followed by a passive stretch until muscle spindles

cause the muscle to contract to prevent overstretching (stretch reflex).• The Golgi Tendon Organ is stimulated and causes the muscle to relax.• The muscle is then actively isometrically contracted and the process

repeats. • PNF training is potentially dangerous and requires a long aerobic warm

up, is easiest to do with a partner, should not be done on morning of competition and requires 48hrs rest between sessions.

Exam Revision

• Exam questions on plyometrics and PNF training will be concerned with the theory of how it works and the practical understanding of exactly how it is done.

• Both of these methods are quite complicated and it is recommended that you review these YouTube clips as well as going through the more in depth notes on these (p61-65 A2 PE textbook).

Altitude Training

• Triathlete altitude tent• England U20 altitude training

Why Does Altitude Training Work?• Aerobic performance is enhanced because the body

adapts to lower levels of oxygen by increasing the concentration of red blood cells and haemoglobin.

• When the athlete returns to sea level they still (for 10-14 days) have an increased level of RBC thus improving performance.

• As well as increasing rate of transports oxygen, the body is also able to buffer lactate more effectively.

Altitude Training ScheduleThree Phases when training at altitude:1. Acclimatisation – starts immediately on arrival. Light training, lots of recovery

time. (lasts 3-10 days).2. Primary training – progressively increase training until it is at same stage as at

sea level. (lasts 1-3 weeks).3. Recovery – prepare to return to sea level. Reduce training load to relieve

fatigue. (lasts 2-5 days).Three Phases when returning to sea level:4. Positive phase – in first 1-4 days. A visible increase in oxygen carrying capacity

of blood.5. Progressive return to sea level – a dip in performance due to altered fitness

levels.6. Fitness Peak – after 15-20 days. Optimal time for competition. Combination of

improved oxygen transport and maintenance of breathing adaptations.

• It is advantageous to live (or sleep) at altitude whilst training at sea level.

• There are few places where this is possible so hypoxic chambers (altitude tents) have been developed. Thousands of athletes use these.

Negatives:• Sceptics claim that the benefits actually wear off within a few days of

returning to sea level.• Some argue that the reduced capacity to train at altitude actually

lowers fitness levels (or skill levels).• Considerable cost and travel time involved.• Risk of altitude sickness.• Psychological problems of being away from family.• Fatigue caused by long distance travel.

Overall, research is still inconclusive about the benefits/hinderance of altitude training.

Glycogen Loading (carbo-loading)

• Glycogen stores last only about 60-90 mins.• After this the body resorts to slower fat

metabolism (‘hitting the wall’ in a marathon).• Therefore athletes try to boost there levels of

glycogen by taking on more prior to the event.• There are several theories of the best way of

doing this:

First Theory of Glycogen Loading

• Necessary to deplete glycogen stores through heavy exertion before ingesting a high carb diet (supercompensation).

• This does increase glycogen stores.• However, athletes were left fatigued (through

the heavy exertion) and bloated/lethargic.

Second Theory

• To avoid the previous problems athletes simply increase their intake of carbs in the days leading up to an event, whilst tapering down training levels.

• This worked sometimes, but not for everyone.

A new theory!• New research has produced a method of creating extremely high

muscle glycogen levels in just one day.• It is based on the concept that very high intensities of exercise

stimulate higher rates of muscle glycogen storage than moderate intensities of exercise carried out over prolonged periods.

• A 3-min burst of intense exercise is followed by 24hr high carb eating (starting no more than 20mins after exercise).

• This opens a ‘carbo window’ in muscles when glycogen stores can be increased dramatically. The ‘window’ closes 2hr after exercise.

• There will be no risk of bloating and no requirement to alter training.

Periodisation

Dividing your overall training programme into parts or periods that are designed to achieve different goals.

• Task: Read p69/70 of A2 textbook. • Periodisation of training can be broken down

into: Microcycles, Mesocycles, and Macrocycles.

Microcycle:• A repeating group / pattern of training sessions.• E.g. mon-weights, tues-circuits, weds-rest etc.• Generally between 3-7 days.Mesocycle:• A block of training (microcycles) with one goal. • E.g. A rugby player with the goal of improving scrummaging performance. • Generally 4-12 weeks.Macrocycle:• A long term training plan with a long term goal (e.g. Preparation for a competition).• Made up of several mesocycles.• Generally 10-12 months.• Could also use large macrocycles consisting of a few smaller macrocycles (e.g. A two

year training plan).

A common form of periodisation is ‘wave-like periodisation.’ This involves building up the total quantity of training while intensity reaming fairly low to establish basic strength and endurance. Intensity then increases as quantity reduces. The moment of peak intensity is the optimum point for competition.

Tapering, Peaking and Overtraining

• Overtraining – the physical and mental fatigue due to excessive training without adequate recovery.

• Tapering – reducing the amount of training (or intensity) prior to competition.

• Peaking – making sure that both body and mind are at their best for competition.

It is impossible to be at your very best all of the time. It is therefore essential that top athletes have a good knowledge of these issues in order to be at their best when it matters most.

Thermoregualtion It is essential that we maintain a steady core body

temperature of around 37 degrees. During exercise heat is produced. To remove this

heat blood is moved closer to the surface of the skin and heat is lost through: conduction (direct contact), convection (transfer of heat by air molecules), radiation (main way of losing heat during rest), and evaporation (sweating, main way of losing heat during exercise).

Sweating• Cools the body as heat is lost when sweat evaporates from the skin.• When humidity is high, sweat evaporation is limited. Internal Body Temperature• Regulated by the thermoregulatory centre in the hypothalamus of the brain.• Responds with mechanisms such as vasodilation, sweating, vasoconstriction, shivering.The Blood• During exercise in hot conditions a large amount of blood must be shared by the skin (to

cool the body) and working muscles. This reduces the amount of blood returning to the heart, reducing stroke volume and sporting performance.

The Heart• In hot conditions the body can suffer from hyperthermia (high body temperature).• Aerobic ability is reduced in high temperatures. HR increases to provide blood flow to the

skin. Fatigue is more rapid.Fluid Intake• Heat exposure can lead to hypohydration (dehydration). This has a great negative effect

on sporting performance.• It is essential to rehydrate regularly (remember that thirst is a poor indicator of

dehydration).

Measuring the Intensity of Training

Lactate Sampling:• Elite athletes need to train at an intensity near their VO2 max. • It is essential that training intensity can be accurately measured.• Lactate sampling involves taking a minute sample of the

performers blood to detect the level of lactate present.• If lactate levels rise above resting levels during exercise it is

because anaerobic exercise is taking place.• The lactate threshold is 2mmol above resting levels (OBLA is

4mmol).• The higher the intensity of exercise at which lactate threshold

occurs, the fitter the athlete.

The Respiratory Exchange Ratio• The ratio of CO2 released to O2 used by the body (VCO2/VO2).• Used to estimate relative contributions of fat and carbohydrate

to ATP resynthesis.• RER works because fat and carbohydrate differ in terms of the

amount of O2 used and CO2 produced during energy production.• When fat is the major fuel the amount of O2 being consumed will

be high and RER will be low (and vice versa for carbs).• RER is measured used a cycle ergometer and a gas analyser.• When RER is 0.70, 100% of energy is coming from fat. When RER

is 1.00, 100% of energy is coming from carbs.• Fat is not used as an anaerobic energy source. RER can therefore

be used to determine whether exercise is aerobic or anaerobic.• The use of lab equipment limits this to cyclists, rowers and

runners.

Over to you...

• These slides cover an enormous amount of information (p61-78 of A2 textbook). Much of this info has been greatly condensed.

• Extended learning task: review these notes and then use your textbook for greater detail.

• Answer questions 1-4 on p78 to ensure that you have understood the information.