Week 1 - Introduction to Fitness testing + V02max demonstration

Question 1

To define an individuals physical fitness, what are the 3 categories considered?

Answer 1

1) Cardiorespiratory capacity (or power)
2) Body composition
3) Musculoskeletal fitness (flexibility, muscular strength and endurance)

Question 2

Skill-related fitness components

Answer 2

Agility, Balance, Coordination
Speed
Power
Reaction time

Question 3

What are the 4 components of the “Testing Loop”?

Answer 3

1) Testing
2) Analysis
3) Feedback
4) Inform

Question 4

Define Cardiorespiratory fitness and name 4 examples of cardiorespiratory fitness tests.

Answer 4

… refers to the interaction between the heart (cardiac) and the lungs (respiratory) that maximize performance and recovery. Examples include the step test, submaximal tests, maximal tests and the beep test.

Question 5

Cardiorespiratory endurance

Answer 5

the ability of an individual to perform a strenuous task for a prolonged period (where large muscle groups are used)

Question 6

What are the two types of cardiorespiratory fitness tests?

Answer 6

1) The first type compares an individuals performance to population norms (beep test)

2) The second directly measures cardiorespiratory fitness based on an individuals maximal oxygen consumption

Question 7

Define V02max and explain why a high V02max is beneficial.

Answer 7

maximal rate of oxygen consumption

the higher this is, the greater ability an individual has to sustain aerobic work at a higher intensity for a longer time

Question 8

How does laboratory testing compare to field-based testing as a way of measuring V02max?

Answer 8

Laboratory conditions can provide ideal setting to determine V02max but it requires equipment, experience, and only a single participant at a time.

Field-based testing is good for team testing situations (Beep test, Yo-yo) but is only a prediction of V02max rather than an objective measure.

Question 9

What is the gold standard for verification that V02max has been reached?

Answer 9

a plateau in 02 consumption despite an increase in work rate

Question 10

What are the four factors that indicate V02 max has been achieved?

Answer 10

1) Oxygen consumption plateau
2) Reaching age-predicted max HR (+/- 10beats/min)
3) Volitional exhaustion // Achieving blood lactate concentration of 8mmol/L or higher
4) Attaining a RER of 1.15 or higher

Question 11

Events >2mins are predominantly reliant on which energy production?

Answer 11

aerobic energy production

Question 12

What are typical V02max values for elite male and female endurance athletes?

Answer 12

Male - 70+
Female - 60+

Question 13

At an elite level, what are 3 performance improvements that are independent of V02max?

Answer 13

Running economy, lactate threshold and anaerobic capacity

Question 14

Define Velocity at V02max (vV02max). What is a strong predictor of? What is it a combined measure of?

Answer 14

The speed at which V02max is elicited - how fast you are running when you reach V02max

Stronger predictor of endurance running performance than V02max alone

Combined measure of V02max and running economy

Question 15

Running economy

Answer 15

the oxygen cost of running at a given speed (ml/kg/km)

Question 16

Fractional utilisation (% of V02max)
- Definition
- What is it largely determined by?

Answer 16

…the ability to sustain a high percentage of V02max

• Largely determined by the lactate threshold

Question 17

Lactate threshold

Answer 17

maximum intensity at which lactate production and clearance are in equilibrium and above which, lactate accumulates and exercise becomes unsustainable

Question 18

Anaerobic capacity

Answer 18

the ability to produce, tolerate and sustain maximal/supramaximal work rates through anaerobic energy production