Exercise at Altitude

Question 1

altitude

Answer 1

little change in exercise capacity

Question 2

Moderate altitude

Answer 2

2000-3000m

• Effects on well-being in unacclimated people
• Performance and aerobic capacity decrease
• Performance may or may not be restored by acclimation
• Wind resistant exercises may be improved

Question 3

composition of air ?? while density of air ??

Answer 3

stays the same; changes

Question 4

Air temperature at altitude

dont really need to know

Answer 4

• temperature decreases1 degree per 150m ascent

- contributes to risk of cold-related disorders

Question 5

Humidity at altitude

Answer 5

• Cold air holds very little water
• Air at altitude very cold and very dry
• Dry air -> quick dehydration via skin and lungs

Question 6

Upon immediate exposure to altitude ??

Answer 6

pulmonary ventilation immediately increases

Question 7

Plasma volume falls within a few hours

Answer 7

• Respiratory (breathing frequently) water loss, increase in urine production
• Lose up to 25% plasma volume
• Short-term increase in hematocrit (concentration, proportional change), O2 density

Question 8

Red blood cell count will only increase after weeks/months

Answer 8

• hypoxemia triggers EPO release from kidneys
• increased red blood cell production in bone marrow
• low term increase in hematocrit
• increased red blood cell goes up to meet oxygen demands
• it takes 3 months for red blood cell mass to significantly increase

Question 9

Cardiac output increases upon ??

Answer 9

immediate exposure to altitude
- this is due to increased sympathetic nervous system activity - there is a stress response that seas increased circulating concentrations of adrenalin and noradrenalin

Question 10

greater reliance on glycogen or fat during exercise?

Answer 10

glycogen

Question 11

dehydration occurs faster

Answer 11

• Water loss through skin, kidneys/urine

- Exacerbated by sweating with exercise

Question 12

appetite declines at altitude

Answer 12

• paired with increase metabolism -> 500kcal/day deficit

- athletes/climbers must be educated about eating at altitude

Question 13

maintain ?? to support increase in hematocrit

Answer 13

iron intake

Question 14

Most things are because

Answer 14

catecholamines and environment

Question 15

higher altitude = ??

Answer 15

lower vo2max

Question 16

Aerobic exercise performance is affected most by ?? at altitude

Answer 16

hypoxic conditions

Question 17

Anaerobic performance unaffected

Answer 17

• For example, 100 to 400 m track sprints
• ATP-PCr and anaerobic glycolytic metabolism
• Minimal O2 requirements

Question 18

Thinner air -> less air resistance

Answer 18

• improved swim and run times (up to 800m)
• improved jump distance
• throwing events, varied effects

Question 19

Prolonged exposure to altitude

Answer 19

• Acclimation improves performance, but performance may never match that at sea level
• Possible reason: reduced atmospheric PO2 inhibited training intensity at high altitude

Question 20

LIVE HIGH

Answer 20

TRAIN LOW

Question 21

Optimizing training

Answer 21

Must include progressive overload

• Progressively increase stimulus as body continually adapts
• Stimulates continuous improvements

Question 22

Undertraining: insufficient stimulus

Answer 22

• Adaptations not fully realized

- Optimal performance not achieved

Question 23

Overtraining: loss of benefits

Answer 23

• No additional improvements
• Performance decrements, injury
• unexplained decreased in performance, function for weeks, months or years
• can occur with all forms of training
• not all fatigue is a product of overtraining

Question 24

acute overload

Answer 24

• one intense training session

- positive physiological adaptation and minor improvements in performance

Question 25

Overreaching

Answer 25

- can be deliberate to encourage body adaptation (to stronger stimulus) for short period of training - risk to overtraining - optimal physiological adaptations and performance

Question 26

Excessive training

Answer 26

volume and/or intensity to an extreme

Question 27

Volume of training

Answer 27

the time it takes (endurance is high)

Question 28

Intensity of training

Answer 28

the intensity (sprinting is high)

Question 29

Volume high; intensity usually low

Answer 29

Intensity high; volume usually low | - rare occasion in which both high but with risks (injury, reduce recovery, overtrained)

Question 30

Symptoms of overtraining syndrom

Answer 30

- decrease performance - Fatigue - Change in appetite, weight loss - Sleep and mood disturbances - Lack of motivation, vigor, and/or concentration - Depression

Question 31

psychological factors of overtraining

Answer 31

- emotional pressure of competition -> stress | - parallels with clinical depression

Question 32

physiological factors of overtraining

Answer 32

- autonomic, endocrine, and immune factors | - not a clear cause-and effect relationship significant parallels

Question 33

Overtraining Syndrome: Sympathetic Nervous System Responses

Answer 33

- Increased BP - Loss of appetite - Weight loss - Sleep and emotional disturbances - Increased basal metabolic rate

Question 34

Overtraining Syndrome: PNS Responses (don't really need to know)

Answer 34

- More common with endurance athletes - Early fatigue - Decreased resting HR - Decreased resting BP - Rapid heart rate recovery

Question 35

Overtraining Syndrome: Endocrine Responses

Answer 35

- Resting thyroxine, testosterone (builds) decreases - Resting cortisol (breaks down) increase - Testosterone:cortisol ratio - Indicator of anabolic recovery processes - Altered ratio may indicate protein catabolism - Possible cause of overtraining syndrome - Volume-related overtraining appears more likely to affect hormones

Question 36

Overtraining Syndrome: Immune Responses

Answer 36

immune response weakened with overtraining (colds, coughs etc) - Abnormally decreases lymphocytes, antibodies - increased Incidence of illness after exhaustive exercise - Exercise during illness -> immune complications (exercise generally strengthens immune function until overtrained)

Question 37

Predicting Overtraining Syndrome

Answer 37

- no preliminary warning symptoms (don't realise until too late) - recovery takes long time - well being better source than blood tests

Question 38

Overtraining treatment

Answer 38

- Reduced intensity or rest (weeks, months) | - Counseling to deal with stress

Question 39

Prevention

Answer 39

- Periodization training | - Adequate caloric (especially carbohydrate) intake

Question 40

Tapering

Answer 40

reduced training period prior to competition | - 4-28 days

Question 41

Variables engaged in training

Answer 41

- intensity (must be maintained during tapering) - frequency - volume

Question 42

Tapering results;

Answer 42

- results in increased muscular strength | - improved performance (3% improved race time, 18-25% improved arm strength, power)