Exercise Physiology & Fitness Flashcards
Exercise Physiology
- The study of the effects of exercise on the body.
- Body’s responses and its adaptations to different exercises.
- Range from system to subcellular level.
- Can be short-term or is long-term.
- Population served.
- Elite performers and people of all ages and abilities.
Examples of Areas of Study
- Effects of various exercises on various systems of the body.
- Relationship of energy metabolism to performance.
- Effects of environmental factors on physiological responses to exercise and performance.
- Effects of individual differences on fitness development and performance.
- Effectiveness of various rehabilitation programs.
- Effects of performance-enhancing drugs on performance.
- Health and therapeutic benefits associated with physical activity.
Physical Activity and Health
- Chronic diseases are a major threat to health today.
- Hypokinetic diseases.
- Diseases caused by insufficient physical activity, often in conjunction with inappropriate dietary practices.
- Coronary heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, non insulin-dependent diabetes,
chronic back pain, and obesity.
Physical Inactivity and Health
- Inactivity is a risk factor for several diseases.
- Individuals who lead a sedentary life have
increased risk of morbidity and mortality. - Inactive individuals have almost twice the
risk of coronary heart disease as those
who are active.
Physical Fitness
Ability of the body’s systems to function efficiently and effectively.
- Health-related components
- Skill-related components
Health-related components
- Body composition.
- Cardiorespiratory endurance.
- Flexibility.
- Muscular endurance.
- Muscular strength.
Skill-related components
- Agility.
- Balance.
- Coordination.
- Power.
- Reaction Time.
- Speed
Health Benefits
- Management of stress.
- Socialization through participation in physical activities.
- Improved overall general motor performance.
- Increased energy and resistance to fatigue.
- Mitigation of the debilitating effects of old age or retention of a more desirable level of health for a longer period
Principles of Fitness
Training
- Principle of Overload
- Specificity Principle
- Progression Principle
- Reversibility Principle
- Principle of Variation.
- Principle of Reversibility.
- Principle of Individuality.
- Principle of Recovery.
- Principles of Safety.
Principle of Overload
To gain improvements in health and fitness an
increased workload must be placed on the body.
Specificity Principle
- Training must occur with the specific muscle or
body part we are attempting to improve - To improve a particular fitness or skill component,
we must select a training modality that is as close in
action as it can be to the target task - Specific activities and exercises cause specific
physiological responses
Progression Principle
- The stimulus must be periodically increased
- After a period of training, the load that previously created a level of stress will no longer be
adequate - Various ways to increase load, depending on fitness level and the method of training
- Beginners: gradual increase from one training cycle to next, in small steps
- Overload should be applied gradually and steadily increased as the body adapts.
Reversibility Principle
- “Use it or lose it”: Inactivity leads to gradual erosion of benefits achieved.
- Extended training interruptions result in stagnation or a temporary decline in performance
- Detraining effects can be reversed when training resumes
- While rest periods are necessary for recovery, extended periods can have a negative effect
- Detraining period length and the training status dictate how is lost
- Cardio respiratory and muscle endurance decline faster than max. strength and power
Principle of Variation
Helps maintain individuals’ interest and provides a change of pace while continuing to make progress toward desired goals
Principle of Reversibility
“Use it or lose it”: Inactivity leads to gradual erosion of benefits achieved
Principle of Individuality
Individuals respond differently to exercise and will vary in their rates of improvement and levels of achievement
Principle of Recovery
Rest allows the body to recover and adapt to the the changes placed on it
Principles of Safety
Safety is of paramount concern
Planning a Fitness Program
- Threshold of Training.
- Target Zone
- Needs and goals of the individual
- F I T T Formula
Threshold of Training.
Minimal level of exercise needed to achieve desired benefits.
Target Zone
Defines the upper limits of training and the optimal level of exercise.
Needs and goals of the individual.
Program should meet the goals of the individual.
F I T T Formula
- Frequency: How often should I train this component?
- Intensity: How hard do I need to work to achieve a benefit?
- Time: How Long Should I train for?
- Type: What activities Should I Do?
Training Frequency
- Number of times exercise sessions per week
- Depend on an individual’s goals, abilities, fitness level, and sport
- To maintain fitness level: 2-3
- To improve fitness level: 4-6
Training Intensity
- Degree of effort put forth during exercise, that
is, how hard - Needed to improve fitness level
- Cardiorespiratory fitness: 50-85% of max heart
rate - Strength training: resistance, number of reps
- Work-to-rest ratio
- e.g., 1:2
- Higher intensity longer rest
Training Time
- Total time devoted to developing fitness
- Based on session duration
- Training volume
- Element of training time
- Depends on activity type
- e.g., total running distance
- e.g., total number of reps
Type Activity
- Formal fitness activities
- Main goal to develop fitness
- Informal fitness activities
- Main goal is the social aspect
- It is important to set specific goals to maximize training experience
