Recovery on Sport and Fitness

Question 1

Fatigue - What is it and what causes it?

Answer 1

Fatigue -> the inability to maintain the required output.
lack of glycogen -> have to use fats which don’t resynthesise ATP quick enough, decreasing exercise intensity.
PC depletion -> ATP-PC system can’t be used. the aerobic and anaerobic glycolytic system don’t resynthesise ATP as quickly.

Question 2

VO2 max - What is it and what influences it?

Answer 2

The volume of oxygen our body takes in and uses. (ml/kg/min)
Age, genetics, gender, training, lifestyle, body composition.

Question 3

VO2 max - How does training improve it physiologically?

Answer 3

Increased maximum CO2.
Increased stores of glycerides and triglycerides.
Increased myoglobin content/saturation.
Increased body fat.
Increased alveoli surface area.
Increased capillarisation (around the muscles).
Increased mitochondrial density (number + size as well).
A high VO2 max enables you to work aerobically at higher intensities.

Question 4

VO2 max - How do you measure it?

Answer 4

Multi-stage fitness test - (a field test).
Can also do a lab test.
Indirect colorimetry.

Question 5

Anaerobic Threshold - OBLA

Answer 5

Anaerobic Threshold -> the point where you start working anaerobically.
AT comes first.
Threshold -> the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested.
OBLA -> Onset Blood Lactate Accumulation. the exercise intensity where lactate starts to build up in the blood at a quicker rate that it can be removed.
Lies between 2 and 4 mmol-1 (millimoles per litre). the more you can train the more you can withstand lactate.
Untrained -> 55-60% of VO2 max.
Trained -> 70-90% of VO2 max.

Question 6

The Respiratory Exchange Ratio

Answer 6

The ratio of carbon dioxide produced compared to oxygen consumed and measures exercise intensity.
Provides information about what fuel is being used during exercise.
Carbohydrates and fats use different volumes of O2 to break down.
Close to 1 = using carbohydrates.
0.7 = using fats.

Question 7

Excess post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) - What is it?

Answer 7

The volume of oxygen needed after exercise to return the body to its resting state.
How we pay an oxygen debt or deficit.

Question 8

EPOC - Fast stage (Alactate stage)

Answer 8

Up to 4 litres of extra oxygen.
3 minutes.
Resaturates myoglobin.
Replenishes phosphocreatine stores. (50% in 30 seconds, 70% in 1 minute, 100% in 3 minutes).

Question 9

EPOC - Slow stage (Lactate stage)

Answer 9

5 -10 litres of extra O2.
Couple of hours -> can last up to 24 hours.
Removal of lactic acid and oxidisation.
Replacement of glycogen.
Normalise body temperature.
Removal of lactate (4 stages):
1. Lactate is oxidised into CO2 and H2O -> 65% lactic acid.
2. Converted into glycogen and stored in muscles/liver through the core cycle. lactic acid > pyruvate -> glycogen -> 20% lactic acid.
3. Converted into protein -> 10% lactic acid.
4. Converted into glucose -> 5% lactic acid.
4. Converted into glucose.