Summarised Notes on Core 2 Factors Affecting Performance

Resource Description

Key Idea 1: How does training affect performance?

Energy systems

Alactacid System (ATP/PC)

• First phase- ATP is stored in muscles
• Free energy- made for immediate use
• But only use it once and it needs recovery time; great for quick activities
• When ATP is used it breaks down into ADP.  ADP then can combine with phosphocreatine (PC) to make more ATP, but only for a short period of time around 5-20 seconds.
• It takes about 25-30 seconds to regain about half of the phosphocreatine stores. These two systems combine for activities like 200m sprints and sports where short intermittent burst of activity are required— for example, basketball, hockey and rugby.

Lactic Acid System

• After the 20 seconds of the ATP-PC system, the body requires muscle glycogen (glucose) to be added to continue.
• When phosphocreatine stores are depleted. Lactic acid (or lactate) comes from the breakdown of the glucose released from the muscles.  One of the outcomes of this breakdown, is that positive Hydrogen ions are expelled which accumulated in the muscle and cause it to fatigue
• Used in a number of sports that do repeat sprinting or high-energy activities, such as soccer, up to the 400 metres in track. 
• Training can be designed to help the athlete improve their tolerance to the build up of the positive hydrogen ions.  
• Bouts of intense training lasting from 25 to 45 seconds with rest ranging from 20 seconds to 3 minutes (determined by the amount of time of the work or the distance covered).

Aerobic System

• The aerobic system requires oxygen to make the ATP molecules needed for exercise.  As the oxygen is transferred around the body, it eventually reaches the working muscles. As the body reaches its anaerobic threshold, the body starts to slow down and the oxygen has time to reach the working muscles and change pyruvic acid into carbon dioxide, water and ATP. As a result, no more lactic acid is produced due to the presence of oxygen.
• Aerobic system developing also aids in lactate removal- improvement in lactic acid tolerance
• Training to develop this system consists of the traditional long runs, but can also have repeats of shorter distances of low intensity with reduced rest (20 x 200m with 30 second rest).  

	ATP-PC	Lactic Acid	Aerobic
Source of Fuel	Creatine Phosphate	Glycogen (main form of glucose in the body) (carbs)	Carbs, fat, protein
Efficiency of ATP production	Rapid but limited	Rapid but limited	Slow but unlimited
Duration system can operate	5-10 seconds	At max, 30-60 secs	Unlimited dependant on intensity
Cause of fatigue	Depletion of PC	Lactic Acid build up in muscles	Depletion of Glycogen stores
By products of energy production	None	Lactic acid	Carbon dioxide and sweat
Process and rate of recovery	50% in 30 secs. 100% in 2-5 mins	15-30 mins	Depends on the glycogen depletion. A few hours up to 2 days

Types of training and training methods

Aerobic

• 3 times per week untrained, 6 times per week trained athlete
• HR – 65-75% for untrained – 75-90% trained
• Untrained approx. 40 minute sessions depending on intensity
• Trained – unlimited in time, depending on fitness and intensity

Continuous

• This is the simplest form of aerobic training where there is continual effort (with no rest periods) at intensity where the heart rate will be in the aerobic training zone for at least 20 minutes.
• Examples of continuous training are jogging, swimming & cycling.
• Long, slow distance= improves overall condition, 60-80% max HR, focus on distance rather than speed
• High Intensity, moderate duration= very demanding, 80-85% max HR

Interval

• Interval training involves periods of structured work interspersed with rest periods in a set pattern.
• Interval training manipulates these variables: time or distance/recovery period/ number of repetitions- adjust for aerobic/anaerobic preference
• Eg. 5 x 3 minutes @ (95%–100% HRmax) with 2½–3 minutes of active recovery

Fartlek

• Combination of continuous and interval
• Involves long continuous runs interspersed with sprints of various times, intensity and type of terrain.
• Eg; high intensity sprint 50 secs, light jog 180 secs, high intensity sprint 50 secs, light jog 120 secs, repetition of 3-4 times

Circuit

• Aim is to improve aerobic capacity yet also helps muscular endurance, flexibility, strength
• Utilisation of different stations to perform different exercises for set periods of time w/ minimal rests
• Pushups, squats, burpees, sit-ups, chin-ups, plank, sprints, skipping, etc