05Needs analysis and physiological assessment of athletes - WICHTIG (glaube für Portfolio)

[A] What are the three primary purposes of physiological assessment in sports science according to Godfrey & Whyte (2006)? (Linked to Learning Objektive 1)

• Identify the parameters underpinning performance in a specific sport.

• Profile athletes (evaluate individual strengths and weaknesses).

• Assess training adaptation and programme efficacy (determine objectively if the intervention worked).

[A] What are the two distinct stages of a Needs Analysis and what elements does each stage analyze?

• Stage 1 · Analyse the SPORT: Movement analysis (movement patterns, muscles involved, GPS/video time-motion data), Physiological analysis (energy systems, strength, speed, endurance priorities), and Injury analysis (common injury sites and causes).

• Stage 2 · Assess the ATHLETE: Training status & history (training age, current phase, previous injuries), Physical testing (lab and field tests of identified determinants), and Primary goal (which quality must improve, by how much, by when).

[A]What are the sequential steps in the complete assessment cycle from initial testing to programme modification?

Needs analysis → Initial assessment → Aim & standardisation → Plan the programme → Implement & monitor → Re-test → Evaluate → Modify(adjust the aim or programme if targets are not met)

[A] How do Closed-skill events differ from Open-skill events regarding physiological determinants and performance predictability?

• Closed-skill events (e.g., rowing, running, cycling, swimming): Demands are stable and repeatable; performance can be predicted from a few key laboratory variables.

• Open-skill events (e.g., football, basketball, tennis): Demands change dynamically with tactics, opponents, and positions; time-motion analysis (GPS, video) comes first; physiology is necessary, but not sufficient

[A] What is the Endurance Equation (Joyner & Coyle, 2008) and how do its three components interact to dictate race speed?

• Equation: VO2max * Fractional Utilisation = Performance VO2; then Performance VO2 / Economy = Race Speed.

• Definitions:

• VO2max: The physiological ceiling (maximal oxygen uptake).

• Fractional Utilisation: The percentage of VO2max sustained over distance (approximated by Lactate Threshold).

• Economy: The oxygen cost per kilometer

[A] What are the main differences between Laboratory and Field-based testing regarding standardisation, reliability, validity, and practicality? (Linked to learning Objektive 3)

• Laboratory: Environment strictly controlled; High test-retest reliability; Construct validity with objective physiological measures (VO2, lactate, ECG, force); Costly and tests one athlete at a time.

• Field: Weather/terrain vary; Lower reliability; Ecological validity (sport-specific performance context); Cheap, enables whole squad testing, and frequent.

• Best Practice: Occasional laboratory testing + more frequent field testing using sport-specific ergometers.

[A] How are Validity, Reliability, and Sensitivity defined in athletic assessment? (Linked to Objektive 3)

• Validity: Does the test measure what it claims to? (Criterion validity compares with a gold standard; Ecological validity checks if it mirrors the sport).

• Reliability: Do you get the same result twice? (Measured via Typical Error [TE] and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC]).

• Sensitivity: Can it detect the Smallest Worthwhile Change (SWC)? A change is real only when SWC > TE

[A] How are VO2max/VO2peak and Fractional Utilisation derived from an incremental laboratory treadmill test?

• Protocol (Godfrey & Whyte, 2006): 10-minute warm-up, 5 x 4-minute submaximal stages (+0.6 km/h per stage, 1% gradient) with 30-second rest breaks for earlobe blood lactate sampling, followed by constant speed with +1% gradient increase per minute until exhaustion (lasting 9–16 minutes for true VO2max, or about 25 minutes total test time called VO2peak).

• Fractional Utilisation: Calculated as (VO2 at Lactate Threshold devided VO2max) * 100

[A] How is Oxygen Economy derived and what did Paula Radcliffe's longitudinal data prove?

• Oxygen Economy: Derived as the VO2 cost at a fixed submaximal speed (e.g., 16 km/h; expressed in ml per kg per km). Lower VO2 at the same speed indicates superior economy.

• Radcliffe Finding (Jones, 2006): Her VO2max stayed stable at approximately 70 ml per kg per min from 1992 to 2003, but a ~15% improvement in running economy (205 down to 175 ml per kg per km) drove her world-record progression.

[A] What is the fundamental difference between Lactate Threshold 1 (LT1) and Lactate Threshold 2 (LT2)?

• LT1 (Aerobic Threshold): The first non-linear rise in blood lactate above baseline (greater than or equal to 1 mmol per L increase; workload right before the rise).

• LT2 (Anaerobic / Accumulation Threshold): The onset of rapid blood lactate accumulation (OBLA at 4 mmol per L, Maximal Lactate Steady State / MLSS, critical speed).

[A]How are heart rate training zones derived from a lactate test, and how is an effective re-test interpreted?

• Training Zones: Prescribed as HR ranges around key break-points: LSD (below LT break-point), LT Zone (at LT break-point), and High-Intensity (greater than 90% HRmax). Always prescribe a range, not a single number!

• Re-Test Interpretation: Effective training shifts the lactate curve to the right (same lactate at a faster speed) and the HR curve down (same speed at a lower HR).

[A]What are the five core Take-Home Messages?

• A needs analysis has two stages: analyse the sport, then assess the athlete.

• Determinants are event-specific (easy to model in closed-skill, harder in open-skill).

• Lab tests give control and reliability; field tests give specificity. Use both.

• One incremental test yields VO2peak, fractional utilisation, economy, and the lactate threshold.

• Thresholds depend on definition: name your method, give zones as ranges, and re-test identically

[B] How do the physiological demands and key capacities differ across Hammer Throw, American Football Chase, Speed Climbing, and Team Pursuit?

• Hammer throw (under 3s): ATP-PCr dominant; Max strength and rotational power; Lab: 1RM / CMJ.

• American football chase (5-10s): ATP-PCr + glycolytic; Acceleration, max speed, repeated sprints; Field: 10/40m sprint timing gates.

• Speed climbing (5-7s): ATP-PCr + glycolytic; Relative strength/power and grip; Lab: Finger dynamometry.

• Team pursuit (approx. 4 min): Aerobic (approx. 80-85%) + anaerobic; VO2max, threshold power; Lab: Ramp test with spiro-ergometry

[B] What did Slattery et al. (2006) discover regarding the strongest predictors of 3 km running performance in triathletes?

• Strongest Predictors: Peak running speed (Vmax, r = 0.91) and Speed at Lactate Threshold (r = 0.90), followed by VO2max (r = 0.80).

• Key Insight: Speed-based metrics (Vmax, LT speed) outperform single physiological variables because they combine VO2max and economy into one performance output. Jump power (r = 0.07) had no predictive value.

[B] What physical match performance metrics separate top-tier Bundesliga football teams according to Chmura et al. (2022)?

• Key Differentiator: Total running distance WITH ball possession and Sprint distance WITH ball possession significantly separated top 6 teams from lower-ranked teams (p < 0.05).

• Testing Implication: Total distance without possession does not separate team success. Testing must focus on repeated high-intensity ability, acceleration, and maximal speed under tactical context.

[B] What are the four major field tests presented and their primary estimation formulas or uses?

• Cooper 12-min run: Distance (d in meters) estimates VO2max = (d - 504.9) / 44.73.

• Yo-Yo IR1: Intermittent recovery distance (d in meters) estimates VO2max = d * 0.0084 + 36.4.

• 30-15 IFT: Gives final velocity (V_IFT) to prescribe interval training runs as %V_IFT.

• Time Trial / Critical Speed: Direct performance measurement; Critical Speed marks the boundary between heavy and severe intensity domains.

[B]What are the six required sections of the oral case study presentation and how does this presentation feed into it?

• 6 Sections: (1) Background, (2) Rationale, (3) Method of assessment, (4) Training plan, (5) Applicability, (6) Scientific literature.

• Week 05 Feed: Provides the core framework for Section 1 (Needs analysis: sport demands) and Section 3(Method of assessment: lab and field tests, validity/reliability)

[C]How many different lactate threshold concepts were identified in scientific literature by Faude et al. (2009)?

• Faude et al. (2009) identified 25 different lactate threshold concepts, highlighting the absolute necessity for sports scientists to state their exact definition and measurement method when presenting data.

[C] What percentage of VO2peak was required for elite male marathoners in the Breaking2 project to sustain 21.1 km/h race pace?

Elite runners required 94% of VO2peak (or 67 ml per kg per min) at an oxygen cost of 191 ml per kg per km (Jones et al., 2021).