IB SEHS HL Option A

Flashcards on altitude training, recovery from sports, non-nutritional ergogenic aids, environmental factors and physical performance, and training principles.

Altitude

Distance above sea level.

Hypoxia

Condition in which oxygen supply to cells is insufficient, often due to decreased air density and oxygen partial pressure at altitude.

Physiological effects of altitude

Increased heart rate and breathing, decreased ATP production from glycolysis due to hypoxia.

Altitude Training

Training for endurance athletes at altitudes above 2000m for several weeks/months hoping to gain a competitive advantage in low altitude competitions.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

Hormone released when training at moderate/high altitude that stimulates red blood cell production.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

Dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath due to altitude.

High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPE)

Accumulation of fluid in the lungs due to altitude.

High Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACE)

Accumulation of fluid in the brain due to altitude.

Active Recovery

Low-intensity exercise to promote recovery by raising cardiac output and enhancing blood lactate removal.

Physiological indicators of recovery

Reduced blood lactate, return to resting heart rate, replenishment of glycogen levels, reoxygenation of myoglobin.

Symptomatic indicators of recovery

Lack of injury, reduced muscle soreness, lack of DOMS.

Psychological indicators of recovery

Lack of mental fatigue, feeling that training is manageable.

Compression Garments

Applying mechanical pressure to compress and support underlying tissue for recovery.

Cryotherapy

Body cooling for therapeutic purposes.

Ergogenic Aid

Any substance or phenomenon that improves an athlete’s performance.

Placebo Effect

Improvement in performance due to the belief that a treatment will work, even if it is ineffective.

Anabolic Steroids

Stimulates bone maturation and protein synthesis to increase muscle growth.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

Hormone that stimulates stem cells of the bone marrow to increase the production of red blood cells.

Beta Blockers

Medications that reduce blood pressure by blocking the effects of adrenaline.

Caffeine

Stimulant that reduces feelings of fatigue and increases alertness.

Diuretics

Substances that increase the production of urine.

Cellular Metabolism and Heat

Process where humans metabolise nutrients through cellular respiration, creating heat.

37 ± 0.6 °C

Range for normal core body temperature.

Conduction

Body transfers heat to surrounding objects through direct contact.

Convection

Body transfers heat to the surrounding air through convection.

Radiation

Body radiates heat to the surrounding environment.

Evaporation

Body uses sweat to cool down through evaporation.

Vasodilation

Blood vessels in the skin dilate to increase blood flow and heat loss.

Vasoconstriction

Blood vessels in the skin constrict to decrease blood flow and prevent heat loss.

Humidity impact

High water content decreases capacity to accept more water molecules.

How wind increases Heat Loss

Strip away warm air, increasing convection rates.

Formation of Sweat

Plasma is the source of sweat formation, activated by the sympathetic nervous system.

Sweat Response

Hypothalamus triggers the sweat response when body temperature rises.

Physiological Responses to Prolonged Exercise in Heat

Increased sweating, heart rate, and redistribution of blood flow.

Heat Cramp

Muscle spasms due to electrolyte imbalance from heat exposure.

Heat Exhaustion

Fainting, dizziness, excessive sweating, and rapid pulse.

Heat Stroke

Throbbing headache, confusion, no sweating and rapid pulse.

Steps for Acclimatising to Heat Stress

Performing training sessions in similar environmental conditions (high heat and humidity) for 5 to 10 days resulting in almost total heat acclimation.

Physiological and Metabolic Adaptations to Heat Acclimation

Increased plasma volume, improved sweat response, and reduced cardiovascular strain.

Shivering

Involuntary muscle contractions.

Non-shivering thermogenesis

Increase in metabolic heat production not associated with muscular activity.

Peripheral vasoconstriction

Decrease in blood flow to the skin, promoting heat retention.

Importance of Surface Area to Body Mass Ratio

Large objects = low surface area. People with a larger mass have a lower surface area to body mass ratio.

Wind Chill

Lowering of body temperature due to the passing flow of lower-temperature air.

Physiological Reponses to Exercise in the cold

Cooling causes muscles to contract with less force and the nervous system responds by altering the muscle fibre recruitment, these changes in recruitment patterns decrease muscle efficiency which causes more fatigue due to increased effort.

Clothing Precautions in the Cold

Insulation measured by a clo unit to maintain heat, maintain water repellent capabilities.

Training

Performing exercise in an organised manner on a regular basis with a specific goal in mind.

Overtraining

Attempting to do more training than one is able to physically and/or mentally tolerate.

Overreaching

Transient overtraining.

Fartlek training

Swedish term for speed play, a form of interval training involving continuous activity with randomised short bursts of high intensity efforts.

Cross-training

Training, that utilizes several modes of training that are outside the athlete’s main sport to develop a specific component of fitness.

Periodization

Exercise design technique that promotes long-term performance improvements. Coaches implement this technique by modifying variations of exercise intensity, volume, frequency, and specificity within certain training periods or cycles.