HEALTH AND MOVEMENT SCIENCE YEAR 12

What is the purpose of pre‑exercise questionnaires?

They identify health risks, medical history, and fitness levels to personalise programs, prevent injuries, and fulfil legal obligations.

Why are pre‑exercise screenings essential for inactive individuals?

They detect chronic health issues and ensure training begins safely at an appropriate intensity.

What health indicators require detailed screening?

Heart conditions, previous strokes, unexplained chest pain, dizziness during exercise, severe asthma attacks, or musculoskeletal issues.

How do pre‑exercise screenings personalise training for recreational vs elite athletes?

Recreational participants prioritise general health and enjoyment, while elite athletes focus on performance‑specific factors.

What is the purpose of fitness testing in personalising training?

To evaluate physical condition, highlight improvement areas, and set achievable goals.

What do cardiovascular tests measure?

The efficiency of the heart and lungs in supplying oxygen (e.g., Cooper test, beep test, Yo‑Yo test, VO₂ max).

What do strength tests measure?

Maximum strength (e.g., 1RM) or strength endurance (e.g., sit‑ups, squats, burpees).

What do anaerobic tests measure?

Short‑term power and high‑intensity capacity (e.g., Wingate test, lactate testing).

What do flexibility tests measure?

Range of motion in joints, which improves performance and reduces injury risk.

What do body composition tests measure?

Fat, muscle, and bone proportions using BMI, skinfolds, BIA, or DEXA.

How does fitness testing improve health for recreational participants?

It establishes baselines for cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and body composition.

How does testing enhance participation for recreational athletes?

It supports SMART goals, prevents injuries by identifying imbalances, and adapts to all ages and fitness levels.

How does testing enhance performance for recreational athletes?

It identifies strengths and weaknesses, boosts motivation, and guides training improvements.

How does fitness testing support health in elite athletes?

It provides baseline metrics, detects injury risks, and monitors recovery after injury or competition.

How does testing enhance participation for elite athletes?

It informs team selection, strategy, and goal setting through detailed performance data.

How does testing enhance performance for elite athletes?

It identifies performance gaps, tracks progress over time, and guides targeted training to maximise speed, strength, endurance, and agility.

What does the Yo‑Yo test measure?

Aerobic fitness and the ability to repeatedly perform high‑intensity efforts with short recovery.

What does the Wingate test measure?

Maximum anaerobic power and capacity through a 30‑second maximal cycling effort.

How do assessments help establish a starting point?

They determine initial fitness levels to design safe, progressive programs (e.g., walking before jogging).

How do assessments help identify goals?

They clarify objectives such as weight loss, endurance, or strength to create targeted plans.

How do assessments support personalisation?

They tailor exercises to strengths, preferences, and limitations, improving motivation and adherence.

How do assessments support progress monitoring?

Regular testing tracks improvements and maintains engagement through visible progress (e.g., Beep Test changes).

How do assessments prevent injuries?

They provide detailed performance analysis, support sport‑specific training, guide periodisation, and enable continuous monitoring.

What does anaerobic training improve?

The body's ability to perform short, high‑intensity efforts using the ATP‑PC and glycolytic systems, enhancing power, acceleration, speed, and fatigue tolerance.

What are the trainings that come under the anaerobic training program?

Anaerobic interval training, HIIT, SIT, plyometric training, resistance training

What is anaerobic interval training?

Short maximal‑effort distances with long rests to disperse lactate, improving glycolytic efficiency and sprint quality (85-95% MHR).

Who benefits from anaerobic interval training?

Soccer players, boxers, swimmers, sprinters—any sport requiring repeated explosive bursts.

What is HIIT?

Short bursts at 80-95% MHR followed by rest; stresses glycolytic energy production and uses aerobic recovery for ATP resynthesis.

What is Sprint Interval Training (SIT)?

Maximal short bursts followed by rest, improving anaerobic capacity, ATP‑PC power, cardiovascular health, and post‑exercise calorie burn.

What is plyometric training?

Explosive eccentric-concentric movements that increase power, reaction time, and neuromuscular coordination (e.g., depth jumps, bounding).

What is resistance training used for in anaerobic performance?

Recruiting and enlarging fast‑twitch fibres to generate force quickly for high‑intensity activities.

What does aerobic training develop?

The aerobic energy system, improving cardiovascular endurance, recovery, and movement efficiency.

What are the trainings that come under the aerobic training program?

Continuous training, fartlek training, aerobic interval training, and circuit training

What is continuous training?

20+ minutes at 60-85% aerobic threshold to improve oxygen delivery, stamina, and delay fatigue.

What is fartlek training?

Continuous + interval training with varied speed and terrain, improving rapid energy‑system switching.

What is aerobic interval training?

Longer work periods with short rests to stress the aerobic system—useful for sports with repeated high‑intensity bursts.

What is circuit training?

Rotating between stations to improve aerobic capacity, strength, flexibility, skill, and coordination.

What is flexibility training?

Flexibility training improves the Range of Motion (ROM) at a joint, supporting movement efficiency, coordination and injury prevention. It also aids recovery and reduces muscle soreness.

What are the trainings that come under the flexibility training program?

Static stretching, ballistic stretching, dynamic stretching, PNF stretching.

What is static stretching?

Holding a stretch ~30 seconds to improve ROM, elasticity, and reduce injury risk.

What is ballistic stretching?

Bouncing movements beyond normal ROM, activating the stretch reflex; requires warm‑up first.

What is dynamic stretching?

Sport‑specific movement‑based stretching using momentum to warm muscles (e.g., leg swings, lunges).

What is PNF stretching?

Static stretch + isometric contraction + relaxation to increase flexibility and muscle fibre strength.

What is strength training?

Strength training enhances the ability to exert force against resistance, promoting muscular hypertrophy, bone strength and improving neuromusccular condition. It underpins performance, stability and injury prevention.

What are the trainings that come under the strength training program?

Free weights, fixed-weight machines, body-weight exercises, and elastics

What do free weights develop?

Functional strength and stabiliser activation; requires strict technique.

What do fixed‑weight machines develop?

Isolated muscle strength with guided movement—useful for beginners and rehab.

What do body‑weight exercises develop?

Muscular endurance, control, and core stability.

What are elastics used for?

Warm‑ups, stability, and injury prevention with constant tension.

What are skill and tactical development?

Skill and tactics develops technical execution, decision-making and straegy under realistic conditions. It ensures that pshysiological adaptations from training transfer effectively into game performance.

What are the trainings that come under the skill and tactical training development?

Drills, modified games, and games for specific outcomes

What are drills used for?

Repetitive practice to refine technique, build consistency, and reinforce correct motor patterns.

What are modified games used for?

Small‑area games that mimic real play, improving tactical awareness, decision‑making, and reaction.

What are games for specific outcomes?

Scenario‑based tactical play to develop communication, strategic awareness, and composure under pressure.

List all the principles of training?

Progressive overload, training thresholds, reversibility, specificity, variety, and warm-ups and cool down

What is progressive overload?

Gradually increasing intensity, duration, frequency, or load to stimulate adaptation and avoid plateaus.

What are training thresholds?

Aerobic threshold: 60-85% MHR

Anaerobic threshold: 85-95% MHR

These intensities are required for cardiovascular and endurance improvements.

What is reversibility?

Loss of fitness when training stops; VO₂ max and strength decline within weeks.

What is specificity?

Training must match energy systems, movement patterns, and physiological demands of the sport.

What is variety?

Changing exercises, environments, and methods to prevent boredom and plateaus.

Why are warm‑ups and cool‑downs essential?

Warm‑ups prepare the body (RAMP), reduce injury risk; cool‑downs remove waste, reduce stiffness, and aid recovery.

List all the psychological adaptations?

Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output, oxygen uptake and lung capacity, hemoglobin level, muscle hypertrophy and fast/slow twitch muscle fibres

How does training affect heart rate?

Aerobic training strengthens the heart, lowering resting and working HR and improving endurance.

What happens to stroke volume and cardiac output with training?

Left ventricle enlarges → more blood per beat → higher cardiac output → improved endurance.

What happens to VO₂ max and lung capacity?

More mitochondria, more capillaries, higher tidal volume → VO₂ max increases 15-20%.

How does training affect haemoglobin levels?

Aerobic training increases RBCs and haemoglobin, improving oxygen‑carrying capacity.

What is muscle hypertrophy?

Increase in muscle fibre size and myofibrils due to resistance training.

How do slow‑twitch fibres adapt?

More mitochondria, capillaries, and myoglobin → improved endurance and fatigue resistance.

How do fast‑twitch fibres adapt?

Hypertrophy, increased glycolytic enzymes, and lactic acid tolerance → improved power and speed.

How does aerobic adaptation improve performance?

Better oxygen delivery, higher endurance, delayed fatigue, and improved recovery.

How does anaerobic adaptation improve performance?

Greater power, speed, acceleration, and ability to repeat high‑intensity efforts.

How does flexibility adaptation improve performance?

Improved ROM, movement efficiency, coordination, and reduced injury risk.

How does strength adaptation improve performance?

Increased force production, stability, and injury prevention.

What is the main safety difference between individual and group sports - when designing a training session?

Individual sports focus on personal equipment and environment (e.g., checking a bike), while group sports require safe interaction between players (e.g., controlled contact in tackling drills).

List the key health and safety considerations in any training session?

COWSASH : health and safety considerations, overview/aim of the session, warm-up and cool-down, skill instruction and practice, conditioning, strategies and tactics, and athlete reflection/coach evaluation.

How do session goals differ between individual and group sports?

Individual sports use highly personalised goals based on personal performance data; group sports use goals linked to team strategy, cohesion, and shared outcomes.

What should be included in the session overview?

Attendance, injury checks, discussion of previous performance, and identification of specific goals.

How do warm‑ups differ between individual and group sports?

Individual warm‑ups target specific muscles for the event; group warm‑ups include team‑based drills and communication.

What are the phases of a warm‑up?

General activity → dynamic stretching → callisthenics → skill rehearsal.

What is the purpose of a cool‑down?

Light activity and static stretching to remove lactic acid and aid recovery.

How does skill practice differ between individual and group sports?

Individual sports use repetitive, technique‑focused practice; group sports use cooperative drills such as passing or team plays.

What are key elements of effective skill instruction?

Clear instructions, demonstrations, feedback, and progression from simple to complex drills.

How does conditioning differ between individual and group sports?

Individual sports match conditioning to event demands (e.g., 5×400m for runners); group sports integrate conditioning into skill drills (e.g., small‑sided games).

What types of conditioning may be included?

Aerobic or anaerobic work such as circuits, intervals, or strength training.

How do strategies differ between individual and group sports?

Individual sports focus on pacing, positioning, and timing; group sports rely on team coordination and communication.

What is the difference between strategy and tactics?

Strategy is the overall plan; tactics are specific actions or decisions during play.

How does reflection differ between individual and group sports?

Individuals reflect on personal performance and technique; group sports reflect on roles, communication, and team outcomes.

What is the purpose of reflection?

To assess goal achievement, identify strengths/weaknesses, and guide future sessions.

What is the purpose of a yearly training program?

To organise training phases so athletes can peak at the right time and develop fitness, technical, and tactical skills.

What happens during pre‑season?

Build fitness, develop technical skills, and prepare mentally/physically. Includes general and specific preparation phases.

How does pre‑season differ for individual vs team sports?

Individual sports (e.g., swimming) have longer pre‑seasons; team sports (e.g., football) have shorter ones due to long competition seasons.

What happens during in‑season?

Maintain fitness and skills, manage fatigue, prevent injuries, and focus on strategy and recovery.

How does in‑season differ for individuals vs teams?

Individuals may taper before events; teams balance weekly recovery and preparation.

What happens during off‑season?

Rest and active recovery to restore physical and mental health.

What is a macrocycle?

The full annual plan covering pre‑season, in‑season, and off‑season.

What is a mesocycle?

A 2-6 week training block focusing on a specific area (e.g., aerobic fitness, strength).

What is a microcycle?

A 1‑week plan including daily sessions, rest, conditioning, and recovery.

What is peaking?

Achieving optimal readiness for competition through managing training volume and intensity.

What is tapering?

Reducing training load before competition to restore glycogen, balance neuromuscular systems, and reduce fatigue.

How do sub‑phases develop sport‑specific qualities?

General fitness is built first, then training shifts to sport‑specific skills and energy systems.