SPORT SCIENCE LEVEL I – QUICK-REFERENCE NOTES

Sport Philosophy

• Distinguish: play (spontaneous fun), game (structured, rules, winner), sport (institutionalised competitive physical activity, internal/external rewards)
• Competitive-sport traits: physical effort/skill, standard rules, formal governing body, training & strategy, clear outcome
• Individual motives: health, fitness, recreation, enjoyment, culture, social bonding, catharsis, excellence, material gain, aesthetics
• National motives: unity, health, education, recreation, economy, diplomacy
• Sport science = application of scientific principles (physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, psychology, medicine, tech) to optimise performance
• Coaching cycle: 1) collect data → 2) diagnose → 3) plan → 4) implement → 5) evaluate (continuous)
• Coaching styles: Autocratic (coach-led), Democratic (shared decisions), Laissez-faire (minimal guidance)
• Good coach: knowledgeable, motivated, goal-oriented, planner, communicator, adaptable, stable, caring

Sports in Malaysia

• Development phases: traditional games → colonial sports intro (late 1800s) → post-independence expansion → modern era policies
• Key milestones: 1956 Olympic debut, 1971 NSC, 1988 National Sports Policy (two thrusts: "Sports for All" & "High Performance"), 1997 Sports Development Act
• Structure: Cabinet Committee → KBS, KPM, MSN, ISN, OCM, NSA, State bodies; Commissioner of Sports regulates associations

Anatomy & Physiology (Core)

• Structural hierarchy: $\text{atoms}\rightarrow\text{molecules}\rightarrow\text{cells}\rightarrow\text{tissues}\rightarrow\text{organs}\rightarrow\text{systems}\rightarrow\text{organism}$
• Major systems for sport: skeletal (support, protection, movement), muscular (movement, posture, heat), nervous (control), cardiovascular (O₂ & nutrient transport; $Q = HR\times SV$), respiratory (gas exchange), endocrine (hormonal regulation)
• Muscle fibres: Fast-twitch (power, short), Slow-twitch (endurance)
• Contractions: Isometric (no joint move), Isotonic concentric (shorten), isotonic eccentric (lengthen), Isokinetic (constant speed)
• Agonist vs antagonist vs synergist coordination
• Energy: ATP currency; resynthesis via 3 pathways—Anaerobic alactic (<15 s), Anaerobic lactic (15 s–3 min), Aerobic (>3 min)
• Heart-rate targets (Karvonen): $THR=[(220-\text{age}-RHR)\times \%]+RHR$

Biomechanics (Basics)

• Planes: sagittal (flex/extend), frontal (ab/adduct), transverse (rotate)
• Newton’s laws (in sport): Inertia, F=ma / $\tau=I\alpha$, action–reaction
• Motion types: linear vs angular; most skills = general motion
• Projectile factors: speed, angle, height of release
• Stability ↑ with lower CG, wide base, larger mass, friction
• Video analysis: qualitative (error detection) & quantitative (measurement)

Physical Conditioning

• Fitness components
– Health related: CV endurance, muscular strength & endurance, flexibility, body composition
– Skill related: power, speed, agility, coordination, balance, reaction time
• Training principles: specificity, overload/progression, individualisation, variation, recovery, reversibility, balance
• Aerobic methods: LSD, tempo, interval, repetition, fartlek (set frequency, intensity, duration)
• Anaerobic/strength: resistance, plyometrics; adapt neural → hypertrophy → connective-tissue
• Warm-up (general 5–10 min + dynamic), cool-down (light aerobic + static stretch)
• Flexibility: static, ballistic, dynamic, PNF; 2× wk, 15–30 s per muscle

Sport Nutrition (Key Points)

• Macro-nutrients: CHO 4 kcal/g (fuel; $6–10\,g/kg\,d$), Protein 4 kcal/g (growth/repair; $1.2–1.7\,g/kg\,d$), Fat 9 kcal/g (energy, hormones)
• Micro-nutrients: vitamins (water vs fat-soluble) & minerals (macro/micro)—support metabolism, immunity, bone
• Hydration: loss >$2\%$ body-mass ↓ performance; drink $500\,ml$ 2 h pre-exercise, $150–250\,ml$ every 15 min, replace $1.5\times$ weight lost
• Recovery window: $1.0–1.5\,g\,CHO\,kg^{-1}$ + $\approx0.3\,g\,protein\,kg^{-1}$ within 30 min, repeat 2-hly till 6 h

Coaching Competency

• Roles: plan, organise, teach, evaluate
• Skills: conceptual (big-picture), technical (sport-specific), managerial, interpersonal
• Session structure: intro → warm-up → skill/fitness work → game/application → cool-down → feedback
• Planning tools: yearly plan, cycle, session plan (objectives, content, safety, evaluation)

Sport Psychology Essentials

• PST = systematic training of mental skills (goal-setting, imagery, self-talk, relaxation, concentration)
• Programme phases: education → acquisition → application
• Goal-setting principles: specific, measurable, challenging, short & long term, process > outcome; write & monitor
• Motivation sources: intrinsic (enjoyment) vs extrinsic (rewards); enhance via autonomy, competence, relatedness
• Simple relaxation: controlled breathing, PMR; self-talk cue words; C-A-B routines

Motor Behaviour Highlights

• Three branches: motor control (how), motor learning (practice-induced change), motor development (age-related)
• Fundamental motor skills (run, jump, throw, catch, kick, strike) underpin sport skills; develop 2–7 yrs
• Skill classifications: gross/fine, discrete/serial/continuous, closed/open, motor ↔ cognitive
• Practice design: blocked → serial → random; massed vs distributed; whole vs part; variable enhances schema

Sports Medicine & Safety

• Injury factors: intrinsic (age, previous injury, alignment) & extrinsic (equipment, environment, training load)
• Prevention: safe facilities, proper gear, warm-up, progressive load, hydration, rules adherence
• Acute soft-tissue care – R.I.C.E:
– Rest
– Ice 15 min/2 h
– Compression
– Elevation
• Field assessment T.O.T.A.P.S (Talk–Observe–Touch–Active–Passive–Skill)
• Emergencies: call $999$; basic CPR (C-A-B: 30 compressions : 2 breaths, $100\,\text{min}^{-1}$, $5 cm$ depth)
• First-aid kit basics: gloves, dressings, elastic bandage, triangular sling, splint, scissors, antiseptic wipes