Year 10 AFL - Understanding Movement Study Guide Notes
Hydration
Maintaining hydration is crucial for health and performance.
Thirst indicates existing dehydration.
Hydration is important before, during, and after matches.
2-3L the day before.
Approximately 500ml 4hrs prior to game.
250-350ml 15mins prior to game.
During game: 150-200ml every 15mins of activity.
Post game: 1.5L for every Kg lost (weigh yourself before and after game to estimate fluid loss).
Dehydration
Dehydration involves the loss of essential fluids and salts, disrupting normal body functions.
It poses significant dangers and impairs sports performance.
Intense exercise elevates dehydration risk due to sweat-related fluid loss.
Physical effects:
Muscle fatigue.
Increased risk of injury.
Increased body temperature.
Loss of coordination.
Reduced speed and endurance.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Mental effects:
Reduced concentration.
Reduced awareness.
Poor decision making.
Mental fatigue.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks (e.g., Powerade, Gatorade) are effective for athlete hydration during games.
They contain salts aiding fluid retention and muscle function.
Carbohydrates in sports drinks provide energy for exercise.
Energy drinks (e.g., Red Bull) are not sports drinks.
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Physical fatigue accumulates during prolonged or high-speed running.
The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale measures exertion during physical activity (scale of 6-20).
AFL teams use RPE to:
Track/monitor fatigue levels.
Ensure challenging training intensity.
Avoid overtraining or injury.
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Borg Scale: Why 6-20?
The 6-20 scale estimates heart rate during physical activity.
Multiply the RPE by 10 to approximate heart rate.
E.g., RPE of 15 ≈ 150 bpm
E.g., RPE of 10 = approximately 100bpm.
RPE Effect on AFL Performance
AFL demands players to run 10-15kms per game.
Hard-working teams gain advantages:
Creating offensive space.
Closing defensive space.
Exhausting opponents.
High RPE (18-20) indicates maximum effort for team success.
Low RPE (e.g. 10) indicates insufficient effort, hindering performance.
Acceleration and Force
Acceleration: Change in velocity over time due to force.
Speed: Distance covered in a certain amount of time.
Force: Influence altering an object's motion.
Running involves applying force to the ground for propulsion.
Greater force application leads to faster movement.
Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion
Force and acceleration link via Newton’s 2nd Law:
Athletes increase force by increasing mass or acceleration.
Considering Nic Naitanui and Luke Shuey tackling at the same acceleration, Nic Naitanui would hurt more due to his larger mass.
Thinking point
Is it possible to be moving but have an acceleration of 0 meters per second?
Benefits of Increasing Force and Acceleration in AFL
Force
Tackling harder
Kicking further
Jumping Higher
Pushing opponent off the ball easier
Acceleration
Run faster
Explode away from opponents when leading or creating space
Closing down opponents when defending
Increases the Force a player can produce
Increasing the force one can absorb is also beneficial as it reduces the likelihood of sustaining injury during an impact in games.
Training to Improve Acceleration and Force Production
Resistance Training:
Lifting weights (squats, lunges and deadlifts) help to make the leg muscles stronger which increases their capacity to produce force. More force over a time period = increased acceleration. Upper body strength to assist in tackling and marking
Sprinting:
practicing sprinting increases coordination and trains type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers. It increases explosiveness which is beneficial for acceleration.
Plyometric:
This training involves increasing the capacity of tendons to stretch and release energy. Jumping/landing/sprinting involves stretching and releasing force. The faster energy from tendons can be released, the greater the acceleration and force production.