HSC Core 2 – Factors Affecting Performance Summary

Energy Systems

  • Alactacid (ATP/PC): fuel = creatine phosphate; <10\text{ s}; fatigue = PC depletion; recovery 2-5\text{ min}
  • Lactic Acid: fuel = glycogen; 30-45\text{ s}; fatigue = H^+ build-up; active recovery 15-30\text{ min}
  • Aerobic: fuel = glycogen → fat → protein; virtually unlimited; fatigue = fuel depletion; glycogen restored \le48\text{ h}

Training Methods

  • Aerobic: continuous, fartlek, aerobic interval, circuit; FITT → F\ge3\text{/wk},\ I=70\%-85\%\ MHR,\ T\ge20\text{ min}
  • Anaerobic: high-intensity interval, plyometrics; speed/acceleration focus
  • Flexibility: static, dynamic, ballistic, PNF
  • Strength: isotonic, isometric, isokinetic; implements = machines, free weights, bands, balls, hydraulic

Principles of Training

  • Progressive overload (↑ intensity/volume progressively)
  • Specificity (energy, muscles, movement patterns)
  • Reversibility (fitness loss on detraining)
  • Variety (avoid boredom)
  • Training thresholds: aerobic \approx70\%\ MHR; anaerobic \approx85\%\ MHR
  • Warm-up (≈20 min) → general + specific; Cool-down: low-intensity to remove lactate

Physiological Adaptations

  • ↓ resting HR, ↑ SV & max Q
  • ↑ \dot VO_2, haemoglobin, capillarisation
  • Muscle hypertrophy; ↑ ATP/PC & glycogen stores; better lactate tolerance

Motivation

  • Positive vs Negative
  • Intrinsic (enjoyment) vs Extrinsic (rewards)

Anxiety & Arousal

  • State vs Trait anxiety
  • Stress = mismatch demands vs ability
  • Optimal arousal differs per sport (Inverted-U concept)

Psychological Strategies

  • Concentration & cue-control
  • Mental rehearsal / visualisation
  • Relaxation (breathing, PMR, yoga, music)
  • Goal setting: SMARTER framework

Nutrition

  • Pre-event (3-4 h): \ge100\text{ g CHO}, low fat/fibre, 500 mL water
  • Carb-loading for \ge90\text{ min} endurance: ↑ CHO 3-4 d + taper
  • During: 150\text{ mL} fluid every 15\text{ min}; CHO >1 h (gels, sports drink)
  • Post (≤2 h): high GI CHO 50-100\text{ g} + protein 10-20\text{ g}; rehydrate 1.5\text{ L/kg lost}

Supplementation (when diet inadequate)

  • Vitamins & minerals: beware toxicity; iron & calcium critical groups (females, vegetarians)
  • Protein: 1.2-2\text{ g·kg}^{-1}\,d^{-1}; excess → fat, renal stress
  • Caffeine: ↑ alertness, glycogen-sparing; risk diuresis, tremor
  • Creatine: benefits ATP-PC sports; load 5 d then maintain; possible fluid retention, renal issues

Recovery Strategies

  • Physiological: hydration, cool-down, nutrition, stretching, hydrotherapy/contrast baths
  • Neural: massage, hot water immersion (after rehydration)
  • Tissue damage: cryotherapy/ice baths (≤5 min)
  • Psychological: relaxation, sleep 7-9\text{ h}

Stages of Skill Acquisition

  1. Cognitive – high errors, need demonstration & extrinsic feedback
  2. Associative – refine motor pattern, develop kinaesthetic sense
  3. Autonomous – automatic, tactical focus, mainly intrinsic feedback

Learner Characteristics

  • Personality (confidence, motivation)
  • Heredity (body type, gender, fibre ratio)
  • Confidence & prior experience (transfer)
  • Ability (kinaesthetic sense, coordination)

Learning Environment

  • Skill classifications: open/closed, gross/fine, self/external-paced, discrete/serial/continuous
  • Performance elements: decision-making, strategy/tactics → developed via game-sense & small-sided games
  • Practice: massed vs distributed; whole vs part

Feedback

  • Intrinsic vs Extrinsic
  • Concurrent vs Delayed
  • Knowledge of Results vs Performance

Assessment of Performance

  • Skilled performance traits: kinaesthetic sense, anticipation, consistency, technique, mental strength
  • Objective measures: timing devices, scores, force plates
  • Subjective measures: judged scores; improve objectivity via criteria & multiple judges
  • Validity: test measures intended quality; Reliability: consistent results across trials
  • Personal vs Prescribed judging criteria (checklists, rating scales)