Aerobic (Respiratory)
What is the formula for ventilation? Does this increase or decrease with aerobic training?
V = Respiratory Rate x Tidal Volume.
Increase in ventilation from aerobic training
What adaptation best explains a decreased resting heart rate after a 12-week aerobic training program?
A. Increased blood pressure
B. Increased lactate tolerance
C. Increased stroke volume
D. Increased body temperature
C
A decreased resting heart rate is enabled by an increased stroke volume because cardiac output remains the same at rest.
Which of the following would not occur in slow-twitch fibres because of aerobic training?
A. Increased mitochondria size
B. Increased number of oxidative enzymes
C. Increased capillarisation
D. Increased alveolar surface area
D
Increased alveolar surface area is a respiratory adaptation. It is the only answer that would not occur in the muscle.
Who would benefit most from increased glycolytic capacity?
A. A marathon runner
B. A tennis player
C. A shot-putter
D. A 400-m sprinter
D
Glycolytic capacity is an anaerobic adaptation that allows glycogen to be broken down faster anaerobically via the anaerobic glycolysis system so the 400-m sprinter would benefit most.
Which of the following would be an example of a neural adaptation to anaerobic resistance training?
A. increased glycolytic capacity
B. muscular hypertrophy
C. increased motor unit recruitment
D. increased myoglobin stores
C.
Increased motor unit recruitment
The formula for VO2 max is:
A. HR x RR.
B. HR x Q.
C. a-vO2 diff x Q.
D. a-vO2 diff x HR.
C.
This is called the FICHT formula and is VO2 max = a-vO2 diff x Q (cardiac output.)
A rower improves their VO2 max over a 16-week program. What key vascular adaptations explain this?
A. Increased mitochondria and oxidative enzymes
B. Increased capillarisation and blood volume
C. Increased blood volume and stroke volume
D. Decreased resting heart rate and CP stores
B
The question specifically states vascular adaptations which means blood or blood vessels. Option B is the only correct answer as other answers contain cardio or muscular adaptations.
Which training method would be most effective in increasing glycogen stores in slow-twitch fibres?
A. Fartlek training
B. Resistance training
C. Flexibility training
D. Sprint interval training
A
Increased glycogen stores in slow twitch muscles is an aerobic adaptation, so Fartlek training is the only aerobic training method listed that would be effective
Sian undertook short interval training for 2 weeks. Which of the following adaptations would have occurred significantly?
A. Increased PC stores
B. Increased glycogen stores
C. Increased slow twitch muscle fibre size
D. None of the above
D
2 weeks is too short a duration for any significant adaptations to occur.
Which neuromuscular adaptation contributes to stronger and more powerful muscle contractions?
A. Increased lung volume
B. Increased synchronisation of motor units
C. Increased alveoli-capillary surface area
D. Increased red blood cell count
B.
Anaerobic training can increase the synchronisation of motor units, meaning more motor units are recruited together and larger motor units can be recruited earlier. This results in stronger and more powerful muscle contractions.
Which of the following is a chronic respiratory adaptation to aerobic training?
A. Increased pulmonary ventilation at rest
B. Increased pulmonary diffusion during exercise
C. Decreased tidal volume during rest
D. Decreased VO2 max
B.
Ventilation remains the same at rest and no athlete will train to decrease their VO2 max. Tidal volume should increase at rest and max intensity due to aerobic training, so option B is correct.
Using the relationship between cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate, explain how aerobic training has this effect on heart rate. (2 marks)
Cardiac output = SV X HR (1 mark).
Aerobic training results in an increased cardiac output due to an increase in volume of the left ventricle which results in an increase in stroke volume. As stroke volume increases, the same cardiac output can be achieved with a lower heart rate (1 mark).
Which athlete is most likely to have the lowest percentage of Type I muscle fibers?
A. A professional 800m runner
B. A state-level netball midcourter
C. An Olympic javelin thrower
D. A Tour de France cyclist
C
Type 1 fibres are another name for slow twitch fibres that are aerobic in nature. Therefore, the athlete with the least aerobic event is the Olympic javelin thrower.
Which muscle fibre type is most responsive to a muscular strength training session?
Fast twitch (type 2 or white) muscle fibres
What is a result of an increased firing rate of motor units following anaerobic training?
A. Slower force development
B. Faster force development
C. Reduced muscle strength
D. Reduced muscle fibre recruitment
B.
An increased firing rate of motor units improves rate coding, which allows force to be developed more quickly. This can improve performance during rapid and explosive movements.
Describe how resting or submaximal respiratory rate changes following a period of aerobic training, and explain the physiological reason for this change. (2 marks)
Resting and submaximal respiratory rate decreases (or remains lower for the same workload).
Because tidal volume has increased, the body can extract the required amount of oxygen per breath more efficiently. Therefore, fewer breaths are required per minute to supply sufficient oxygen at rest and during submaximal exercise.
Outline how a high cardiac output would enhance the performance of an endurance athlete. (2marks)
An increased cardiac output allows the endurance athlete to deliver more oxygen rich blood to the working muscles. The increased oxygen availability will mean that there is more oxygen available for aerobic metabolism which will mean that they can work aerobically for longer at the same intensity or (coupled with other adaptations such as increased mitochondria) they may be able to work at a higher aerobic intensity.
Which of the following is most likely to occur in both resistance-trained and endurance-trained individuals?
A. Increased cross-sectional area of muscles
B. Increased oxidative enzymes
C. Increased cardiac output at rest
D. Increased capillarization at muscles
A
A chronic adaptation to training is an increased cross-sectional area of muscles. Aerobic training will increase slow twitch fibre size and anaerobic training increases size of fast twitch fibres, which is more pronounced.
Which of the following adaptations would have a significant influence on improving a marathon runner’s lactate inflection point?
a. Decreased resting heart rate
b. Increased neural transmission
c. Increased oxidative enzymes
d. Increased CP stores
C
An increase in oxidative enzymes will increase an athlete’s ability to consume oxygen and produce aerobic energy.
This will have an effect on the intensity with which an athlete can work aerobically (ie improved LIP).
Note: Any decrease in heart rate does occur, however it has no significant effect on improving aerobic performance.
Explain how an increase in motor unit synchronisation can improve sporting performance.
Which one of the following adaptations would be observed in the respiratory system after 12 weeks of aerobic training four times per week?
a. maintained lung volumes
b. increased haemoglobin levels
c. increased alveolar surface area
d. decreased ventilation at maximal intensity
C
Haemoglobin is a cardiovascular adaptation occurring within the blood.
Alveoli of the lungs is respiratory, and does increase through aerobic training
How can an increase in alveoli-capillary surface area following aerobic training improve performance?
In which one of the following sports is having a high myoglobin count most likely to provide an advantage to an athlete in a competition?
a. Marathon running
b. Boxing
c. 800m runner
d. High Jump
A
The marathon is the most aerobic event listed within the options, therefore levels of myoglobin are most relevant to it.
List two muscular adaptations that result with power training and indicate how these changes increase muscular power.
Increased CP stores and increased stored ATP – more energy for immediate use by ATP system this means that greater training intensity
Increased neuromuscular coordination – more fibres recruited, more forceful contraction
Increased contractile proteins – more forceful contractions.
Tilly is a Year 10 volleyball player who recently undertook an 8-week resistance training program. She followed the program below 3 times per week in the lead up to her season starting.
In the first 3 weeks of the program, Tilly reported noticeable improvements in her vertical jump height, despite no measurable increase in muscle size.
List two chronic neuromuscular adaptations that may explain this improvement
Increased motor unit recruitment
Increased firing rate
Increased synchronisation of motor units
Increased preferential recruitment of fast twitch fibres
Decreased inhibition of motor units