A.1 Comms
State the body system that uses neurons to transmit rapid messages.
Nervous system
State the main fuel for moderate to high intensity exercise.
Carbohydrate
State the training principle that matches training to the activity.
Specificity
State the movement that decreases the angle at a joint.
Flexion
State the term used for Newton’s first law.
Inertia
List the term for an injury to a ligament.
Sprain
State the term for relatively stable characteristics influencing behaviour.
Personality
State the skill type with a clear beginning and end.
Discrete skill
State the term for the direction and intensity of effort.
Motivation
State the term for general physiological and psychological activation.
Arousal
State the psychological skill involving targets for behaviour or performance.
Goal setting
Describe the term used for maintaining a stable internal environment.
Maintenance of a stable internal environment.
List the term for minerals such as sodium and potassium lost in sweat.
Electrolytes
Describe the principle of gradually increasing training demand.
Progressive overload: Gradually increasing training demand so the body continues to adapt.
List the plane that divides the body into left and right sections.
Sagittal plane
Calculate force if mass is 5 kg and acceleration is 4 m s⁻².
Formula: F = m × a → Substitution: F = 5 × 4 → Answer: 20 N
State the term for an injury to a muscle or tendon.
Strain
Describe the construct linked to resilience and control under pressure.
The ability to remain confident, committed and in control when performing under pressure.
State the skill type with no clear beginning or end.
Continuous skill
List the type of motivation driven by enjoyment.
Intrinsic motivation
List the anxiety type that is temporary and situation-specific.
State anxiety
List the acronym used for effective goals.
SMART
List the hormone that lowers blood glucose concentration.
Insulin
State the stored form of carbohydrate in liver and muscle.
Glycogen
Outline the principle that explains loss of adaptation when training stops.
Reversibility
Describe the connective tissue that connects bone to bone.
Ligament: A strong band of connective tissue that links one bone to another at a joint.
State the term for the product of force and time.
Impulse
State the term for an injury that develops gradually through repeated stress.
Overuse injury
List the personality type associated with sociability and stimulation-seeking.
Extrovert
State the term for a relatively permanent improvement in performance due to practice or experience.
Motor learning
List the type of motivation driven by reward or pressure.
Extrinsic motivation
List the anxiety type that is a stable tendency.
Trait anxiety
Describe the goal type based on correct movement execution.
A goal that focuses on the quality or technique of performing the movement.
Calculate cardiac output if stroke volume is 70 mL and heart rate is 150 bpm.
Formula: Q = SV × HR → Substitution: Q = 70 × 150 → Answer: 10,500 mL min⁻¹ = 10.5 L min⁻¹
Calculate the energy provided by 3 g of fat.
Formula: energy = grams × kcal per gram → Substitution: energy = 3 × 9 → Answer: 27 kcal
Apply training knowledge: identify one recovery factor most essential for adaptation and tissue repair.
Sleep
Distinguish tendon from ligament.
Tendon joins muscle to bone; ligament joins bone to bone.
Calculate work done when a force of 50 N moves an object 4 m in the direction of the force.
Formula: W = F × d → Substitution: W = 50 × 4 → Answer: 200 J
Distinguish a sprain from a strain.
A sprain affects a ligament; a strain affects a muscle or tendon.
Distinguish introversion from extroversion.
Introversion is more inward and reserved; extroversion is more outgoing and stimulation-seeking.
Distinguish intrinsic from extrinsic feedback.
Intrinsic comes from the performer’s senses; extrinsic comes from an external source.
Outline one need from self-determination theory.
Competence: feeling effective; autonomy: feeling choice; or relatedness: feeling connected.
Distinguish cognitive anxiety from somatic anxiety.
Cognitive anxiety is worry; somatic anxiety is physical symptoms.
Distinguish performance goals from outcome goals.
Performance goals focus on a personal standard; outcome goals focus on beating others.
Compare the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system.
Sympathetic increases body activity; parasympathetic restores resting state.
Compare the ATP-PC system with anaerobic glycolysis.
ATP-PC provides immediate energy for very short effort; anaerobic glycolysis lasts longer and produces lactate.
Compare fatigue with recovery.
Fatigue reduces performance; recovery restores function and supports adaptation.
Compare Type I and Type II muscle fibres.
Type I are slower and more fatigue-resistant; Type II are faster and fatigue more quickly.
Compare mass and weight.
Mass is the amount of matter; weight is the force due to gravity.
Compare acute and overuse injuries.
Acute injuries occur suddenly; overuse injuries develop gradually from repeated stress.
Compare personality with mental toughness.
Personality is a broader pattern of traits; mental toughness focuses on coping and performance under pressure.
Compare part practice with whole practice.
Part practice breaks the skill into components; whole practice performs the complete skill.
Compare intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic comes from enjoyment; extrinsic comes from external rewards or pressure.
Compare problem-focused coping with emotion-focused coping.
Problem-focused changes the stressor; emotion-focused manages emotional response.
Compare process, performance and outcome goals.
Process goals focus on technique, performance goals on standards, and outcome goals on results against others.
Contrast red blood cells with plasma in transport.
Red blood cells mainly carry O₂; plasma mainly carries dissolved substances such as nutrients, hormones and CO₂.
Contrast carbohydrates and fats as fuels during exercise.
Carbohydrate is used more at higher intensity; fat contributes more during prolonged lower-intensity exercise.
Contrast active recovery with complete rest.
Active recovery uses low-intensity movement to aid circulation; complete rest involves no exercise load.
Contrast agonist and antagonist muscles in movement.
The agonist produces the movement; the antagonist opposes or controls it.
Contrast drag and lift in fluid mechanics.
Drag opposes motion; lift acts perpendicular to flow and can support upward movement.
Contrast range of motion with joint stability in rehabilitation.
Range of motion is movement capacity; joint stability is control and support around the joint.
Contrast an athlete high in challenge with one low in challenge.
High challenge sees pressure as opportunity; low challenge is more likely to see it as threat.
Contrast novices with skilled performers in attentional demands.
Novices need more conscious attention; skilled performers act more automatically.
Contrast mastery climate with performance climate.
Mastery focuses on effort and improvement; performance focuses on comparison and outperforming others.
Contrast state and trait anxiety.
State anxiety changes by situation; trait anxiety is a stable tendency.
Contrast imagery with physical practice.
Imagery is mental rehearsal; physical practice involves actual movement execution.
Analyse the role of negative feedback in homeostasis.
It detects deviation from a set point and triggers responses that reverse the change.
Analyse why isotonic drinks may benefit performance during prolonged exercise.
They help replace fluid and electrolytes and provide carbohydrate without slowing absorption too much.
Analyse why variation is important in a training programme.
It reduces monotony and overuse risk and helps maintain adaptation and progression.
Analyse why the quadriceps act as the agonist in knee extension.
They shorten to produce the extension movement at the knee joint.
Analyse why increasing time of force application can improve performance in striking or throwing.
A longer application time increases impulse, which can increase change in momentum.
Analyse why muscle imbalance increases injury risk.
Uneven force around a joint can alter movement patterns and increase tissue loading.
Analyse why personality alone is limited in predicting sporting behaviour.
Behaviour changes with context, so traits alone do not fully predict performance.
Analyse why simple, clear instructions suit novices.
They reduce overload and help focus attention on key cues.
Analyse why moderate difficulty tasks appeal to high need-achievement performers.
They offer challenge with a realistic chance of success.
Analyse why athletes may respond differently to the same stressor.
Their appraisal and coping resources differ, so they interpret and manage stress differently.
Analyse why process goals are useful in skill learning.
They direct attention to controllable aspects of technique.
Explain why bicarbonate is important in carbon dioxide transport.
Most CO₂ is transported as bicarbonate, allowing efficient removal from tissues to lungs.
Explain why the oxidative system has the greatest ATP yield.
It uses oxygen to fully break down fuel, producing much more ATP than anaerobic systems.
Explain how supercompensation can improve performance.
After adequate recovery, performance can rise above baseline, allowing improved fitness.
Explain how actin and myosin produce force.
They form cross-bridges and slide past each other, shortening the sarcomere.
Explain how spin changes projectile motion.
Spin can create pressure differences, producing the Magnus effect and curving the flight path.
Explain why poor technique can increase injury risk.
Poor technique can place excessive mechanical stress on tissues and joints.
Explain the interactionist view of behaviour in sport.
Behaviour results from the interaction between personality and the situation.
Explain why feedback is important in motor learning.
It provides information that helps performers correct and refine movement.
Explain how a mastery climate can influence motivation.
It can increase effort, learning focus and intrinsic motivation.
Explain the role of cognitive appraisal in stress.
It determines whether a situation is viewed as threatening, challenging or manageable.
Explain why imagery may improve performance.
It rehearses movements mentally and can strengthen confidence, focus and skill execution.
Evaluate why stroke volume is an important indicator of cardiovascular function during exercise.
A higher stroke volume allows more blood per beat, supporting greater oxygen delivery and cardiac efficiency.
Evaluate the importance of protein for athletic performance.
Protein is essential for growth and repair, but it is not the main immediate fuel for most exercise.
Evaluate the importance of sleep in recovery.
Sleep is highly important because it supports physiological repair, adaptation and mental recovery.
Evaluate the importance of synovial joint structure for movement efficiency.
It allows a wide range of movement while reducing friction and supporting stability.
Evaluate the usefulness of biomechanical analysis in sport.
It can improve technique and efficiency and reduce injury risk, though it must be applied accurately.
Evaluate the importance of progressive rehabilitation before return to play.
It restores function safely and reduces the risk of re-injury.
Evaluate the usefulness of mental toughness as a performance concept.
It is useful for understanding resilience and control, but it does not explain performance on its own.
Evaluate the usefulness of part practice.
It is helpful for complex skills, but it may reduce rhythm if the whole movement is not later integrated.
Evaluate the importance of autonomy in self-determination theory.
Autonomy is important because feeling choice and control supports self-determined motivation.
Evaluate the usefulness of coping flexibility.
It is useful because different stressors may require different coping strategies.
Evaluate why process and performance goals are often more effective than outcome goals.
They are more controllable and help focus on performance quality rather than only results.
Discuss how the nervous and endocrine systems work together during exercise.
The nervous system produces rapid responses; the endocrine system provides slower hormonal regulation to support ongoing exercise.
Discuss why no single energy system works in isolation during exercise.
All systems contribute, but the dominant system changes with exercise intensity and duration.
Discuss why too much training without sufficient recovery can reduce performance.
Excessive load without recovery causes accumulated fatigue, poorer adaptation and increased injury risk.
Discuss how muscle fibre type can influence sporting performance.
Endurance events favour Type I characteristics, whereas sprint and power events favour Type II characteristics.
Discuss how Newton’s laws help explain human movement in sport.
They explain inertia, acceleration from force, and action–reaction interactions in movement and performance.
Discuss why injury prevention is better than only treating injuries after they occur.
Prevention reduces lost training time, lowers risk and supports long-term performance and health.
Discuss how the 4 Cs may influence performance under pressure.
Confidence, control, commitment and challenge can support persistence, focus and effective responses to stress.
Discuss how automaticity affects performance.
Automaticity reduces attentional demand and can improve consistency, especially in familiar skills.
Discuss how different motivational climates may affect long-term participation.
Mastery climates are more likely to support persistence, whereas performance climates may reduce motivation for some performers.
Discuss how stress can affect performance.
Stress can impair focus and decision-making, but if managed well it can also be channelled positively.
Discuss how goal setting and imagery can work together.
Goals provide direction, while imagery mentally rehearses how to achieve them.