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An athlete is participating in a 12-week aerobic training program - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 27 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 27
An athlete is participating in a 12-week aerobic training program. Analyse how progressive overload and training thresholds can result in physiological adaptations ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:An athlete is participating in a 12-week aerobic training program - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 27 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
Analyse how progressive overload can result in physiological adaptations for the athlete.
Answer
Progressive overload refers to the systematic increase of training demands to stimulate adaptations in the body. For an athlete in a 12-week aerobic training program, applying progressive overload means gradually increasing the frequency, duration, or intensity of exercise. This can involve increasing the number of training sessions per week, extending the length of each session, or incorporating higher intensity efforts.
Physiologically, this leads to enhanced cardiovascular efficiency. As the athlete trains at higher intensities, their heart rate increases, which results in an adaptation of heart muscle, making it stronger and more efficient. Over time, resting heart rate will decrease as the heart becomes more capable of pumping a higher volume of blood with each contraction.
Additionally, increased training loads promote muscle adaptation, specifically in fast-twitch muscle fibers, enhancing endurance capabilities and reducing fatigue during prolonged activities.
Step 2
Analyse how training thresholds can result in physiological adaptations for the athlete.
Answer
Training thresholds, such as the aerobic threshold (AT) and anaerobic threshold (AN), define the specific intensity levels at which certain metabolic changes occur. Training just below the aerobic threshold improves endurance by enhancing the body’s ability to oxidize fat for energy, while training at or above the anaerobic threshold raises lactic acid levels, improving performance capacity.
For a 12-week program, regularly pushing toward these thresholds leads to several physiological adaptations. For instance, at the aerobic threshold, there is an increase in the number of mitochondria within muscle cells, improving the muscle’s ability to produce energy through aerobic metabolism. Similarly, consistently training near the anaerobic threshold increases the body’s efficiency at clearing lactic acid, resulting in improved performance during high-intensity efforts. Ultimately, these adaptations enhance the athlete's overall endurance and performance.