Physical Fitness Notes

Lesson 2.The Warm Up

The warm up is basic in Physical Education. We do it everyday, so it is the first thing you must learn.

1. WHAT IS A WARM-UP? DEFINITION
A warm up is a series of exercises, which increases in intensity, you do before any physical activity to prepare  body and mind to improve your performance in the main activity.
 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE WARM UP:
If you do a good warm up, you can get:
1) Protection against injuries
2) Better performance

3. EFFECTS  OF THE WARM UP ON OUR BODY:

-You increase your body temperature. -You also increase your heart rate
-There is also an increase in blood circulation, and oxygen in blood travels faster reaching the muscles at work.
-Your muscles extend more and are more elastic     -Your joints move more efficiently    -You react faster   -You will be mentally focused on the training or competition

4. PARTS OF A WARM-UP:
·  What are the parts of an effective Warm-Up?

1) The general warm-up

1.1.Aerobic activity : 3-5  minutes  SLOW  JOG  to increase body temperature

1.2. Stretching

• Static stretching : Static Stretching as the name implies is static or "without movement" It involves stretching the target muscle and hold the stretch for about 20-30 seconds for 1-3 repetitions.  You must focus on all the major muscle groups (back, abdominals, forearms and wrists, triceps,biceps, shoulders, chest, buttocks, groin (adductors), thighs (quadriceps and adductors), calves and hamstrings) .

• Dynamic stretching: It utilizes active movement to take the body part through its range of motion. This active movement prepares the muscles for exercise. Examples of dynamic stretching include: shoulder circles, different types of arm swings, side bends, hips circles and twists, alternate toe touches, carioca, leg swings, straight leg kicks, walking lunges with upper body twist, walking knee and heel hugs, open and close knees, butt kickers, high knees, hip internal and external rotation, ankle bounce and much more exercises . It is used to both wake up and warm up the body along with stretching it.

1.3. Speed part: sprints, accelerations …..

2. Sport specific warm-up : in this part, you .perform  exercises similar to the sport you are going to play and warm up the muscles you are going to use in the  specific sport or activity.

Warm ups are specific to the sport or activity you practice.  So, the warm-up volleyball players do is different from the one footballers do.

This part must also be progressive in intensity. It must start slow and increase the intensity. It must end at a intensity similar to the sport you are going to practise.

Such sport-specific activity is beneficial because it improves coordination, in fact, it facilitates nerve transmission and muscle metabolism; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity

5. How long should a warm up take?  It will depend on many different factors such as type of sport, temperature, individual needs......, but il will take around 20’-25’ at the total; the total time can be distributed in the following pattern:

·  5 minutes jogging to increase body temperature

·         5 minutes static flexibility

·         5 minutes dynamic stretching exercises  to reduce muscle stiffness

·  10 minutes for specific warm up drills - preparation for the session or competition. e.g. for a soccer player ( passes, dribbles, shots, controls and reduced soccer games...)

6. How long would have passed between the end of the warm up and the beginning of the competition or main activity?  No more than 10 minutes.

LESSON 3.  ENERGY PATHWAYS

The Three Energy Pathways

We all know that the human body needs energy to function, but where does this energy come from? the energy that keeps us moving comes from the food we eat. However, we cannot use energy directly from food—it must first be converted into adenosine triphosphate; Food is made up of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and these nutrients are broken down into their simplest forms (glucose, fatty acids and amino acids) during digestion. Once these nutrients are broken down, they are transported through the blood to either be used in a metabolic pathway or stored for later use.

The only usable form of chemical energy for muscular activity is ATP, which stands for adenosine triphosphate; ATP is a high energy phosphate, which is stored in muscle cells, and whose breakdown produces energy and ADP.

Since with the amount of ATP stored in muscle cells there is just enough for an all-out physical activity lasting up to 5”, there must be three different pathways to resynthesize ATP to allow muscles keep contracting

1.        Phosphagen System (immediate source)

2.        Anaerobic ( uses carbohydrates)

3.        Aerobic (slow, uses either carbohydrates or fat)

Phosphagen System ATP-PC (anaerobic alactic)

Process:  the breakdown of ATP molecule produces energy + ADP; then the combination of ADP + CP (creatine phosphate) produces ATP + Creatine.

Types of exercises: this system is used for all out exercises lasting up to 15” seconds. Maximum intensity and short term.  / (Speed is the physical capacity that uses the anaerobic alactic pathway)

Speed Definition: It is the ability to move a body part quickly or it can also be defined as the ability to cover a short distance as fast as possible.

Sample Workouts:

·         Sprints: 3 sets x 10 repetitions x 30 meters sprint with recovery of 30 seconds/repetition  and 3-5 minutes/ set. recovery time, 1:6 work to rest ratio

·         Stride length and frequency exercices

·         Acceleration Training

·         Reaction Speed:  the  objective is to react to a stimulus as fast as possible to improve your reaction time

Advantages:  

·         Quickest way to resynthesize ATP, since CP is stored in the muscle, so no carbohydrate or fat conversion is used in this process to form ATP.

·         It is oxygen independent

Disadvantages:

·         Since there is a limited amount of stored CP fatigue occurs rapidly (around 15”)

·         Long recovery period (3-5’)are required  to replenish CP-ATP stores

 Anaerobic Lactate System

Process: when CP stores are depleted the body resorts to blood glucose or muscle/liver glycogen (stored form of glucose) to form ATP through a process called glycolysis, which consists of a series of chemical reactions to break down glucose to pyruvate acid, which is converted to lactic acid; this lactic acid will lower the muscle PH causing the fatigue.

Types of exercises:  All-out exercises (high intensity) lasting from 16”- 2’.

Anaerobic endurance:  It is a type of endurance in which the body is working so hard that the demands for oxygen and fuel exceed the rate of supply, so the body take into a state known as oxygen debt and  lactic acid starts to accumulate in the muscles; This point is known as the anaerobic threshold or onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA).

·          Sample Workout: 6 repetitions x 200 meters with a 1-3 work to rest ratio.

 Advantages:  

·          It is the second quickest way to resynthesize ATP without using oxygen and allow us to complete high intensity effort lasting from 16” to 2’.

Disadvantages:

·          It just provides energy for a short period of time because the waste product (lactic acid) changes muscle PH preventing the muscle from contracting

·          Long recovery time, 1:2 work to rest ratio

Training Methods: we use training methods at the Anaerobic Threshold level.

Anaerobic threshold

The anaerobic threshold is the point at which lactic acid starts to accumulates in the muscles, is considered to be somewhere between 80% and 90% of your maximum heart rate and is approximately 40 beats higher than the aerobic threshold. Your anaerobic threshold can be determined with anaerobic threshold testing.

A)      Continuous Training: when an athlete exercises in a steady way without recovery period.

Sample Workouts:  First of all you need to calculate your maximum heart rate by using this simple formula: MHR= 220 –Age

  Running at 80 to 90% of max. heart rate. It burns glycogen - anaerobic - duration 10 to 20 minutes. Useful for 5km to marathon.

  Running at 90 to 100% of max. heart rate. 800/1500m - burns glycogen - anaerobic - duration 1 to 5 minutes. Useful for 800 to 5km.

B)       Interval Training: Interval running enables the athlete to improve the workload by interspersing heavy bouts of fast running with recovery periods of slower or easier jogging. During the run, lactic acid is produced and a state of oxygen debt is reached. During the interval (recovery), the heart and lungs are still stimulated as they try to pay back the debt by supplying oxygen to help break down the lactates.

Consider the various elements of the session to prepare your 1 km test:

• The length of the work interval, which should be shorter than the test distance. For example we are going to run over a distance of 100 meters.
• The pace should be comfortable raising your heart rate to the required % of MHR, we can run at 80%-90% of your best time in the 100 meters run. 
• The distance covered by the number of repetitions should exceed the distance which you are preparing for. For instance 12.
• The rest interval should enable you to jog and bring the heart rate down to near 120-130 bpm

The Aerobic System

Process:  It is the process by which the complete oxidation of a molecule of glucose in the first place and the oxidation of fatty acids in the second place produce ATP, given that this process takes place in presence of oxygen the only by-products created are carbon dioxide and water, which are removed by sweating and breathing, that is why we can practice Aerobic Endurance for a long period of time.

Types of exercises:

Aerobic Endurance:  It is a type of endurance in which the body is working at a level that the demands for oxygen and fuel can be met by body’s intake. The only waste products formed are carbon dioxide and water which are removed by sweating and breathing.

Advantages:

• Synthesis takes place within the presence of oxygen, with the only by-products being CO2 and water.
• Energy production can continue indefinitely, provided the body continues to be well hydrated and fed, and workloads remain low enough that the aerobic system remains the primary energy provider.

Disadvantages:

·          The system takes several minutes to respond to the loads that are placed on the body and it is not useful for high intensity efforts.

Training Methods: We use training methods at an intensity between the Aerobic Threshold and The Anaerobic Threshold.

AEROBIC THRESHOLD: POINT AT WHICH ANAEROBIC PATHWAYS START TO OPERATE, IS CONSIDERED TO BE AROUND 65% OF MAXIMUM HEART RATE.

A) Continuous Training: when an athlete exercises in a steady way without recovery period.

Sample Workouts:  First of all you need to calculate your maximum heart rate by using this simple formula: MHR= 220 -Age

  Running at 50 to 60% of maximum heart rate .Very easy pace - metabolizes fat - aerobic - duration 60 minutes plus.   Useful for joggers & ultra-distance runners. This workout is below the AEROBIC THRESHOLD.

  Running at 60 to 70% of max. heart rate. Slightly faster pace - burns glycogen and fat - aerobic - duration 45 to 90 minutes. Useful for marathon runners.  This workout is at  the AEROBIC THRESHOLD

·          Running at 70 to 80% of max. heart rate burns glycogen – MAINLY aerobic - duration 30 to 45 minutes - 10km and marathon runners. It is between the Aerobic Threshold and the Anaerobic Threshold.

C)      Interval Training: Interval running enables the athlete to improve the workload by interspersing heavy bouts of fast running with recovery periods of slower or easier jogging. During the run, lactic acid is produced and a state of oxygen debt is reached. During the interval (recovery), the heart and lungs are still stimulated as they try to pay back the debt by supplying oxygen to help break down the lactates.

Consider the various elements of the session to prepare your 1 km test:

• The length of the work interval, which should be shorter than the test distance. For example we are going to run over a distance of 100 meters.
• The pace should be comfortable raising your heart rate to the required % of MHR, we can run at 50%-70% of your best time in the 100 meters run. 
• The distance covered by the number of repetitions should exceed the distance which you are preparing for. For instance 20.
• The rest interval should enable you to jog and bring the heart rate down to near 120-130 bpm

LESSON 4.  STRENGTH

Definition:  It is the ability to exert a force against a resistance

Types of Strength

TYPE OF STRENGTH	DEFINITION	EXAMPLE
Maximum strength	The greatest force that is possible in a single maximum contraction	Lifting heavy weights
Elastic Strength	The ability to overcome a resistance with a fast contraction	Plyometrics and speed exercises; for instance jump to spike a volleyball
Muscular Endurance	This is the ability of a muscle or a muscle group to performed repeated movements for extended periods of time	Perform 50 sit-ups without stopping

TRAINING METHOD: We are going to focus on the development of   Elastic Strength and Muscular Endurance, which are appropriate for your age.

The circuit training comprises of 6 to 12 strength exercises that are completed one exercise after another. Each exercise is performed for a specified number of repetitions (10-30) or for a set time (15”-45”) before moving on to the next exercise. The exercises within each circuit are separated by a short rest period (10”-30”), and each circuit is separated by a longer rest period (2’-3’). The total number of circuits performed during a training session may vary from two to six depending on your training level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), your period of training (preparation or competition) and your training objective.

The following are examples of exercises that can be used in a circuit training session:

• Upper-body
• Press ups, Bench dips, Pull ups, Medicine ball chest pass, Bench lift, Inclined press up
• Core & trunk
• Sit ups (lower abdominals), Stomach crunch (upper abdominals), Back extension chest raise
• Lower-body
• Squat jumps, Astride jumps, Step ups, Shuttle runs, Hopping shuttles, Bench squat
• Total-body
• Burpees, Treadmills, Squat thrusts, Skipping

LESSON 5. FLEXIBILITY

Definition:  It is the ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of movement.

What types of Flexibility exercises are there?

Static Stretching: involves gradually easing into the stretch position and holding the position for 15”-30”;

Dynamic Stretching: consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you gently to the limits of your range of motion

PNF TECHNIQUE (PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION)

To understand this technique we must first understand two issues:

·         The role of the stretch Reflex:  when a muscle is stretched quickly this muscle spindle fires and causes a reflexive contraction within that muscle that is undergoing the stretch. The greater the speed of stretch, the stronger the reflex contraction in the muscle being stretched, which is negative.

·         PNF STRETCHING: (AUTOGENIC INHIBITION)

The Golgi tendon organ  is a nerve receptor found in tendons. This receptor fires when tension increases within the tendon. We can increase the tendon tension by contracting the muscle isometrically for 20”-30”, which makes the Golgi tendon fires a signal to the spinal cord causing relax in the muscle that is going to  be stretched for 20”-30”.