Nutrition and Muscle Mechanics Quiz

Macronutrients

• Protein: Essential for rebuilding all tissues in the body.
• Water: Crucial for flushing out bodily waste.
• Fiber: Slows down digestion.
• Simple Carbohydrates: Provide quick energy/sugar.
• Fats and Lipids: Vital for maintaining body heat.

Micronutrients

• Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients

Levers

• Stage 1: Fulcrum is located in the middle.
• Stage 2: Load is in the middle.
• Stage 3: Effort is in the middle.

Athlete (Sprinter) Considerations

• Sprinters require quick recovery and short bursts of energy (up to 200 meters).
• Pre-activity intake of simple carbohydrates is beneficial.
• Ample water intake is crucial for hydration.
• Post-training protein consumption aids muscle repair.

Sliding Filament Theory

• Step 1: Action potential triggers muscle contraction.
• Step 2: Calcium ions are released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
• Step 3: Calcium binding to troponin changes its shape.
• Step 4: Myosin binding sites are exposed on actin.
• Step 5: Myosin heads attach to and pull actin filaments.
• Step 6: Myosin heads detach.
• Step 7: Calcium ions leave troponin, and the binding site is covered.
• Step 8: The cycle repeats.

Energy Expenditure

• Increased energy expenditure necessitates higher caloric intake.
• Weight gain requires consuming more calories than burned.
• Weight loss requires burning more calories than consumed.

Athletic Performance Factors

• Speed: The ability to move quickly in a single direction.
• Agility: The capacity to accelerate and decelerate while maintaining control.
• Quickness: The ability to respond rapidly to stimuli.
• SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness): Training improves reaction time, coordination, athletic performance, injury prevention, and balance.

Six Training Principles

• Progressive Overload: Gradually increasing the demands of training over time.
• Recovery: Rest, hydration, sleep, and proper nutrition are vital components of recovery.
• Specificity: Tailoring training to target specific activities, intensities, and durations.
• Reversibility: Training benefits decrease or disappear if activity is reduced.
• Variety: Changing exercises and targeted muscle groups to avoid plateaus.
• Periodization: Strategic training cycles to optimize performance at specific times.

Informed Consent (PARQ)

• PARQ documents are used to obtain informed consent from test subjects.
• Essential for demonstrating subject agreement for testing purposes.

Caffeine for Basketball Players

• Caffeine is a short-term performance enhancer, that boosts alertness and energy.
• The effectiveness and impacts of caffeine differ based on the quantity consumed.
• For basketball, moderate use may enhance performance but large quantities can cause adverse effects.

Performance Enhancers

• Alcohol: A depressant found in drinks like beer, wine, and spirits.

  • Effects: Slows thinking, movement, memory, emotions, reflexes.
  • Short-term impacts: Impaired reaction time, poor coordination, flawed decision-making.
  • Long-term impacts: Memory problems, brain chemistry changes, injuries.
  • Sports impact: Historically used to reduce anxiety, but now banned. Diminishes strength, endurance, recovery, and increases injury risk.

• Caffeine: A stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks.

  • Effects: Speeds up the nervous system, improves focus, reduces tiredness.
  • Short-term effects: Enhanced alertness, better endurance, faster reactions.
  • Excess caffeine: Jitters, fast heartbeat, dehydration, dependency.
  • Sports impact: Improves endurance and reaction time in high-intensity sports, but may cause shaking in precision sports.

• Creatine: A natural amino acid that fuels quick muscle energy.

  • Sources: Meat, seafood, dairy, and produced in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys.
  • Uses: High-intensity sports (sprinting, football, bodybuilding).
  • Benefits: Enhanced strength, reduced fatigue, improved memory.
  • Drawbacks: Some individuals experience no benefits, and it can induce water retention and weight gain.

Sports Drinks

• Replenish fluids, electrolytes, and energy lost during exercise.
  • Isotonic: Balanced hydration and energy (general use).
  • Hypotonic: Faster hydration, lower energy (light sports).
  • Hypertonic: High energy, slow hydration (post-endurance events).

Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)

• A compound that balances body acid.
• Used by some athletes to delay fatigue during high-intensity exercise.
• Excess intake can cause nausea, bloating, and stomach pain.