MCQs 4

Training Methods

• Circuit Training: Involves a series of exercises targeting various body areas, with brief rest periods; common format includes 40 seconds of activity followed by 20 seconds of rest.
• Continuous Training: Sustained effort for a minimum of 20 minutes, enhancing cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance; effective training zone is 40-85% of maximum heart rate; beneficial for running, cycling, swimming, and rowing.
• Interval Training: Alternates high-intensity exercises with rest periods, particularly useful for developing aerobic endurance in runners.
• Fartlek Training: Combines jogging with sprinting intervals, effective for improving speed and endurance; often utilized in sports like Gaelic.
• High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Features short bursts of intense work followed by active recovery; Tabata is a notable HIIT format involving 8 rounds of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off.
• Weight Training: Divided into free weights, machine weights, and bodyweight exercises; develops muscular strength, endurance, and power; emphasizes proper technique to prevent injuries.
• Types of Weight Exercises:
  • Unilateral: Focuses on one side (e.g., single-leg squats).
  • Bilateral: Engages both sides simultaneously (e.g., conventional squats, bench presses).
• Reps and Sets: A rep is a single performance of an exercise; a set is a group of consecutive reps; typical routines may specify "3 sets of 12 reps."
• Plyometric Training: High-intensity exercises targeting fast-twitch muscle fibers for explosive power, crucial in sports requiring speed and jumping ability.
• Cross Training: Incorporates various exercise types to enhance overall athletic performance; sports background can provide transferable skills.

Strategies to Support Recovery

• Sleep: 6-8 hours of sleep per night aids recovery and adaptation post-training.
• Napping: Short naps (20-30 minutes) can improve recovery rates and mental sharpness; longer naps may disrupt overall sleep quality.
• Active Recovery: Light aerobic activity that promotes blood flow; involves lighter training days and non-strenuous activities like walking.
• Compression Garments: Worn post-activity to decrease Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and reduce inflammation; also helpful in preventing conditions like deep vein thrombosis.
• Cold Water Immersion: Ice baths for 5-10 minutes help eliminate lactic acid and reduce muscle soreness by constricting blood vessels during immersion.
• Contrast Bathing: Alternating between cold and warm water baths to promote lactic acid drainage, reduce soreness, and decrease inflammation.
• Tapering: Gradual reduction of training volume in the days before an event, commonly practiced in endurance sports.
• Hydration: Essential for reducing inflammation, increasing blood flow, and aiding nutrient delivery to injured tissues while removing waste products.
• Nutrition: Adequate intake of carbohydrates and proteins is vital for glycogen replenishment and muscle recovery.
• 100 Point Recovery System: A competitive point system for recovery strategies; athletes can earn points by adhering to recovery practices, aiming for a total of 100 points weekly.