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neurologyYou need to know

• Periodisation divides a long-term training programme into a macrocycle, mesocycles and microcycles so that training load and recovery can be planned around performance goals.
• A macrocycle is the overall training period, often a season or year; a mesocycle is a block lasting several weeks or months with a specific goal; and a microcycle is a short block, commonly one week, containing individual training sessions.
• The preparatory phase develops foundational fitness and progresses towards sport-specific training, the competitive phase maintains fitness and aims for peak performance, and the transition phase provides active recovery before the next macrocycle.
• Tapering is a planned reduction in training volume before an important competition while some intensity is maintained, allowing fatigue to decrease without losing fitness.
• Aerobic capacity is the ability to take in, transport and use oxygen to release energy during sustained exercise, while VO2 max is the maximum volume of oxygen used per minute during maximal exercise.
• VO2 max is influenced by genetics, heart and lung function, muscle fibre type, training status, age and sex-related physiological differences such as average heart size, muscle mass and haemoglobin concentration.
• Aerobic capacity usually improves through endurance training, tends to decline with age after early adulthood, and is particularly important in activities such as distance running, cycling, rowing, swimming and continuous team sports.
• Direct gas analysis measures inhaled and exhaled gases during progressively harder exercise and is the most valid measure of VO2 max, whereas field tests estimate aerobic capacity from performance or heart-rate responses.
• The multistage fitness test uses increasingly fast 20-metre shuttle runs, the Cooper test measures distance covered in 12 minutes, and the Queen's College step test estimates aerobic fitness from recovery heart rate after stepping.
• Continuous training involves sustained submaximal exercise, interval training alternates work and recovery periods, and fartlek training varies speed and terrain within a continuous session.
• Aerobic training intensity can be monitored using heart-rate zones, while duration and intensity must be adjusted to the performer’s fitness, training goal and ability to recover.
• Long-term aerobic training can increase stroke volume, maximal cardiac output, capillarisation, mitochondrial density, aerobic enzymes and oxygen extraction, while reducing resting and submaximal heart rate.
• Aerobic training can strengthen respiratory muscles and improve breathing efficiency, although healthy lungs usually show less structural adaptation than the cardiovascular and muscular systems.
• Static strength produces force without visible joint movement, dynamic strength produces force through movement, maximal strength is the greatest force in one contraction, explosive strength produces force rapidly, and strength endurance sustains repeated contractions.
• Strength is affected by muscle cross-sectional area, neural recruitment and muscle fibre composition, with larger muscles generally producing more force and type II fibres supporting high-force and explosive actions.
• A one-repetition maximum test measures maximal dynamic strength, a handgrip dynamometer measures grip force, the abdominal curl test measures abdominal strength endurance, and the vertical jump test estimates explosive leg power.
• Maximal strength is commonly trained with heavy resistance and low repetitions, strength endurance with lighter resistance and high repetitions, and explosive strength with fast, controlled movements such as plyometrics.
• Strength training can cause muscular hypertrophy, stronger tendons and ligaments, improved motor-unit recruitment and synchronisation, and greater stores and use of anaerobic energy substrates.
• Static flexibility is the range of motion held at a joint, dynamic flexibility is the controlled range used during movement, developmental stretching increases range of motion, and maintenance stretching preserves an existing range.
• Regular physical activity can reduce cardiovascular disease risk by improving blood pressure, body composition and blood lipids, including increasing HDL and lowering LDL, but asthma, COPD, CHD, angina, previous heart attack or stroke require appropriately adapted exercise and may need medical guidance.

• Construct a periodised training plan that divides a macrocycle into preparatory, competitive and transition phases, with mesocycles, microcycles, progression, recovery and a taper linked to competition dates.
• Select and perform an appropriate aerobic capacity test, following its standardised protocol and using the result to estimate or measure VO2 max.
• Analyse the validity, reliability, practicality and limitations of direct gas analysis, the multistage fitness test, the Cooper 12-minute run and the Queen's College step test.
• Apply continuous, interval, HIIT or fartlek training with an appropriate intensity, duration, work-to-recovery ratio and target heart-rate zone for the performer’s aerobic goal.
• Select and perform a suitable strength test, using correct technique and safety procedures for a one-repetition maximum, abdominal curl, vertical jump or handgrip dynamometer test.
• Design a strength programme using suitable resistance, sets, repetitions, rest and exercises for maximal strength, explosive strength or strength endurance.
• Perform resistance, multi-gym, circuit and plyometric exercises with controlled technique, appropriate loading and sufficient recovery between sets and sessions.
• Measure flexibility using a standardised sit-and-reach test or goniometer, recording joint position and measurement units consistently.
• Apply dynamic stretching during a warm-up and controlled static, isometric or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching to develop or maintain joint range of motion.
• Evaluate changes in aerobic capacity, strength and flexibility by comparing repeat test results under the same conditions and adapting the next training cycle from the evidence.