Aerobic Training

• Aerobic capacity is a key fitness component that underpins all endurance-based work.
• Aerobic capacity is the ability of the body to inspire, transport and utilise oxygen to perform sustained periods of aerobic activity.
• Physiological make-up:

  The greater the efficiency of body systems to transport and utilise O2 = hihgher VO2 max; can be determined by genetics. Stronger respiratory muscles, larger heart, SV, CO, increased number of RCBs, capillaries, SO fibres = higher VO2 max.
• From age 20, VO2 max drops 1% each year. Efficiency is lost in elasticity of the heart, blood vessels and lung tissue = lower VO2 max.
• Females have lower VO2 max than males. Females have higher body fat, smaller lung volumes, lower haemoglobin levels = lower VO2 max.
• Aerobic training increases VO2 max up to 20%. Aerobic training causes long-term adaptations to the heart, lungs and blood = higher VO2 max.
• There are 4 methods of evaluating aerobic capacity; direct gas analysis; cooper 12 minute run; NCF multi stage fitness test; queens college step test.
• Direct gas analysis is expired air captures, results graphed and a calculation used.
• Cooper 12 minute run is run as far as possible in 12 minutes (calculations used).
• NCF multi stage fitness test is 20m progressive shuttle run; results compared to standardised tables.
• Queens college step test is stepping on and off box for 3 minutes; HR recovery used to predict results.
• An advantage of direct gas analysis is it is a direct measurement of VO2 max.
• An advantage of direct gas analysis is it is accurate and reliable.
• An advantage of direct gas analysis is it uses different exercises.
• An advantage of cooper 12 minute run is it is good for large groups.
• An advantage of cooper 12 minute run is you can test yourself.
• An advantage of cooper 12 minute run is it is simple/cheap.
• An advantage of NCF multi stage fitness test is it is good for large groups.
• An advantage of NCF multi stage fitness test is it is simple and cheap.
• An advantage of NCF multi stage fitness test is there are published tables of VO2 max equivalents.
• An advantage of queens college step test is it is a sub-maximal test.
• An advantage of queens college step test is it is simple and cheap.
• An advantage of queens college step test is HR is easily monitored.
• An advantage of queens college step test is there are published table of data and simple VO2 max calculations.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is it is only a prediction.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is HR recovery can be affected by lots of factors.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is it is not sport specific.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is shorter subjects may be at a disadvantage.
• A disadvantage of NCF multi stage fitness test is it is only a prediction.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is the results are affected by a subjects motivation.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is it is not suitable for elderly or those with health problems.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is it is not sports-specific.
• A disadvantage of cooper 12 minute run is it is only a prediction.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is the result is affected by a subjects motivation.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is it is not suitable for elderly or those with health problems.
• A disadvantage of queens college step test is it is not sport-specific.
• A disadvantage of direct gas analysis is it is a maximal test to exhaustion.
• A disadvantage of direct gas analysis is it is not suitable for elderly or those with health problems.
• A disadvantage of direct gas analysis is specialist equipment is required.
• Continuous training is low-moderate (60-80% of max HR), lasts 20-80 minutes.