altitude, heat and recovery

• Recovery


  The process of the body returning to its pre-existing state after exercise
• Altitude


  The height or elevation of an area above sea level
• Heat


  The thermal energy generated by the body during exercise
• Recovery Following Exercise


  Post-exercise, the body must recover to its pre-existing state, replenishing all fuel stores and remove all by-products
• EPOC


  Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption: The volume of oxygen required / consumed post-exercise to return the body to its pre-existing state
• Oxygen Deficit


  The volume of Oxygen that would be required to complete an activity entirely aerobically
• Fast Alactacid Component of EPOC


  • 1-4 litres of O2 required to complete
  • 1 minute: O2 resaturates haemoglobin
  • 3 minutes: Myoglobin replenished with O2
  • 30 seconds: To replenish 50% of ATP and PC
  • 3 minutes: To replenish 100% of ATP and PC
• Fast Alactacid Recovery


  The initial fast stage of EPOC where O2 consumed within 3 minutes resaturated haemaglobin and myoglobin stores and providing the energy for ATP and PC resynthesis
• Slow Lactacid Component of EPOC


  • Approx. 5-8 litres of O2 required
  • CO2 (carbonic acid and carbaminohemoglobin) removed from blood
  • Body temperature decreases
  • Lactic acid converted to pyruvic acid and either oxidised or converted into glycogen
• Removal of lactic acid


  1. Approx. 50-75% of pyruvic acid is oxidised and re-enters Krebs cycle, producing energy for exercise / recovery

  2. This pyruvic acid is reconverted into; glucose / H20 / C02 / protein

  3. Small amounts of pyruvic acid can be lost via sweat and urine
• How can we manipulate an athletes recovery?


  • Warm-up
  • Active Recovery (Cool Down)
  • Cooling Aids
  • Training Intensity
  • Work : Relief Ratios
  • Strategies and Tactics
  • Nutrition
• Warm-Up


  A warm-up increases; heart rate, respiratory rates, and metabolic rate, accelerating the use of the aerobic energy system. This means we reduce the time spent using the anaerobic energy system, so we avoid an accumulation of lactic acid. O2 deficit is reduced so less O2 is needed to be replenished during EPOC
• Active Recovery (Cool Down)


  A cool down maintains respiratory and heart rates, flushing the muscles and capillaries with oxygenated blood. This speeds up the removal of lactic acid and speeds up the slow component of EPOC. Also helps gradually decrease body temperature and metabolic rate
• Cooling Aids


  E.g. Ice baths... Used to lower muscle and blood temperature post exercise, back to resting levels. They can speed up lactic acid removal, which reduces muscle damage and DOMS
• Training Intensity


  High Intensity: Increase muscle mass, ATP and PC storage capacity, boosting the efficiency of the fast component of EPOC. High Intensity: Increase the tolerance to lactic acid, increasing buffering capacity and delaying OBLA, reducing the demand in the slow component of OBLA. Low intensity: Aerobic capacity increased. Use of aerobic system minimises lactic acid build up, delaying OBLA
• Work : Relief Ratios


  Speed / explosive athletes: Use of ATP-PC system. Work to relief ratio should be 1:3 for sufficient recovery of ATP and PC stores. E.g. 800m sprinter: Use of glycolytic energy system. Work to relief ratio should be 1:2 for efficient recovery. Endurance performers: Use of aerobic system. Ratio of 1:1 required, which will delay OBLA and muscular fatigue
• Strategies and Tactics


  E.g. Coaches using time-outs and substitutions etc... Remember: 30 seconds to replenish 50% of ATP & PC stores. E.g. Delay play by maintaining possession at the back etc...
• Nutrition


  The correct nutrition can help; maximise fuel stores, delay fatigue and speed up recovery. PC: Load creatine and protein, increasing the efficiency of the ATP-PC system and speeding up the fast component of EPOC. Glucose and Glycogen: Use of carbo loading to maximise aerobic system and assist slow component of EPOC. Bicarbonate can also be used to tolerate the effects of lactic acid
• Humidity


  The amount of water vapour in the atmospheric air
• Barometric pressure


  The pressure exerted by the Earth's atmosphere at any given point
• The higher you go, the more the atmospheric partial pressure of O2 falls so the diffusion gradient becomes smaller. As a result the performer will not be able to diffuse as much O2 into their bloodstream at altitude, reducing the saturation of haemaglobin
• Short term AEROBIC effects of altitude


  • Breathing frequency increases to maintain O2 consumption
  • Blood volume / plasma decreases by 25% in an attempt to maximise blood transportation
  • Stroke Volume decreases during exercise (compared to at sea level)
  • Aerobic capacity and VO2 max decrease impacting on the intensity and duration an athlete can perform at
• Short term ANAEROBIC effects of altitude

  • As the PO2 falls, greater demand is placed on the anaerobic energy systems, increasing Lactic Acid production
  • Anaerobic fitness is slightly enhanced at altitude i.e. power, speed and strength, primarily due to the thinner air (less air resistance)
• Acclimatisation


  The athlete gradually getting used to their new environment (lower PO2)
• Acclimatisation Guidelines


  • 3-5 days for 1-2,000m above sea level
  • 1-2 weeks for 2-3,000m above sea level
  • 2-4 weeks for 3-5,000m above sea level
  • 4+ weeks for 5,000m+ above sea level
• Benefits of acclimatisation


  • Erythropoietin (EPO) levels rise, producing more red blood cells & haemaglobin
  • Breathing rate stabilises, but still higher than at sea-level
  • SV and CO reduce compared to someone who has not acclimatised as the extraction of O2 from the atmosphere improves
  • Avoid altitude sickness; headaches, breathlessness, lack of sleep etc...
• Upon returning to sea level the haemoglobin levels remain elevated


  With a higher PO2 at seal level the athlete is now capable of diffusing even higher levels of O2 into the bloodstream so there is an increase in VO2max
• Potential issues with training at altitude


  • Training is very difficult because of the lack of O2
  • Lactic acid accumulates much earlier than at sea-level
  • Can actually reduce VO2 max levels
  • Large increase in haemoglobin makes the blood more viscous
  • May have a de-training effect on the athlete
• Hypobaric Chambers


  Hypobaric means low pressure... Athlete lives and sleeps in a hypobaric house / chamber, which provides an altitude-like environment... They train at sea-level and live at 'altitude'
• Hypoxic Tent


  Athlete sleeps on a bed surrounded by a hypoxic tent... Provides the same O2 levels as at altitude... Training again takes place at sea level
• Thermoregulation


  The body's ability to maintain its core temperature between 36-38 degrees celsius
• Thermoreceptors


  Located all around the body and detect a change in core temperature
• Thermoregulatory Centre


  Located in the Medulla; receives info from thermoreceptors
• Core body temp = 36-38 degrees
• 4 methods of heat loss / gain


  • Conduction
  • Radiation
  • Convection
  • Evaporation
• Vasodilation


  Blood vessels dilate (widen) moving it closer to the skin. This increases the amount of heat lost through convection (gases) and evaporation (liquid / vapour)
• Cardiovascular Drift


  The process: During exercise, we lose water / plasma from the blood in order to sweat (after 20 minutes). This makes the blood more viscous (thicker). This blood is now harder to pump around the body. In order to do this, the heart must work harder, therefore we see an increase in HR (but a decrease in Stroke Volume)
• Strategies for coping with exercise in hot environments


  • Acclimatisation
  • Hydration
  • Clothing
  • Cooling Aids
• Hairs stand on end


  We can trap a layer of hot air within the hairs. This can help warm up the surface of the body. Only minimal amounts of heat can be generated
• Vasoconstriction


  Blood vessels constrict (narrow) and move away from the surface of the skin. This brings them closer to the core of the body, to maintain temperature. This also reduces heat loss as heat cannot easily pass through the skin while vessels are constricted