Sport Science Level 3 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

ATP-PCr system

The immediate energy system that uses stored creatine phosphate to rebuild ATP without oxygen, dominating maximal efforts of roughly ten seconds such as sprints and heavy lifts.

Anaerobic glycolysis

Breakdown of glucose to lactate without oxygen, supplying ATP for high-intensity efforts lasting roughly ten seconds to two minutes, with lactate accumulation limiting sustained performance.

Oxidative phosphorylation

Aerobic ATP production in mitochondria using carbohydrate and fat with oxygen, dominating prolonged submaximal exercise and recovery, with high capacity but slower onset than anaerobic systems.

Cardiac output

Volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume; it rises steeply during exercise and can exceed twenty litres per minute in trained athletes.

Maximal oxygen uptake

The highest rate at which the body can take up and use oxygen during intense exercise, expressed in millilitres per kilogram per minute and widely used as an aerobic fitness index.

Fick equation

States that oxygen consumption equals cardiac output multiplied by the arteriovenous oxygen difference, linking central blood delivery and peripheral oxygen extraction to aerobic performance.

Stroke volume

Volume of blood ejected by one ventricle per beat; increases with training, filling time and contractility, and is a key determinant of cardiac output during exercise.

Lactate threshold

The exercise intensity at which blood lactate begins to accumulate faster than it is cleared, marking the upper limit of steady-state effort and predicting endurance performance.

VO2 kinetics

The rate at which oxygen uptake rises toward a steady state at exercise onset; faster kinetics reduce the oxygen deficit and are associated with better endurance performance.

Eccentric contraction

A muscle action in which the muscle lengthens while producing force, as when lowering a weight; it can generate high force and commonly causes delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Concentric contraction

A muscle action in which the muscle shortens while producing force, such as the upward phase of a squat, generating less peak force than an eccentric action at the same load.

Isometric contraction

A muscle action in which tension develops without a change in muscle length, as in a wall sit or plank, producing force with no joint movement or mechanical work.

Muscle fibre types

Type I fibres are slow, fatigue-resistant and aerobic; type II fibres are faster and more powerful but fatigue quickly; fibre composition influences sprint and endurance potential.

Length-tension relationship

Muscle force depends on filament overlap: force is greatest near resting length, reduced when overstretched, and reduced when overly shortened by actin-myosin interference.

Force-velocity relationship

Concentric force decreases as shortening velocity increases, while eccentric actions can produce higher force than isometric; this shapes power output across movement speeds.

Stretch-shortening cycle

A rapid eccentric stretch followed immediately by a concentric action, storing elastic energy and triggering stretch reflexes to increase force and power in jumps and sprints.

Newton's second law

Force equals mass times acceleration; a given force accelerates a lighter athlete more, and greater ground reaction force produces greater acceleration in sprinting and jumping.

Ground reaction force

The force the ground exerts on the body in response to the athlete's push; its magnitude, direction and timing determine acceleration, braking and jump performance.

Mechanical power

The rate of doing work, calculated as work divided by time or as force multiplied by velocity; peak power in jumping and sprinting depends on both force and speed.

Projectile motion

Motion of an object under gravity alone; range depends on release speed, release angle and height difference, with optimal angle below forty-five degrees when release is above landing.

Levers in the body

Bones act as levers, joints as axes and muscles as effort; most human levers are third class, favouring speed and range of motion over mechanical advantage.

Angular momentum

The product of moment of inertia and angular velocity; it is conserved in flight, so tucking limbs reduces inertia and increases spin rate in dives and twists.

Progressive overload

Systematically increasing training stress, such as load, volume, density or complexity, so the body adapts; overload must be applied gradually and followed by adequate recovery.

Training specificity

The principle that adaptations reflect the specific demands imposed, so training must match the movement patterns, energy systems, velocities and muscle groups of the target performance.

Reversibility principle

Detraining occurs when training stimulus is removed; measurable losses in aerobic capacity, strength and power appear within weeks, so maintenance loads are needed during breaks.

Periodisation

Organising training into planned phases with varying volume and intensity across macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles to peak for competition while limiting overtraining risk.

Overtraining syndrome

A prolonged performance decline with fatigue, mood disturbance and altered resting heart rate resulting from excessive training stress with insufficient recovery; requires rest and load reduction.

Open versus closed skills

Open skills are performed in unpredictable, changing environments and require perceptual adaptation; closed skills occur in stable, self-paced conditions with consistent movement patterns.

Blocked versus random practice

Blocked practice repeats one skill before switching and aids early acquisition; random practice interleaves skills, feels harder but improves retention and transfer to competition.

Knowledge of results

Augmented feedback about the outcome of a movement, such as distance thrown or score achieved, which helps learners detect errors and refine performance.

Knowledge of performance

Augmented feedback about movement quality or technique rather than outcome, such as joint angle or limb path, useful for correcting form during skill acquisition.

Motor unit recruitment

Graded force production by activating more motor units and increasing firing frequency; units are generally recruited from smallest, slowest to largest, fastest as demand rises.