Sport and Exercise Science: Core Concepts for Level 3
The physiological foundations
Candidates must be able to describe how the body produces energy and responds to exercise. Know the three energy systems: the ATP-PC (phosphagen) system, which fuels very short, explosive efforts; anaerobic glycolysis, which dominates high-intensity work lasting roughly ten seconds to two minutes and produces lactate; and aerobic metabolism, which sustains longer, lower-intensity activity. Understand the relationship between intensity and duration, and be able to place activities (a 100 m sprint, a 400 m race, a marathon) on the correct continuum. Link this to the cardiovascular and respiratory responses: heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, tidal volume and minute ventilation all rise with exercise, and recovery returns them toward resting values.
Components of fitness and testing
Be able to define and distinguish health-related components (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition) from skill-related components (speed, agility, power, balance, coordination, reaction time). A common trap is confusing power with strength: power is force applied quickly, so it depends on both strength and speed. Another trap is mixing up validity (does a test measure what it claims?) with reliability (does it give consistent results?).
Training principles and prescription
Understand the principles of overload, progression, specificity, reversibility and recovery. Know how FITT (frequency, intensity, time, type) shapes a training programme, and be able to interpret intensity using heart-rate percentages of maximum. A useful rule of thumb: estimated maximum heart rate is roughly 220 minus age, so a 20-year-old has an estimated maximum of about 200 beats per minute, and a moderate session at 60–70% would sit around 120–140 bpm.
Trap to watch
Questions often ask you to identify the limiting factor or the most appropriate training method for a given performer. Read the scenario carefully: match the answer to the performer's goal and current fitness, not to the most advanced option available.