Exercise Physiology and Training Adaptation
Domain 4 - Exercise Physiology and Training Adaptation
This domain tests whether you can connect physiological mechanisms to program design: VO₂max, economy, lactate threshold, strength, hypertrophy, concurrent training, tapering, and supercompensation.
Core rules and concepts
- The SAID principle: specific adaptation to imposed demands. Training must resemble the target task in intensity, duration, and movement pattern.
- Overload drives adaptation; recovery permits it; reversibility follows detraining.
- Endurance performance depends on VO₂max, lactate threshold, and economy. Threshold work raises the sustainable fraction; VO₂ intervals raise ceiling capacity.
- Strength gains are initially neural, with hypertrophy contributing more over weeks. High loads favor strength; moderate loads with sufficient volume favor hypertrophy.
- Concurrent training can interfere with strength or hypertrophy when endurance volume is high, especially same-session high-intensity work.
- A taper typically reduces volume substantially while maintaining some intensity; supercompensation follows appropriate load and recovery.
Worked example
A 5 km runner plateaus. Add 2 × 20 minutes at approximately 85–90% of maximal heart rate for threshold, plus 6 × 3 minutes at 3–5 km pace for VO₂, and reduce weekly volume by about 20% for one week. Reasoning: the plan targets the specific limiter while managing fatigue.
Traps that cost marks
- “Muscle turns to fat” with detraining; muscle atrophies and fat mass may rise.
- “High reps tone, low reps bulk” as a universal rule; load, volume, and nutrition interact.
- Equating sweat volume with fitness.
- Adding intensity without reducing volume during a taper.
Exam takeaway
Identify the physiological limiter, choose the specific stimulus, and manage the fatigue it creates.