VCAA Physical Education How is training implemented effectively to improve fitness?
5 sample questions with marking guides and sample answers · Avg. score: 8.7%
During an athlete's off-season, it is highly beneficial for them to
ensure they taper so that they are in peak performance for pre-season.
Tapering is a strategy used immediately before a major competition to achieve peak performance, not during the off-season.
increase their intensity.
Increasing intensity during the off-season can lead to overtraining and burnout, as this period is meant for physical and mental recovery.
continue increasing their level of fitness.
The off-season is not the time to push for higher fitness levels; doing so prevents the body from adequately recovering from the stresses of the competitive season.
allow for rest and recovery while maintaining some fitness levels.
The primary goal of the off-season is to allow the body and mind to rest and recover while engaging in light activity to maintain a baseline level of fitness.
According to the principle of progressive overload, what must happen before an increased load can be applied to a training program?
completion of the previous microcycle
Simply finishing a specific time period (microcycle) does not guarantee the body is ready for more stress; physiological adaptation is the necessary trigger, not just the passage of time.
adaptation to the previous training load
Progressive overload requires the body to adapt to the current level of stress before increasing the load, ensuring that the body can handle the new demand without injury.
improvement in an authentic performance
While performance improvements are the goal, one does not need to wait for a competitive or 'authentic' performance result to increase training load; training metrics are sufficient indicators.
training conducted within the aerobic energy system
The principle of progressive overload applies to all forms of training and energy systems, including anaerobic strength and power training, not just aerobic conditioning.
Explain the aims of the cool down feature of a training session.
The cool down feature of a training session aims to use gentle cardiovascular exercise and stretching to slow down body exertion, gradually reducing heart rate and body temperature to resemble pre-exercise rates more closely. This allows the body to commence tissue repair and the process of replenishing energy stores.
This process also allows the muscles to relax, assisting in the removal of waste products such as lactic acid, contributing to a more effective rate of recovery.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Discerningly explains the aims of the cool down feature | 6 |
Explains the aims of the cool down feature | 5 |
Describes the aims of the cool down feature | 4 |
Describes some aims of the cool down feature OR identifies all aims of the cool down feature | 3 |
Identifies some aims of the cool down feature | 2 |
Identifies one aim of the cool down feature | 1 |
Does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. | 0 |
Explain how resistance training can be applied differently to specifically enhance muscular strength, muscular power and muscular endurance.
With the application focusing on strength, load should reflect a heavy percentage of the one repetition maximum (1RM), with 2–6 repetitions across 3–5 sets, with a slow and controlled rate of repetition completion. Rest between sets should be approximately 4–6 minutes. The heavy load, and lower set and rep numbers combined with longer rest periods for strength-based recovery, allow for a strength focus.
With the application focusing on power, load should reflect a moderate-to-heavy percentage of 1RM, with 2–8 repetitions across 4–5 sets, with a fast and explosive rate of repetition completion. Rest between sets should be approximately 6–8 minutes. The moderate-to-heavy load, set and rep numbers allow for explosive repetitions. Rest allows sufficient recovery to repeat explosive repetitions in future sets, allowing for the power focus.
With the application focusing on endurance, load should reflect a low-to-moderate percentage of 1RM, with 20–40 repetitions across 1–3 sets, with a fast and consistent rate of repetition completion. Rest between sets should be 30–90 seconds. The load and duration of rep numbers and sets, allow for sustained/consistent resistance against the muscle, coupled with reduced rest periods for an endurance focus.
Strength
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Identifies a relevant feature that reflects a strength-focused application | 1 |
Describes using two or more relevant features reflecting a strength focused application | 1 |
Explains the application of resistance training to a strength-focused application | 1 |
Power
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Identifies a relevant feature that reflects a power-focused application | 1 |
Describes using two or more relevant features reflecting a power focused application | 1 |
Explains the application of resistance training to a power-focused application | 1 |
Endurance
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Identifies a relevant feature that reflects an endurance-focused application | 1 |
Describes using two or more relevant features reflecting an endurance focused application | 1 |
Explains the application of resistance training to an endurance-focused application | 1 |
Identify the component of fitness targeted by the mesocycle in Stimulus 1 in the stimulus book. Explain how four indicators from the stimulus support your identification.
The mesocycle targets muscular endurance.
Muscular endurance is promoted by keeping the heart rate (HR) high for a long period of time. This mesocycle has many low-intensity and high-repetition activities, which allows HR to remain high and movement to be extended over a longer time frame. This correlates to contractions being held for an extended time, requiring HR to remain high for longer.
Many activities involve constant movement. This promotes elevated HR, while limited recovery time between activities also keeps HR high.
| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Identifies that muscular endurance is the component of fitness targeted in the mesocycle; explains 4 indicators that support the identified component of fitness | 5 |
Identifies a relevant component of fitness that would be targeted in the mesocycle; explains 3 indicators that support the identified component of fitness | 4 |
Identifies a relevant component of fitness that would be targeted in the mesocycle; provides a description of 2 indicators | 3 |
Identifies a relevant component of fitness that would be targeted in the mesocycle; provides a description of 1 indicator | 2 |
Identifies a component of fitness that would be targeted in the mesocycle OR identifies a relevant indicator present in the mesocycle | 1 |
Does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. | 0 |
Evaluate how training principles and energy systems are used to support the improvement of this component of fitness across the four-week training progression in Stimulus 1. Justify your response using the stimulus.
The volume is increasing with the increased weight in the back squats and increased repetitions in the box jumps. By increasing volume, we target increased adaptations through progressive overload.
Limited rest between repetitions does not permit sufficient recovery for repeated maximal efforts. This infers power and strength will be reduced in consecutive sets/efforts, targeting muscular endurance. Heart rate (HR) stays high, operating at or above threshold. The work periods are relatively short, not developing cardiovascular endurance.
Work:rest ratios are increasing in the back squats, because the repetitions are decreasing; however, the work:rest ratios are decreasing in the box jumps, because the repetitions are increasing, while rest remains constant.
Intensity is increasing in the back squats, which will increase muscular fatigue prior to beginning the box jumps. As the repetitions of box jumps increase, athlete fatigue increases. This targets muscular endurance through progressive overload.
Muscular endurance is optimised using the lactic acid system, as the work has a longer duration than more explosive power-based or strength-based movements. The aerobic system also provides contributions to the energy requirements; however, due to the work periods being short, it is not a primary contributor. This mesocycle supports improvements in muscular endurance through focusing on the required energy system, building of lactate tolerance and repeated contractions against a resistance.
Training Principles
Marking Bands| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Provides a discerning justification of how the training principles support the improvement of the component of fitness | 5 |
Provides a considered justification of how the training principles support the improvement of the component of fitness | 4 |
Provides a feasible justification of how the training principles support the improvement of the component of fitness | 3 |
Provides a superficial justification of how the training principles support the improvement of the component of fitness | 2 |
Provides a description of how the training principles support the improvement of the component of fitness | 1 |
Does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. | 0 |
Energy System
Marking Bands| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Provides a discerning justification of how the energy system supports the improvement of the component of fitness | 5 |
Provides a considered justification of how the energy system supports the improvement of the component of fitness | 4 |
Provides a feasible justification of how the energy system supports the improvement of the component of fitness | 3 |
Provides a superficial justification of how the energy system supports the improvement of the component of fitness | 2 |
Provides a description of how the energy system supports the improvement of the component of fitness | 1 |
Does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. | 0 |
Evaluation and Evidence
Marking Bands| Descriptor | Marks |
|---|---|
Provides a critical evaluation of the effectiveness of the mesocycle and uses comprehensive evidence from the stimulus to support evaluative statements | 5 |
Provides a considered evaluation of the effectiveness of the mesocycle and uses extensive evidence from the stimulus to support evaluative statements | 4 |
Provides a feasible evaluation of the effectiveness of the mesocycle and uses detailed evidence from the stimulus to support evaluative statements | 3 |
Provides a superficial evaluation of the effectiveness of the mesocycle and uses evidence from the stimulus to support evaluative statements | 2 |
Identifies a relevant piece of information about training principles or energy systems OR identifies evidence from the stimulus that relates to a training principle or energy systems | 1 |
Does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. | 0 |