Course overview
The aim of this course is to prepare students with the skills and knowledge enabling them to conduct physiological fitness testing and monitoring of athletes. Content includes: Rates and capacities of the three energy systems; biochemical basis for each energy system; how the systems can be measured using standard laboratory procedures. Focus on laboratory expertise and being able to conduct a variety of physiological tests on a range of participants; convey the results to coaches and athletes in a meaningful way. Create links between test results and subsequent exercise prescription.
Course learning outcomes
- Explain the physiological basis of testing and monitoring athletes.
- Design testing protocols on a wide range of ergometers to assess each of the energy systems.
- Calibrate ergometers and gas-analysers.
- Conduct gas-analysed and non-gas-analysed tests that measure the range of human energy systems and carry out troubleshooting procedures for these tests.
- Analyse test results, assigning margins for error and confidence limits, and assessing precision.
- Communicate test results verbally and in writing.