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Science of Training Young Athletes Part 2

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University of Florida

Science of Training Young Athletes Part 2

30 ratings

In this course you will learn how to design the type of training that takes advantage of the plastic nature of the athlete’s body so you mold the right phenotype for a sport. We explore ways the muscular system can be designed to generate higher force and power and the type of training needed to mold the athlete's physical capacity so it meets the energy and biochemical demands of the sport. We also examine the cost of plasticity when it is carried beyond the ability of the body to adjust itself to meet the imposed training stresses. The cost of overextending plasticity comes in the form injuries and chronic fatigue. In essence, a coach can push the athlete’s body too far and it can fail. Upon completion of this course you will be able to assemble a scientifically sound annual training plan.

From the lesson

Chronic Fatigue Due to Overtraining

When an athlete is underperforming, and you don’t know why, suspect chronic fatigue due to overtraining as the prime contributing factor. Unfortunately, because we don’t fully understand chronic fatigue our knowledge about overtraining remains scant. Hans Selye’s General Adaptation framework suggests it is likely due to too much training and insufficient recovery that leads to a prolonged maladaptation of physiological systems and structures. In this module you are provided insight into chronic fatigue and its relationship to overtraining.

Introduction5:53

Training continuum2:57

Different perspective3:57

Self-monitoring questions3:50

Neurological overtraining5:37

Overtraining the heart7:15

Overtraining the musculoskeletal system7:44

Concluding comments1:32

Meet the Instructors

Dr. Chris Brooks
Instructor
Coaching Science Coordinator for USA Track and Field

Another world class marathoner, Grete Waitz,

was known for her consistent marathon performances.

She was nicknamed the first lady of the marathon.

And she attributed her success to being aware of the signs for

possible over training.

Positive answers to three or more of the following questions suggested to

her that she had taken her body beyond it's adaptive capacity.

And these questions included,

does my normally comfortable workout leave me breathless?

Do my legs feel heavy for far longer than usual after a hard workout or competition?

Do I find it especially hard to climb steps?

Do I dread the thought of training?

Do I find it hard to get out of bed in the morning?

Do I have a persistent lack of appetite?

Am I more susceptible to colds, and flu, and headache or infections?

Is my resting heart rate 5 to 10 beats higher than usual?

Is my heart rate during exercise higher than usual?

Now, Waitz took particular note of the feeling in her legs and

the way she breathed during her training runs.

When the heaviness in her legs did not go away after a few minutes of running,

she knew she should rest rather than train.

Now, at the age of 51, Waitz was diagnosed with cancer and

she died of cancer in 2011, and she was only 57 years old.

Now, these are just two anecdotal stories about famous athletes known for

their ability to push their bodies beyond what was previously

thought possible and develop serious health problems.

There is some evidence that athletes from European or

the Eastern European countries, who allegedly over trained for

extended periods, soon come to an illness known as Addison's disease.

In this condition there is depression, there's progressive weight loss and

there's an inability to maintain blood pressure when standing and

there is a lack of strength and power.

And the causes of Addison's disease

is the failure of the adrenal gland to secrete adequate cortisol.

Remember that cortisol is a hormone allowing the body to cope

with a higher level of stress.

The inability to exhibit a normal cortisol response

has been observed in runners who are training heavily.

The problem of reduced cortisol

has been attributed to exhaustion of the hypothalamus.

And when this happens these systems regulated by the hypothalamus and

the pituitary can also be affected, and

these systems include the thyroid and the adrenal glands.

The autonomic nervous system, which regulates body temperature,

blood pressure, and also anti-diuretic hormone and

also it disturbs the sleep center.

And this potentially explains sleep disturbances when the athlete is trained.

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