Sample Exam Questions

Basic Principles of Training

1. What are the principles of training?

- Overload
- Reversibility
- Progression
- Individualisation
- Periodisation
- specificity

Periodisation
2. Describe the different training phases in regard to training volume, intensity, emphasis
and nutrition

- General phase
- Specific phase
- Comp/Taper phase
- Transition phase

3. List the different types of nutrition periodization strategies (L, H, G, D, S)

Train low: twice a day, fasted, low cho availability, ‘’during recovery, sleep low, lchf
Train High: high muscle and liver glycogen, high cho diet
Training the gut: stomach comfort, gastric emptying, absorption, race nutrition
Training dehydrated in a dehydrated state
Supplements: to increase myofibrillar or mitochondrial synthesis

Muscle

1. Explain the muscle-tendon model

The muscle-tendon model consists of the contractile component where the contraction occurs (active
shortening of the muscle through actin-myosin structures), the series elastic component (in series with
the CC, softer connective tissue, between the cross-bridging of actin-myosin and the tendon) and the
parallel elastic component (in parallel to the cc, harder connective tissue = harder to store energy so
therefore produces more force). The elastic components store energy and this energy is recovered
during a concentric phase to produce more force. During a plyometric movement, the parallel and the
series elastic components first stretch followed by a concentric contraction of the contractile
component. The parallel series component stores a stronger force than the series. The series will be
recruited first and for larger forces, both the series and parallel component will be recruited

2. What are the tissue properties of muscle?

- Dispensability: ability to stretch/lengthen

- Irritability: responds to a stimulus of a chemical neurotransmitter (Ach)
- Contractibility: ability to shorted (50-70%) limited by range of motion
- Elasticity: ability to return back to normal state

3. What is a motor unit/ What makes it more precise?

A motor unit consists of a motor neuron and all the muscle fibres that it innervates. One nerve can
innervate many muscle fibres but fibres will only be attached to one neuron. A motor units precision
depends on the number of muscle fibres the motor neuron is innervating. The less motor units per
fibre the more precise and therefore more total motor units (motor neurone + fibres) in one muscle the
more precise the muscle.

4. How do you control tension in a muscle?

1) Increase in no. of MU (Recruitment)

2) Increase in the rate of stimulation of the MUs (Rate coding)

5. Explain the theories of recruitment and stimulation

Recruitment
We can recruit different muscle fibres at different time points corresponding to an action or
movement
Stimulation
Each motor unit has a stimulation threshold at which it will begin to produce force (all-or-nothing
event

6. What is the size principle?

Small motor units have a lower threshold than larger motor units so therefore will be recruited first

7. What is summation & tetanus?

Summation
The overall effect of added stimuli
Tetanus
Sustained maximal tension due to high-frequency stimulation

8. Explain the sliding filament theory

- AP reaches muscle and Ach is released at the neuromuscular junction

- Sarcomeres in the myofibrils contain thick and thin filaments which will slide between
themselves, shorten and generate force
- Ca2+ is released which releases tropin from the actin binding sites
- Myosin attaches to the actin when ATP is broken down
- Myosin attaches to actin binding sites, pulls to generate force and shortens the muscle
- ATP will attach to the myosin and disconnect from actin

9. What is the difference between fusiform and pennate muscles?

Fusiform
Sarcomeres are in series resulting in maximal velocity and increase range of motion but the capacity
to generate force is low (more type 1)
Pennate
Sarcomeres are in parallel increases capacity to generate force but this will reduce velocity and range
of motion (more type 2)

10. Explain the muscle-fibre/myonuclei domain theory

As a muscle increases in size due to hypertrophy, the area becomes too big for myonuclei to control it.
Stem cells become active which will then become myonuclei. Stem cells can be incorporated to
sustain muscle fibre growth.

If someone has the ability to quickly recruit Sc they are at an advantage for fast muscle growth
 11. What is muscle fibre hypertrophy
When the muscle increases in size. During hypertrophy, there is a greater volume o myonuclei needed
to control the muscle

12. What are muscle stem cells/satellite cells

Satellite cells are pre-cursor skeletal muscle stem cells. when the muscle grows more nuclei are
needed to sustain the larger areas. They are post-mitotic meaning that they cant divide so therefore
more needs to be added

An increase in satellite cells is correlated with muscle hypertrophy

Muscle Imaging

1. What are the pros and cons of CT scans?

- High accuracy and reproducibility with high image quality. It is able to distinguish different
tissues at the anatomical level.
- It is high cost, has high radiation exposure that requires technical skills.
*Would use if looking for intramuscular fat or if MRI and DXA were not available *high radiation

2. Pros and cons of DEXA

- High accuracy, and precision but not as good as MRI. Its quick and not invasive with no
radiation and is quite available in clinics. Low cost in comparison
- Inability to discriminate between different types of fat. Body thickness and hydration status
can influences measurements
*Would use when assessing bone density, fat mass or lean mass. Also a cheaper alternative to MRI

3. Pros and cons of MRI

- High precision, accuracy and resolution. Most accurate in distinguish between tissue and
muscle groups, also for fat infiltration of the muscle
- High cost and selectively available, technical skills and patient compliance
*Can differentiate between muscle groups while dexa cant. Most preferable minus cost and
availability

4. Pros and cons of Microscopy

- High precision and accuracy, fibre specific analysis, can endlessly asses muscle physiology,
anatomy and metabolism
- High cost, invasive, specific skills, only small portion of muscle
* In research of muscle metabolism/physiology

Reference to accuracy, simplicity, reproducibility, cost, radiation, invasiveness etc.

Also when would you this type of imaging

Exercise Adaptations

1. What are the adaptations involved in endurance exercise?

Cardiovascular

Increased fat oxidation

Increased cho utilisation

 Skeletal muscle

Mitochondria

2. How does VO2 max improve in endurance exercise?

*Highest rate at which oxygen can be consumed and take up by the muscle.
Improvements in how its taken up- improvements in pulmonary diffusion, blood flow and blood
volume and cardiac output
Improvements in how it’s used in the muscle- improved diffusion capacity, capillarization and
oxidative enzyme/ mitochondrial activity

3. What are the adaptations involved in resistance training?

Cardiovascular- same as endurance but not to same extent

Metabolic

Muscle mass

Type 2 muscle fibres

Reduced mitochondria

Enzyme changes

Hormones

Improve recruitment patterns

4. How do hormones affect training adaptations?

Increase in endogenous anabolic hormone- testosertone

5. List factors that can affect an athlete’s response to training/stimulating MPS

Frequency
Intensity
Time
Type of training
Also mode, gender, age, training status

6. Describe the difference in myofibrillar and mitochondrial synthesis in on

a) Resistance training in untrained and trained people

b) Endurance training in untrained and trained people

7. How can an athlete optimise muscle growth? Resistance & Endurance

(describe factors above R + E)

Molecular Signalling

1. Describe the endurance of molecular adaptation

a. What are other stimulants of endurance adaption

2. Describe the resistance molecular adaptation

a. What are other stimulants of resistance exercise
 3. Discuss the signalling pathway of 4EBP1 and P70S6K

4. Describe the effect of concurrent training.

5. Describe how muscle is broken down

a. Effect with and without a stimulus

Muscle Protein Synthesis

1. What is the difference between signalling and structural proteins

2. What is mRNA, rRNA and tRNA

3. Describe the steps involved in transcription and translation

4. Acute effects of MPS

5. Long-term effects of MPS

6. What stimulates MPS? (intracellular signalling)

7. Effect of leucine on MP

Protein Ingestion

1. What factors will affect protein intake?

2. Recommended protein intake for active and non-active people

3. Differences in protein intake for resistance vs endurance training

4. Is the timing of protein ingestion important?

5. Should protein intake be distributed evenly throughout the day?

6. What is the difference between plant and animal sources of protein?

7. What are the differences between whey and casein protein?

8. Does protein need to be co-ingested with CHO?

9. Will eating protein before bed stimulate MPS?

10. Can you still maintain/put on weight in an energy deficit?

11. What is the ‘anabolic window’

Hormones

The effect of the following on P Syn, P Br, P Bal and MOA:

1. Testosterone
 2. IGF-1

3. Growth Hormone

4. Insulin

5. What is the role of cortisol in protein synthesis

6. What is oestrogen made of and why is it affected if an athlete has low body fat?

7. What pathways does oestrogen affect?

Cooling- Recovery

1. What are the different forms of cooling?

2. Why cool before or during and endurance race?

3. Why is cooling detrimental for sprinters?

4. What is the effect of cooling on:

a. DOMS
b. Swelling/Oedema
c. Inflammation
d. Muscle Function
e. Glycogen

5. Is cooling affected by protein ingestion

6. Does cooling have a phycological effect?

7. Acute effects of cooling on endurance

8. Long-term effects of cooling on endurance

9. Acute effects of cooling on resistance

10. Long-term effects of cooling on resistance

11. How does post-exercise cooling improve recovery?

12. When should cooling be used?

a. Pre/during
b. Post
13. Other post-recovery strategies