Human Performance and Biomechanics

Nutrition for Performance

The Energy Equation Eating well to optimize performance Take in what you expend Have a balanced diet Basic nutrients needed but not excessive Energy storage = Energy intake Energy output Counting Calories A calorie in the dietary context, is a measure of the amount of Energy that food will produce as it passes though the body Calories are needed to maintain current body weight Less calories taken in results in weight loss More calories taken in results in weight gain Carbohydrates give 4 calories / gram Protein give 4 calories / gram Fats give 9 calories / gram

Macronutrients
Can derive Energy directly from them Carbohydrates More accessible form of Energy Two types: complex and simple Complex are things such as pasta, bread and rice Simple are things such as candy and sugar They are broken down into glucose and the excess is stored as glycogen Stored in the liver, blood stream and muscles Comprised of 50-60% of our daily caloric intake Protein Energy nutrient 2 types: complete and incomplete Complete are things such as meat and dairy Incomplete are things such as nuts, beans and vegetables The body breaks down protein into amino acids (20 amino acids in total) in with 8 are essential (must be ingested) Critical function includes growth and repair, Energy source, hormones and immune system Comprised of 10-15% of our daily caloric intake Fats

Most concentrated form of Energy Essential for organ protection and insulation 2 types: saturated and unsaturated Saturated: such as animal products Higher concentration of LDL (low density lipoprotein and bad fats which could lead to heart disease) Unsaturated: such as plant products Higher concentration of HDL (high density lipoprotein and good fats such as olive oil) Fats are broken down into fatty acids, excess is stored as subcutaneous fat Stored in the liver, muscle and blood Comprised of 25-30% of our daily caloric intake

Micronutrients
Cannot derive Energy directly from it Vitamins Essential for metabolism, growth and development of the body Not a source of Energy but helps facilitate Energy release Effective in minute quantities Certain vitamins taken in excess can be toxic Minerals From Earths water and topsoil and then absorbed by plants we eat 7 key minerals: Calcium, Phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur 3 trace minerals: iron, manganese and zinc *** Vitamin and mineral deficient athletes see their athletic performance decrease

Water
2 liters a day or 8 big glasses Assists in a wide variety of functions including digestion, temperature regulation, and metabolic activities

General Rules Regarding Losing Body Fat

Decrease caloric intake Eat breakfast (kick starts your metabolism) Smaller more regular meals (speeds up metabolism) Do not skip meals (slows down metabolism) Incorporate a resistance program to develop lean muscle (increases R.M.R.)

Nutrition and Athletic Performance

Protein (15-20%) Only 2-5% is used as fuel, remaining is used to restore and repair tissue With an increase in exercise intensity, it is necessary to increase your daily protein intake Protein intake should increase to 25-30% for athletes who take part in a resistance training program Carbohydrates (55-60%) Main source of fuel for the anaerobic and aerobic systems Fats (25-30%) Used as fuel for low to moderate intensity exercise in aerobic activities

Metabolic Rate
Metabolic rate (M.R.) is the Energy needed to sustain essential bodily functions such as heart rate, breathing, nervous activity. Age, sex, weight, lean muscle mass and general fitness levels affect M.R. Your eating habits must be adapted according to your present fitness level Body Mass Index BMI = weight (kg) / height (m2)

Competitive Meals
Pre-exercise Meal 2-6 hours before to ensure that the blood goes to the muscles and not the digestive system High in carbohydrates to minimize fatigue and ensure lots of glucose During Exercise Meal Although rehydration is the main focus, small carbohydrates and carbohydrate drinks are necessary to ensure maximum performance Post-exercise Meal 30-45 minute window to maximum absorption of carbohydrates and protein for refueling and tissue repair

Dehydration and Fluid Replacement

Exercise = heat = body temperature increases = sweating to cool down the body It is important to keep hydrated before, during and after exercise Pre-exercise

 Drink 2-3 cups of water or sports drinks 2 hours before and 1 cup 10-20 minutes before in order to be hydrated at the beginning During Exercise Maintain hydration throughout exercise by drinking cup of water every 10 minutes of exercise Post-exercise Within 2 hours of finishing, rehydrate by drinking fluids with carbohydrates 4 Main Concepts to Live By Dont eat by habit, eat by what you need Eat more if your are athletic Charge up and recharge Hydrate

Seven Principals of Biomechanics Analysis

Seven principles can be grouped into 4 categories Stability Maximum effort Linear motion Angular motion Stability Principle 1: The lower the center of mass, the larger the base of support, the closer the center of mass to the base of support, the more stability increases Ex: Sumo wrestler Maximum Effort Principle 2: The production of maximum force requires the use of all possible joint movements that contributes to the tasks objective Ex: Jumping Principle 3: The production of maximum velocity requires the use of joints in order from largest to smallest Ex: Golf swing Linear Motion Principle 4: The greater the applied impulse, the greater the increase in velocity Ex: A slam dunk in basketball Principle 5: Movement usually occurs in the direction opposite that of the applied force

 Ex: running Angular Motion Principle 6: Angular motion is produced by the application of force acting at some distance from an axis, that is, by torque Ex: baseball pitcher Principle 7: Angular momentum is constant when an athlete or object is free in the air Ex: airborne diver

Motor learning and Skills Development

Human Growth and Development Knowledge of how the human body grows and develops in important because it allows us to understand how people respond to the demands of exercise at different stages in the developmental stages

Key Components of Human Development

Physical Growth and development of muscles, bones, energy systems and the nervous system Cognitive Ability to process and interpret information Also includes emotional development, ones self and a persons self-concept Motor OR Skill Development Combination of physical and cognitive, where by human development is the ability to perform a wide range of tasks Social Development Relationship with peers, friends, relatives, adults and others (outside world)

Age and Physical Development

Chronological Age Age indicated in years, months and days Standard use of term Skeletal Age Age indicated by physical maturity of skeleton

 Degree of bone ossification Factors such as nutrition, disease and injury can cause lag Development Age Age expressed in ones ability to perform certain tasks

Human morphology
Describes the body shape and how humans grow physically Endomorphic Type More fatty tissue Thicker body parts Mesomorphic Type Earlier maturation Stocky Heavily muscled Broader bodied Ectomorphic Type Later maturation Thinner bodied Narrow hips Longer limbs (legs and arms) *** Most people are a mix of 2 body types

Paigets four Stages of Cognitive Development

Senseorimotor (0-2 years) Infant demonstrates intelligence by means of motor activity without the use of symbols Knowledge is based purely on immediate experience Object permanence (ability to recall objects and events) Early language skills (beginning to speak) Pre-Operational (2-7 years) Child demonstrates intelligence through the use of symbols such as letters, numbers and pictures Considerate language development Significant growth in memory and imagination Egocentric thinking is prevalent

Concrete Operational (7-11 years) Logical thinking develops Able to solve concrete, hands-on problems logically Reversibility or operational thinking develops Develops capacity for empathy Formal Operational (11-15 years) Demonstrates intelligence through ability to solve increasingly complicated abstract problems using logic Return to egocentric thinking early in stage Begin thinking about social issues and ones own identity and appearance

Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition

General Concepts The more we perform a task, the better we become at it Athletes must perform deliberate practice, that is a skill done the proper way, in order to improve As humans physically grow and develop, our ability to perform complex skills is enhanced The root of any motor activity lies in the sensory and nervous system (muscle memory)

Motor learning
Process by which a person develops through a combination of physical and psychological factors, the ability to perform a task 2 divisions of motor activity Automatic Very little thought Unconscious reflex action Ex: ducking out of the way of a pitch Controlled More thought and time to perform Ex: soccer player weaving through other soccer players *** Individuals differ widely in term of how quickly and easily they learn new motor skills (previous experience, transferable skills)

Reasons for Error and Fault in Skills

Incorrect understanding of the movement Poor physical ability Poor coordination of movement Incorrect application of power Lack of concentration and fatigue Inappropriate equipment, clothing or footwear External factors such as weather and environment noises ***Executing a skill in practice is different from executing a skill in a game

Stages of Human Development

Stage 1 : Infancy to Toddler From Birth to 2 or 3 years Sub Stage of Infancy (0-1 years): Marks the time of the most marked growth in humans, relative to other stages Babies triple their weight in a year Chest cavity and head grows rapidly to allow the brain, heart and lungs to develop quickly Bones harden considerably Good muscle development motor tasks include: grasping things, crawling and walking Sub Stage of Toddler (1-3 years): Growth slows but body still gains mass and length motor tasks include: running, using a fork or spoon (manual dexterity), kicking, climbing, balance Stage 2: Childhood From 4-10 years of age children are introduced to games and sports which challenge their new found abilities Sub Stage of Early Childhood (6-10 years) stabilization period in which a uniform relationship between bone and tissue growth and development occurs Establishes an important base of motor skills *** Growth and development solidifies during late childhood Stage 3: Puberty and Adolescence 11-18 years of age growth speeds up again Both genders grow into sexual maturity

Sub Stage of Puberty (10-15 year) Occurs slightly earlier in girls Pubic hair appears Female development of breast accompanied by the on set of menstruation Males begin to produce semen, grow facial hair and voice deepens Sub Stage of Adolescence (16-18 year) Time of considerable psychological change which takes on social and behavioral context mostly by external factors ( gain weight, rise in blood sugar/pressure and resting heart rate, deterioration in joints etc.) Important stage for development of more complex motor skills

Factors Affecting Physical Growth

Glandular / Hormonal Activities Hormones affect metabolism glands can suffer from disease Hereditary Difficult to predict many ares of genetically inherited growth Nutrition / Diet inadequate / unbalances diet can lead to physical development issues Physical Activity lack of activity is harmful; excess can also be negative (balance is key) Social / Cultural Factors Can be difficult to assess; depends on opportunity, values

Motor and Skill Development

Reflective (0-4 months) Actions that will take the infant away from harm Rudimentary (4 months-2years) Locomotive activity such as crawling and / or walking Basic manipulation such as picking up and releasing objects stability movements such as controlling head, sitting and standing

Fundamental (2-7 years)

Includes 3 progressive steps (initial, elementary and mature) Activities include running, throwing and kicking

Sports Related (7+) Includes 3 distinct phases General (7-10 year) Fundamental skills become refined into sports skills specific (10-13 year) young athlete develops more accuracy

Performance Enhancing Substances and Techniques

Nutritional Aids Natural Substances that are hormone releasers which are to help you gain muscle No proof on whether they help or not they may be toxic in high doses and may have hidden amounts of steroids Vitamins and Minerals They're supplements that if you have a deficiency, are to be taken have no effects on performance positively, but if taken in large doses can cause tissue damage Over dosing can cause tissue damage and can be toxic Protein and Amino Acid Supplements Athletes concerned with increased muscle strength can endurance protein is an essential component of any balanced diet Amino acids stimulate the release of growth hormones, insulin and / or glucocorticoids they will enhance muscle development too much protein can produce toxic effects due to urea results in dehydration and causes muscle cramps and impairment of thermoregulatory function Carnitine it is a fat burner decreases lactate production increase VO2 max delays fatigue short-chain carboxylic acid containing nitrogen that serves to transport long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria for energy and transports coenzymes out no health risks Creatine short term high intensity exercise is an amino acid facilitates rapid production of STP athletes can maintain performance close to maximum no health risks

Caffeine Alkoid found in such foods such as coffee, tea and chocolate increases performance during prolonged exercise increases alertness and reduces fatigue Pharmacological Aids used to increase speed and strength and / or are used to maintain a specific body weight potentially harmful long-term and short-term Pain Masking Drugs Ex: morphine, heroine, pethidine and dextropropoxyphene they interfere with the body's ability to sense pain can result in hurting the body more can be highly addictive and the body can develop a physical and psychological dependence Anabolic Steroids synthetic derivatives of the male hormone testosterone they increase lean body mass, strength and decrease body fat health risks include liver damage, increases aggressiveness in a woman, masculinization including growth of facial hair, deepened voice and irregular menstrual cycle Pro hormones convert testosterone or stimulates it by forming derivatives similar to androgen increase physical power and decreases body fat causes acne, baldness, breast enlargement in males, stunted growth, increase in aggression and violence Human Growth Hormones Natural hormone produced by the body increases muscle, strengthens bones, limits weight gain and improves aerobic endurance leads to heart problems, excessive growth of hands and feet, enlargement of internal organs and skeletal abnormalities Erythropoietin natural protein hormone produces in the kidneys increases oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells causing heart to work harder risk of cardiac fatigue and heart failure Physiological Aids Methods and techniques used by athletes Blood doping intravenous administration of blood, red blood cells and related blood products to raise the bloods oxygen carrying capacity enhancing aerobic performance no health risks Drug masking