Training Program Design & Planning Flashcards
7 cards from real ASCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Training Program Design & Planning flashcards as text
What is the primary physiological benefit of including aerobic threshold (Zone 2) training in a competitive swimmer's program?
Answer: Increases mitochondrial density and fat oxidation capacity
Zone 2 training increases mitochondrial density and improves the aerobic enzyme systems, enhancing oxidative capacity and fat metabolism.
In designing a training week for elite senior swimmers, which of the following best represents appropriate load distribution across a microcycle?
Answer: Alternating hard and easy days with at least one full recovery session
Hard-easy alternation within the microcycle allows sufficient recovery between quality sessions, enabling consistent performance improvement.
How should training volume typically be adjusted during weeks immediately following a major competition?
Answer: Reduce volume for 1–2 weeks to allow recovery before resuming progressive loading
Post-competition recovery weeks with reduced volume allow physiological and psychological restoration before the next training block begins.
What is the purpose of a 'lactate step test' in program planning for competitive swimmers?
Answer: To identify individual training zones and lactate threshold velocity
A lactate step test measures blood lactate at progressively faster speeds to pinpoint the lactate threshold and personalize training intensity zones.
Which of the following is the MOST critical factor when individualizing training programs for swimmers at different developmental stages?
Answer: Accounting for biological maturation rather than chronological age only
Biological maturation varies greatly among athletes of the same age, making developmental stage a more accurate guide for training load than chronological age alone.
A coach introduces 'contrast training' by pairing heavy dryland resistance exercises with explosive swim sprints. Which adaptation is this method primarily targeting?
Answer: Post-activation potentiation to enhance neuromuscular power output
Contrast training leverages post-activation potentiation (PAP), where a heavy resistance exercise briefly enhances neuromuscular output for the subsequent explosive movement.
What does 'training density' refer to in program design?
Answer: The ratio of work to rest within a training session or week
Training density describes the balance between work and recovery periods, with higher density meaning less relative rest for a given amount of work.