CPSS Managing Training Load 5

Question 1

Which questionnaire tool is widely used in applied sport science to monitor athlete well-being and early signs of overreaching?

Accepted Answer

Profile of Mood States (POMS) or similar well-being questionnaire

Answer

POMS and short-form well-being questionnaires (fatigue, mood, muscle soreness, sleep quality) are validated tools for tracking psychophysiological responses to training load.

Question 2

During a congested fixture schedule, a sport scientist recommends prioritizing recovery modalities. Which strategy has the strongest evidence for accelerating short-term recovery between matches?

Accepted Answer

Cold water immersion (CWI) combined with sleep optimization

Answer

CWI reduces inflammation and perceived soreness, while sleep is the most powerful recovery intervention; together they show the strongest evidence for short-turnaround recovery.

Question 3

A strength and conditioning coach tracks the monotony index to evaluate training variation. A high monotony index (>2) indicates:

Accepted Answer

Little day-to-day variation in load, potentially increasing overtraining risk

Answer

Monotony = mean daily load ÷ standard deviation; a high value signals insufficient variation, which Foster associates with increased overtraining and illness risk.

Question 4

The concept of 'strain' in Foster's training load model is calculated as:

Accepted Answer

Monotony × weekly training load

Answer

Strain = weekly training load × monotony index, combining total volume with the degree of load variation to quantify cumulative physiological stress.

Question 5

An athlete reports persistent upper respiratory tract infections during a high-volume training phase. This is MOST consistent with:

Accepted Answer

Exercise-induced transient immunosuppression from excessive load

Answer

The 'open window' hypothesis describes transient immunosuppression following heavy exercise, increasing susceptibility to upper respiratory infection during high-load phases.

CPSS - Certified Performance and Sport Scientist Practice Test

CPSS - Certified Performance and Sport Scientist Practice Test

CPSS Managing Training Load 5