Physical Endurance Flashcards
7 cards from real FITCO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Physical Endurance flashcards as text
What interval training method most closely mimics the intermittent demands of correctional officer duties and also builds FITCO shuttle-run performance?
Answer: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) with work-to-rest ratios of 1:1 or 2:1
HIIT with 1:1 or 2:1 work-to-rest ratios develops both aerobic capacity and anaerobic tolerance, closely matching the variable-intensity demands of correctional work.
Why is it important for a FITCO candidate to maintain a consistent pacing strategy during the early levels of the shuttle run?
Answer: Starting too fast depletes glycogen prematurely and elevates lactate before later, harder levels
Going out too fast in early, easier levels causes premature lactate accumulation and glycogen depletion, impairing performance at the critical higher levels.
During physical endurance testing, what does the term 'lactate threshold' refer to?
Answer: The exercise intensity at which lactate production exceeds the body's clearance capacity, causing rapid accumulation
The lactate threshold is the exercise intensity at which lactic acid accumulates faster than it is cleared, causing the characteristic burning sensation and rapid fatigue.
A correctional officer candidate has been sedentary for six months due to injury. How should they approach FITCO preparation to avoid re-injury?
Answer: Follow a periodised return-to-training plan starting at low intensity and increasing weekly volume by no more than 10%
A structured periodised plan with gradual volume increases (≤10%/week) allows deconditioning tissues to adapt without exceeding recovery capacity.
Which of the following adaptations results from consistent aerobic endurance training over 8–12 weeks?
Answer: Increased mitochondrial density and oxidative enzyme activity in muscle fibres
Regular aerobic training increases mitochondrial density and oxidative enzyme concentrations, enabling muscles to produce ATP aerobically more efficiently.
What is the significance of the 20-metre shuttle distance specifically used in the FITCO beep test?
Answer: It standardises the test across all sites and matches the validated normative data used to set cut scores
The 20-metre distance is the internationally standardised protocol upon which all normative tables and occupational cut scores are based, ensuring valid cross-site comparisons.
Which pre-test behaviour is most likely to negatively affect a candidate's FITCO endurance score?
Answer: Performing a strenuous workout to exhaustion the evening before
Intense exercise the night before leaves muscles with depleted glycogen and accumulated fatigue, directly reducing shuttle-run performance the next morning.