Course Lectures:

The course lectures can be accessed below.

Lecture 1. How the body adapts to training

In this introductory lecture, foundation concepts such as how the body adapts to exercise and training are presented. The genetic foundation of adaptation, for example how protein synthesis happens after strength training, is also reviewed.

To watch a video that explains the process of DNA transcription click here.

Lecture 2. Muscle fatigue - Why do athletes get tired?

Understanding the reasons why athletes experience fatigue is critical for designing optimal training and recovery programs. The theories of fatigue are summarized in this article.

Lecture 3. Speeding recovery from training

One of the greatest challenges facing coaches and athletes is how to recover quickly after training. This helps reduce injury, and most importantly allows for high level training on a consistent basis. The concepts that are reviewed here include post exercise cool-downs, stretching, nutrition, massage, and heat and cold therapy.

In this presentation Dr. Wells summarizes the 3 key practices that athletes can use to recover most effectively. For a summary article from the Gatorade Sport Science Institute on Speeding Recovery from Training click here.

For more information LTAD.ca has a new resource for coaches on how to integrate rest and recovery planning into your long term athlete development model - click here to download. As always email us if you need more information of if you have questions.

Lecture 4. Stretching and flexibility

Check out a complete review of the physiology of stretching and flexibility here. We also need to be aware of new research and discussion about the role of stretching and possible negative impact on power development for a short period after stretching - this concept is discussed briefly here.

Lecture 5. Preventing Overtraining

Preventing overtraining in athletes is a serious challenge for coaches, especially as the athletes they are working with reach higher and higher levels of performance. The challenge relates to maximizing the training stimulus, while making sure the athlete recovers enough to adapt to the the training load. These topics are presented in this lecture.

Lecture 6. Nervous system Fatigue & Training

A new area of research and training is nervous system training. Ensuring adequate recovery of the newvous system between training sessions is critical for athletes involved in high intensity sports like track and field, or other explosive power events. The physiology of nervous system fatigue and recovery recommendations are the focus of this lecture.

Lecture 7. Tapering & peaking for competition

A critical time of the year for coaches and athletes is the taper phase. It is here that training, preparation, and the season are all put to the test and athletes make a final improvement in performance. The challenge for coaches is to use their knowledge and experience to help the athlete make that final adaptation and reach their potential while constantly adjusting for a myriad of factors like travel, stress, technique, and physical changes that come with reduced training. In this paper, I summarize research on tapering with the objective of providing coaches with information so that they can make informed decisions on how to create an optimal taper for their athletes.

The lecture can be watched here.

Taks 6. Assignment Information:

The assignment for Task 6 is to complete the course workbook, and to complete a recovery monitoring protocol with one or more of your athletes. Please contact Dr. Wells to discuss the specifics of your assignment. The course workbook can be downloaded here: COURSE WORKBOOK.DOC. Some examples of athlete monitoring are available here.

You can also try the monitoring test developed by Dr. Heikki Rusko. The test is explained in an excel file you can download here.