Discussion questions 1: Basic exercise prescription
1. Define frequency, intensity and duration.
2. Discuss the variability advocated in duration.
3. Is there a benefit limitation to going 3 x 10 mins each day vs 1 x 30 mins?
4. Why do you think "rhythmic" exercises are advocated for the mode of exercise?
5. Differentiate between health and fitness.
6. What do we imply by metabolic fitness?
7. How has ACSM changed the guidelines for the 1998 position stand in contrast to 1978 stand?
8. ACSM describes an "exercise dose continuum" for health and fitness. What does this mean?
9. What is the minimum time frame ACSM recommends for an exercise program in order to realize noticeable change?
10. Describe VO2 max, what it means and what it indicates.
11. What is the lactate threshold? Is it important to know this?
12. Describe the relationship between intensity and duration.
13. Define the term HRR, VO2R, HR max. How are they calculated?
14. What is the minimal threshold for intensity to improve CV fitness?
15. Will this minimum intensity work for all individuals?
16. What is RPE? Why is it useful?
17. Describe briefly the age-related effects on fitness and response to exercise.
18. Is there a gender specific response to exercise stimuli?
19. Detraining for CV fitness typically occurs after how long? Is this response similar for strength training?
20. What does the article say about exercise intensity for weight loss?
21. Does flexibility improve performance?
22. Are all methods of developing flexibility equally
beneficial?
Discussion questions 2. Cardiovascular response to exercise
1. Is a person with cv disease at increased risk for complications during exercise? Consider this question with actual numbers for reported episodes!
2. What is your general impression of the appropriateness (and practicality) of these recommendations in this article. E.g. are they overly or underly- conservative?
3. What are the basic cardiovascular responses to exercise? How do these differ acutely and chronically both during exercise and at rest?
4. Does the suggested cardiovascular screening methods advocated address the cause of complications in participants <35 years? > 35 years.
5. Answer the questions in Tables 1 & 2 and evaluate yourself. Any comments?
6. What are the financial and participatory implications from these screening procedures?
7. How practical and realistic do you think these guidelines are for the general public?
8. Differentiate between the terms acute and chronic as used here.
9. Briefly describe the difference in the acute and chronic response to exercise for heart rate, BP, CO, AVO2 difference, ventilation, blood flow, VO2.
10. Can you briefly describe the ventilatory changes that take place during exercise. I.e. from start to finish.
11. Describe some of the more potent changes that take place in the muscle that explain increases in fitness.
12. How are changes that take place during resistance
training different from those that take place during aerobic training/
What is the time course for adaptation to both resistance
and aerobic training?
Discussion questions 3: Fitness testing considerations.
1. What do you think are the general purposes of fitness testing?
2. Do you think these purposes are different for testing a competitive athlete versus a clinical individual.
3. What advice would you give in reference to deciding the order of tests you select? Would this vary for an athletic versus non-athletic individual?
4. If you could only pick for tests, which would you pick?
5. Considering time, cost and accuracy: which body composition assessments would you select?
6. What factors would influence your decision to perform maximal versus submaximal fitness assessment?
7. If you were to develop a list of criteria for
fitness testing what would you include?
Discussion questions 4: Resistance training.
1. What mechanism usually explains early adaptation to resistance training?
2. What factors affect the initial (and chronic) adaptations to RT??
3. What role do size, motor unit twitch forces and recruitment (or activation) threshold play in force production?
4. Do muscles contain both slow and fast twitch fibers?
5. How long does it take to see either neural or hypertrophic change in muscle fiber?
6. What type of exercise (s) tends to induce the greatest change in muscle morphology?
7. Does young and old muscle respond similarly to the RT stimulus?
8. What other systemic changes take place in the muscle as a result of RT? E.g. substrates, capillaries etc.
9. What would a basic RT program include in terms of sets, reps, & frequency?
10. How would you determine your essential exercises for the program.i.e. What major groups would you include?
11. How would you differentiate between athletes vs non-athletes in exercise selection etc.?
12. What basic considerations would you advise to account for individual differences in people?
13. What differences would you expect to see in adaptation
in a RT program vs aerobic program?
Discussion questions 5: Exercise and Aging
1. Can you differentiate between chronological, biological and functional age?
2. What are age related declines in:
a. strength
b. cardiorespiratory endurance
c. body composition
4. Does the older CV system adapt in the same way to the exercise stimulus.
5. What role does exercise play in the prevention of an aging physiological system.
6. Is the response to exercise the same in an older vs younger adult?
7. What concerns are there with exercise in the older adult.
8. How does the older adult adapt to strength changes?
9. What role does strength and flexibility play in postural stability?
10. What factors must be considered when developing an exercise program for elderly people?
11. Is there a particular nutritional concern in exercise and the elderly?
12. Can you design a brief ExRx for an elderly individual?
i.e. What might a weekly exercise program look like?
Discussion question 6: Exercise & Weight Control
1. Identify the major health concerns related to obesity.
2. Is fat storage pattern a risk factor?
3. What is the prevalence of obesity and inactivity using the 1993 data?
4. Do you believe that obesity occurs when intake consistently exceeds output?
5. Discuss the relationship between under-exercising and over-eating and obesity.
6. What is the relationship between intensity and fat usage during exercise?
7. Is there a relationship between fitness and fat usage during exercise?
8. Do we have greater evidence for decreased fat cell size or number as a result of weight loss?
9. What do the articles say about regional fat stores for energy usage during exercise?
10. How does exercise effect daily energy expenditure?
11. What role does RMR play in body weight control?
12. What appears to be the best exercise prescription
for weight control?
Discussion questions 7: Aging and Osteoporosis
1. What is osteoporosis?
2. What are known factors causing osteoporosis?
3. Can you differentiate between chronological, biological and functional age?
4. When do you think the age related loss of bone begins?
5. What are age related declines in:
a. strength
b. cardiorespiratory endurance
c. body composition
d. bone mineral density
6. What appears to be the best treatment approach to osteoporosis?
7. What areas of the body are most susceptible to loss of BMD?
8. What do the exercise training studies show about the effects of
exercise programs on BMD?
9. What is arthritis? Who doesn't suffer from it?
10. What are recognized common causes of arthritis?
11. Does exercise play a role in the treatment of arthritis?
12. Can you identify your top three modes of exercise for the accumulation of BMD?
13. If you had to list your top 5 pieces of advice about BMD, what would they be?
14. Who is most at risk for bone loss?
Discussion Questions 8: Exercise and Pregnancy
1. What would you say are the major concerns about exercise during pregnancy?
2. Are there physiological adaptations that take place during pregnancy that change metabolic or cardiorespiratory capacity of the mother?
3. Differentiate between acute and chronic concerns over exercising during pregnancy.
4. What are the major concerns over exercise, especially high intensity exercise, during pregnancy?
5. How does the fetus respond during exercise?
6. Are there any dangers associated with different types of exercise e.g. resistance Vs aerobic etc.?
7. What are the signs commonly used to determine fetal well being?
8. Are there any mechanisms in place to protect the fetus against acute maternal hypoxia?
9. What advice would you give to someone considering getting pregnant regarding exercise?
10. Can you develop a list of exercises considered safe and a list for mothers to avoid?
11. For the exercises or postures you identified in '10', provide a short rational.