Base-line measurements 5.10 What are base-line measurements and why are they useful?

The first check is weight and height. These are used to check the body mass index (BMI) which gives a good measure of whether someone is in the correct weight range. Some athletes like marathon runners may want to lose weight. Others like weightlifters or sprinters may want to gain weight. By knowing the weight, and BMI, before the training programme starts means a sports scientist can make sure the changes, gain or loss, do not become dangerously large.

This exercise bicycle is fitted with sensors that can detect heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. This allows sports scientists to monitor changes in the athlete’s condition as they start to exercise. The bicycle can be adjusted for easier or harder pedalling so the rider can be tested in a range of conditions. This is useful for testing an athlete’s cardiovascular health, especially marathon runners and cyclists.

A spirometer measures the volume of an athlete’s lungs. Exercise needs a supply of energy and this energy comes from respiration. Respiration needs oxygen and if you have larger lungs and can breathe more deeply you are less likely to run out of energy. Lung volume is not fixed – if you train you can increase it. Swimmers have particularly large lungs because swimming needs more energy.

The muscles burn sugar by respiration to make energy. The body stores very small amounts of sugar, so when exercise starts the level in the blood starts to drop. The body responds by breaking down glycogen stores in the liver to make glucose to put into the blood. Does training help the body to manage blood sugar levels better? Excitement before a race or event may release the hormone adrenalin into your blood. This encourages the body to break down glycogen.

How does training affect muscle strength? To build muscle, you will need to use relatively heavy weights and repeat less often. Never use weights that will strain your muscles because this will delay your training.

So would you make a world-class weightlifter or marathon runner? Base-line measurements will tell you how fit you are now. Careful measurements of body shape and size can tell you which sports you are naturally suited to. This might help you to choose the right sport for a career or suggest the most suitable sport for someone else. Picking the right sport is a good way to avoid straining your body.