1. AQA A2 Revision Mike Murray
Based on past paper questions and answers to those questions

2. Content EPOC and lactate Sports supplements POMS
Cognitive methods to control anxiety
Baron’s distraction-conflict theory
World Games
Why use drugs?
Strategies to reduce drug-taking  

3. Lactate threshold – Typical question
Elite performers follow structured training programmes to develop exceptional levels of fitness. Outline the relationship between ‘VO2 max’ and ‘lactate threshold’. (3 marks) In terms of recovery, explain the relationship between lactate threshold and the functions of EPOC. (5 marks)

4. Lactate Threshold/OBLA
During intense exercise of short duration
Glycogen used as energy source
Too much produced by excess is converted to
Can only last

5. During high intensity exercise
Mitochondria

6. Lactate threshold When starts to in Also known as Percentage of
Occurs because of lack of in
Occurs at start of exercise = and during exercise

7. Oxygen Uptake during Exercise
O2 uptake
rest
exercise
recovery
time

8. EPOC
Slow component:
Fast component:

9. Lactate tolerance How well performer copes with accumulation
Depends on ability to acidity of
accumulation
Fitter performers can remove quicker

10. Removal of lactate During component of 65% converted to – into
and oxidised for
25% converted to pyruvate and then to –
10% converted to

11. Supplements - Typical question
What are the potential benefits and harmful effects to a performer taking creatine supplements? (4 marks)

12. Food Supplements - Creatine
Creatine – increases – longer
energy supplies
Used by limited effects but
to performance
No known problems, but potential long-term

13. Food Supplements - Protein
Protein – taken to increase
Used by performers
Training effect – build more muscle
Requires exceptional training load to be
- enough in balanced diet - no need to take more for majority!

14. Typical question
What are the potential benefits and harmful effects to a performer taking caffeine before an event. (4 marks)

15. Food Supplements - Caffeine
Caffeine – stimulant – increased
Increases fat use in long-duration activities –
Used by performers -
Use can cause dehydration
Used by many, because no longer

16. Food Supplements – Herbal remedies
Herbal Remedies - use of plant extracts
May contain useful and
Problem - performers not aware of what other substances contained in extract -
Slide No.

17. Food Supplements – Bicarbonate of Soda
Bicarbonate of soda – effects of
Used by performers
Delays
But ingestion causes and

18. Food Supplements - Water
Exercise generates heat - lost mainly by
litres per hour -
Causes increased and
Need to before and during event

19. Food Supplements – Athlete’s diet
Specialist foods only if
Simple usually adequate
Sufficient gained from nutritious rather than junk foods
Sufficient vitamins and minerals from
Sufficient protein from

20. POMS – Typical question
Morgan’s profile of mood state (POMS) is a questionnaire given to performers to establish their relative measures on six mental health states. Research has shown that the profile for POMS differs between elite and non-elite performers. Describe these differences. (3 marks)

21. Profile of Mood States Test score Mood states anger fatigue confusion
depression
tension
Mood states

22. Mood States Successful elite performers show
High vigour; low tension, depression, fatigue and confusion
Unsuccessful athletes show
Change in profile associated with
Cannot be applied to all performers – success could lead to

23. Cognitive methods – Typical question
Outline two cognitive stress management techniques that can be used to control anxiety levels (7 marks)

24. Stress management Control thoughts - cognitive techniques – eg
Involves redirecting thoughts away from the cause of the and
Needs to be and

25. Imagery Imagine must be Use Can imagine event – include possible
Pre-experience achievement of – increase
Lock on to perfect performance –

26. Attentional control (focusing)
Learn to concentrate/focus on
Concentration linked to
Tendency to focus on
Needs to control attention / avoid
Use of key phrases to help
Use ‘routine’ for repeatable skills – eg

27. Thought-stopping Use of ‘action’ – eg Switch attention to controlled
Use whenever occurs
Action that thought
Involves – learn to think of action rather than negative thought

28. Self-talk Develop about your actions Learn to
Rehearse when things are going wrong -
Can be
Can recall good plus a few thoughts

29. Distraction-conflict theory– Typical question
Explain the principles of Barron’s distraction-conflict theory (3 marks)

30. Baron – distraction-conflict theory
Attends to demands of task
Athlete performing
Attends to distractor

31. Distraction causes conflict
Paying attention to distraction limits
for skilled performance
More difficult tasks require more
Distraction causes an increase in
Leading to

32. World games – Typical question
'World Class Events' is part of UK Sport's development programme, which aims to attract major sporting championships to the UK. Discuss the suggestion that hosting major championships will benefit the individual performer and the host. (5 marks)

33. Characteristics of World games
performers
Large appeal
Requires major infrastructure –

34. Effects of World games for performers
Highly to be/test themselves against the best - make most of abilities –

35. Effects of World games - Country
impact – seen as successful, part of national character/political success
Social impact –
Economic impact – financial success –
Can have negative impact -
Government support -

36. Why use drugs – Typical question
Elite sport is waging a constant battle over the use of performance enhancing drugs. Explain why some performers choose to take performance enhancing drugs, and describe some of the measures which are in place to solve this problem. (7 marks)

37. Reasons why performers may take drugs

38. Solutions to drug-taking problem
Unified policies -