Pacing In Sport And Exercise

Pacing in sport and exercise: a psychophysiological perspective is the first book which comprehensively examines the way humans pace exercise and sporting activities. This concept represents an exciting opportunity to combine the latest physiological and psychological theories with practical sport and exercise applications. The book will be an essential read for sport and exercise science academics, students, coaches, athletes and general exercise enthusiasts. Pacing is the strategy by which effort is managed across an exercise bout in relation to a specific goal and in the knowledge of the likely demands of the task. It is widely recognised that individuals distribute effort across a task and this is in evidence during all non-reflex exercise situations where individuals are able to receive and act upon neural feedback from peripheral physiologic systems. As such, pacing across a wide range of sport and exercise contexts is investigated and explained. Sporting activities as diverse as sprinting, soccer, triathlon, rowing and cycling are discussed. In addition, training methodologies to improve the ability to self-pace exercise are reviewed and a self-regulatory system to optimise training across all exercise types is proposed. Templates for consolidating training sessions, design and monitoring strategies are included. Pacing in relation to specific population groups such as children, overweight/obese individuals and those with chronic or acute illnesses is also discussed. Finally, it is hoped this new book will stimulate further research, growth and awareness of this important topic.

We’ve all heard the advice “Pace yourself. Save energy and finish strong.” It sounds simple enough, so why is it so hard? Why do even supremely conditioned elite athletes mismanage their energy supplies and fail to finish strong? Pacing: Individual Strategies for Optimal Performance examines the latest science, research, and application in search of answers. This guide explores the role of pacing in sports, the most common strategies used, the factors that influence effectiveness, and key considerations for today’s athletes and coaches. You’ll also discover these aspects: • How environmental variables, such as temperature and terrain, can affect performance • How to choose the best pacing strategy for any event • How to use pacing to defeat an opponent • The role the brain plays in pacing strategies Part I explains the biological and psychological underpinnings of pacing science, including the six commonly used pacing strategies that are discussed in detail throughout the book: all-out, positive, even, negative, parabolic, and variable. Part II shows how to apply the science, offering pacing recommendations and considerations for time-dependent sports such as running, triathlon, and swimming and exploring the role of pacing in racket sports and several team sports. Combining scientific research and real-world profiles of elite athletes and coaches, Pacing: Individual Strategies for Optimal Performance shows coaches and athletes how to develop the ideal pacing plan for every competition.

Fatigue is an important concern for athletes at all levels, recreational sport and exercise participants, athletic coaches, personal trainers, and fitness professionals. The study of fatigue is also important for students of the sport, exercise, and health sciences, as it enables a deeper understanding of fundamental physical function and the limitations behind human performance. There remains considerable debate about the definition of fatigue, what causes it, its impact during different forms of sport and exercise, and the multitude of factors that can influence the nature and severity of fatigue. The vast body of literature in these areas can make it challenging to understand what we know and what we still need to understand about fatigue in sport and exercise. The second edition of this book presents a fully revised and updated overview of the contemporary research evidence into sport and exercise fatigue. The book examines the latest thinking into how we conceptualise fatigue, as well as how we measure it. The fundamental science of fatigue is introduced, focussing predominantly on physiological aspects of energy depletion, metabolic acidosis, environmental challenges, electrolytes and minerals, and the perception of fatigue as it relates to mental fatigue and the central regulation of sport and exercise performance. Each chapter includes real case studies from sport and exercise, as well as useful features to aid learning and understanding such as definitions of key terms, guides to further reading, and discussion questions. Fatigue in Sport and Exercise, Second Edition is an invaluable companion for any degree-level course in sport and exercise science, fitness and training, or strength and conditioning.

Since its first published edition more than 30 years ago, the BASES (British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences) Physiological Testing Guidelines have represented the leading knowledge base of current testing methodology for sport and exercise scientists. Sport and exercise physiologists conduct physiological assessments that have proven validity and reliability, both in laboratory and sport-specific contexts. A wide variety of test protocols have been developed, adapted and refined to support athletes of all abilities reach their full potential. This book is a comprehensive guide to these protocols and to the key issues relating to physiological testing. With contributions from leading specialist sport physiologists and covering a wide range of mainstream sports in terms of ethical, practical and methodological issues, this volume represents an essential resource for sport-specific exercise testing in both research and applied settings. This new edition draws on the authors’ experience of supporting athletes from many sports through several Olympic cycles to achieve world leading performances. While drawing on previous editions, it is presented in a revised format matching the sport groupings used in elite sport support within the UK sport institutes. Building on the underpinning general procedures, these specific chapters are supported by appropriate up-to-date case studies in the supporting web resources.

Pacing: Individual Strategies for Optimal Performance examines the science, strategies, and application of pacing in sports. Coaches, athletes, and students of sport will learn to assess, develop, and implement effective pacing strategies for 13 sports, including running, cycling, triathlon, soccer, and basketball.

Athletes participating at all levels of endurance performance can relate to the impact of psychological factors. Whether it is motivation, self-belief, feeling nervous before a race, exercise-induced pain, sticking to a pacing strategy, or thoughts around what to focus on, there are a vast number of psychological factors which can affect endurance performance. Bringing together experts in the field from around the world, this is the first text to provide a detailed overview of the psychology of endurance performance where there is a research and an applied focus looking at both main theoretical models as well as how interventions can support an athlete’s efficacy and well-being. The authors look at regulatory processes around pain, decision-making, self-belief, emotions, and meta-cognition, before examining a range of cognitive strategies, including the use of imagery, goals, self-talk, and mindfulness techniques. With a final section of the book outlining issues related to mental health that are relevant to endurance performance, the book shows that the future of research and application of psychological theory in endurance performance in sport is bright and thriving. Aimed at researchers, students, coaches, and athletes themselves, this is essential reading for anyone wishing to better understand how our minds experience endurance in performance arenas, and what psychological techniques can be used to make us more efficient.

The Science of the Marathon and the Art of Variable Pace Running encourages you to rediscover running by gradually slowing down, running at your own pace, and learning to accelerate. This book is about Veronique Billat's 30 years of research, life studies, and practical experience. This research takes place in real life and extreme racing situations; it does not take place on treadmills, rather in marathon races and the high mountains. It's about adapting new technologies to the needs of training and understanding the possibilities for the improvement of human energy. The key to long term success without injury or overtraining is to train with quality and not quantity. It is no longer necessary to train by running long distances in preparation for specific types of running races. Performance is not just about a result, but rather a road to true happiness. We invite you to discover this new way of running as it is a realistic minimalist-based training using your running mind-body feelings sensations and your lifestyle. The practice of marathon running is, above all, a serious endeavor for anyone 10 to 100 years old, that will let you dream immense possibilities.ReviewsI thought I knew everything I needed to know about marathon pacing before I read The Science of the Marathon. Whether your goal is to complete a marathon with a smile on your face or set a new personal best. Dr. Billat and Edwards fascinating and persuasive book will help you prepare with greater purpose and race with more confidence.--Matt Fitzgerald, author of 80/20 Running, Brain Training For Runners, Life is a Marathon, and many others. This amazing book covering 30 years of exercise science and human experience from Dr. Billat is designed for the coach, scientist, or running enthusiast who desires to understand the physiology and variability of individual banners. I learned some new and interesting things and the book reaffirms that doing accelerations and varying the pace spontaneously on runs is a good thing. I have never used GPS-watch and run by feel, so it is nice to hear that is not crazy. It's refreshing to read about optimizing fat metabolism as this is the evolutionary fuel of the human. At age 53, this book keeps me honest to do my strength training and sprints every day.Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, Professor of Family Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, author of "Run For Your Life" 2008Drs Billat and Edwards have put together a book that combines the best of sports science and in the field research. It's refreshing to see a book on running that connects the dots, delves deep into the science, but still bases its recommendations on how we should run as nature intended.Barry Murray M.Sci, Faculty at Munster Technological University, CEO of Optimum Nutrition For Sport, Irish National endurance runner Veronique Billat is one of the most innovative and important researchers currently active in determining the science of optimum training. I have found her work to be useful for boosting the performances of runners not only in the marathon, but all the way down to the 800-any distance at which aerobic capability matters. My runners swear by it. Richard A. Lovett, Coach, Team Red Lizard, Portland Oregon and Co-author of Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing"Drs. Billat and Edwards did an excellent job writing this book. Dr. Edwards has been a huge help getting Brenda back to top running form. You don't have to be an elite runner to train like one. Brenda has benefited from the 30-30 workouts described in the book. I would recommend this amazing book to anyone looking to take their fitness to the next level."Carlos Handler, Coach, Brenda Martinez USA Olympic Track & Field Runner

Exercise physiology is one of the most researched sports sciences, with practical implications for health, well-being and sports performance. This book brings together emerging research in this area, presenting the main findings and criticisms, as well as considering the future of exercise physiology.