Pieces of Writing

Piece 1: Creative Writing

Statement of Intent

I am going to write a first person narrative story showing match day preparation that occurs for every budding cricketer around the world wanting to make it to the big time. I highlight what happens throughout the day and also the emotions that run through each and every player. It shows how people relate themselves to international greats and strive to be like them but when not everything goes the way they want it to, players each deal with it differently and Lucas deals with it in a negative way and believes his dreams are over for representing his country.

Match Day

Birds chirping, sun shining, and flowers gently waving in the cool breeze, make for the perfect setting for a day of cricket. I woke up to the sound of my thunderous alarm clock, “I’ve got to get a new one of them,” I say to myself as the tone lingers, also waking up my sleeping family. I pull back the curtains to see the wonderful weather for the day, the big day, the day of all days… It was my opportunity to play for the Junior National Side of Australia.

My parents were shouting at me from another room. Their voices coasted my eardrums, but I couldn’t make out what was being said. I was too focused. My excitement was unimaginable. The restless night I’d had concerned me, but that wasn’t going to stop me. Tendulkar, Lara, Ponting; my childhood heroes all hung proudly on posters on my wall for me to admire.

“This is my chance to refine my game Mum, I could be the next Tendulkar.“ My appetite craved an energizing breakfast. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and a bowl of yoghurt. I scoff it down and charge back to my bedroom, packing my cricket bag with all my gear. I double check and I triple check, as I couldn’t afford to leave anything behind. Nerves strike as I walk out the door. Butterflies seem to full a gaping hole in my stomach. It all suddenly became so real, no longer a moment I could dream of to pan out as successfully as I liked. I needed to get to the grounds to prepare with my teammates for the crucial match that awaited.

As we drove slowly through the front gates of the stadium, I could see people standing underneath the main stand. My teammates were buzzing like bees, but looked like ants compared to the grand size of the building I was about to play in. The next hour felt like an eternity, as if all forms of time had been turned off. Sweat was already dripping all over my face after an intense preparation session, but the exhaustion didn’t fluster me at all for I knew that as soon as we stepped foot out in the middle I would be a bundle of energy rearing to go. We finalised tactics and strategies, but everyone had their own opinion as to how our performance in the batting innings could go.

“Stable platform from the openers.” said Greg, our premier fast bowler.

David said, “Aggressive approach from the very beginning.” These conflicting methods were complete opposites and I, as one of the opening batters, was now doubtful as to how I should proceed.

Aaron and myself left the changing rooms and began our long walk down the tunnel to the field, and there was an abundance of encouragement spoken. We reached the boundary rope and suddenly positivity stopped. The rope was bordered with nerves and I had a deep think about what would happen if I was to fail today. I took my time before stepping onto the field of play to gather my thoughts to attempt to persuade myself that it was all going to be perfectly okay.

“Come on Lucas, we’re going to get timed out soon,” demanded Aaron. At this point I realised that I had been overthinking it for too long, it was definitely time to get this innings underway. Aaron claimed that he would face first ball which I was reluctant to accept as I wanted that privilege. A hesitant “yes” escaped my mouth as if I was trying to say it underneath my own breath. A single off the first ball of the game, not a run I would generally take in all honesty, but the nerves I was facing made me run like a headless chicken. Judging by the first ball, there wasn’t anything special about the 6’4 bowler powerfully striding in at the speed of light. Slightly off putting sure, but I was confident.

“Centre please,” was a command I sent to the umpire so that I knew where to stand in comparison to the stumps. Looking straight back, I could see the bowler standing at the top of his run up, he was staring straight back at me like he knew he had the ability to get me out. Running in I could hear his heavy breathing until his point of release. The ball comes hurtling towards me, aiming directly for my body. I jump onto my back foot and get my bat up as soon as possible. I was extremely rushed and wasn’t aware enough to play a confident stroke. I hear a ‘snick’ as the ball just edges my bat. My eyes close, as I fear what I believe has just happened. Cheering soon followed by every player in the opposition’s team, and my head dropped with disappointment as I remained at the crease reflecting on my mistake. I was out.

Trudging off the field back into the tunnel as slow as a sloth climbing a tree, emotions were running high within me and I didn’t know what to do with myself. When I get out, I don’t generally like people talking to me, as I always need to cool down, but I crossed paths with our Number 3 batsmen who let out a quiet, “unlucky.” I entered the changing room and fortunately there was no one in there as the rest of the team was watching the game from the pavilion stand. The door creaked open and irritation swarmed. I didn’t want to see anyone. It was my dad, I heard his footsteps long before he came into sight.

He sat down beside me and said, “don’t worry about it son, there will be another opportunity.” Deep down inside me, I knew this was it. A golden duck. What selector would pick me again? My hopes of becoming the next Tendulkar were over, i just knew it.

Written By: Ryan Le Poidevin

Piece 2: Formal Writing

Statement of Intent

In this piece of writing I will be highlighting how effective the New Zealand tourism industry is on our economy. The purpose of this writing is to get a clear understanding of why New Zealand gains so much revenue from this sector along with how it can be improved to ensure there is even more economic growth in the country.

New Zealand Tourism

Do you travel to other countries? Or even have plans to? Tourism throughout the world is a major part of many peoples lives. Whether it is travelling overseas, or even visiting somewhere else in the same country, it has huge impacts on the economies of places and is an extremely key aspect when working out incomes for countries. New Zealand is seen around the world as a very friendly place for tourists, with many sights to see and many things to do all around the country. But is our tourism industry up to scratch? With an extra 9.2% of international tourist arrivals coming into New Zealand from 2014/2015 to 2015/2016 [1.], having the available funds for big projects is a necessity, as it is our biggest source of income from exports. New Zealand requires improvement in the tourism industry to stay up to date and be capable of catering for the increased number of visitors each year.

Tourism is such a crucial aspect for New Zealand’s economy, but what really is tourism? Tourism is the arrival of overseas individuals who stay in a place outside of their usual environment or country for a specific reason however not for longer than one year.[2.] Tourism impacts New Zealand’s economy significantly as in total, $24 million New Zealand Dollars is contributed by the tourism industry which impacts our country’s GDP and also the employment rate. 16% of New Zealand export earnings were caused by the tourism industry resulting in the UK newspaper, ‘The Telegraph’, to vote New Zealand as the best country in the world to go to for a holiday. This consequently boosted the arrivals into New Zealand dramatically, showing how important it is to our economy.[3.] Tourism allows for further economic growth with the expansion of the industry making openings for more jobs to arise, expanding the workforce in New Zealand from the standing 6% that is made up from tourism industry jobs. This serves as a huge positive to the country as a whole, as the increased number of visitors results in business success, making them produce goods and services at a more efficient rate to impact positively on the economy and its’ civilians. In 2012, New Zealand Tourism released a statement that over half of the international visitors took part in adventure activities which served the country with a $1.6 billion New Zealand Dollar injection into regions that are not known for tourism to improve them. This enables more of New Zealand to become known worldwide for different attractions increasing the number of tourists that arrive on our shores.[5.]

New Zealand offers various scenery, attractions, food and also the opportunity to meet kind hearted people. This is believed to be why New Zealand has such a high tourism rate. This is held especially true for residents from Australia, with approximately 45% of New Zealand’s arrivals coming from there purely due to the close distance between the two countries with quite opposing lifestyles, and also due to people’s relations with one another.[4.] The scenery and environmental factors that New Zealand has to offer is the biggest aspect as to why people come here. Places such as the Milford Sound, the quiet setting of nature with numerous walks that can be taken, is something that many countries aren’t able to make use of but New Zealand can dominate in. Tongariro Crossing is another amazing opportunity that most of the tourists take up. The sights that are achieved from scaling up the mountain are phenomenal and are known throughout the world, inspiring the tourism sector to continuously grow in New Zealand. Specific attractions in New Zealand also convince tourists to come here, such as the the Sky Tower in Auckland, geysers in Rotorua and also the jet boating and luge options in Queenstown. In particular seasons of the year, New Zealand also offers world class facilities for skiers and snowboarders such as Mt Ruapehu and also down in Queenstown which can be seen as the ‘economic boom,’ but in this case just for the tourism industry. These places are an extreme minority of all the options that are available for people to experience when they visit here which shows why the tourism industry serves as a massive source of income for the country and is a clear indication as to why each year the number of visitors increased. Word spreads quickly to even more people about all the wonderful things there are to do in New Zealand, bulking up the tourism sector as we know it even more for the better. However, all the sights and attractions can restrict tourists from seeing the country as a whole as they travel to a specific city to do something in particular. This is where New Zealand can make themselves separate and distinct from the rest of the world, as we offer numbers opportunities such as cruises around the country and also length of the country bus tours that stop off at the big towns and ports that are key areas for the tourism industry to continue making the money that it does currently, if not more. This improved the financial aspect of the economy from the increasing amount of income from tourism exports.

For the continuous rise in tourists, New Zealand is forced to keep updating facilities to accommodate for the increased number of visitors. This results in more investment from the financial sector into firms so that they can increase their potential output in the economy to cater for more consumers that are in the country, especially during the New Zealand summer and ski seasons. This ongoing growth method means that New Zealand has to keep on top of all the finances to ensure there will be enough money to afford the upgrades that are required so that there is sufficient accommodation within the country for all tourists at a fair and reasonable price. Another aspect that I believe New Zealand can improve on is the transport sector in the tourism industry. I think there should be more bus operational systems or taxis to allow tourists to get around as much of New Zealand as possible for an affordable price, so that it encourages them to tell everything from their homeland to visit and it may make them want to come back again. A more updated bus that travels the length of the country stopping at the majority of the main cities would be beneficial, along with more knowledgeable drivers that can explain to the tourists about multiple places. Although this is already in action within the tourism industry, it is an area that I believe can be dramatically improved as there is a common problem going round signifying that New Zealand’s infrastructure and transport may not be quite up to par considering the huge jumps in international visitor levels.

Although the fact that there is room for improvement, New Zealand’s tourism is known all around the world for very positive reasons. The rise in visitors each year only creates more economic growth for the country which will continue as each year passes and sees the world’s population getting larger yet again. This all shows how well off our country is for supplying such high potential offerings for the rest of the world that many do make use of. The tourism industry is a huge aspect of the New Zealand economy and is crucial in the development of our great country due to the need for the income the sector creates as it can reimburse others that are not progressing as well as New Zealand Tourism.

By Ryan Le Poidevin

Bibliography

[1.] http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/Migration/international-visitor-arrivals-may-16.aspx

[2.]

https://www.go2hr.ca/bc-tourism-industry/what-tourism

[3.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_New_Zealand

[4.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_New_Zealand

[5.]

http://www.radiolive.co.nz/LABOUR-NZs-adventure-tourism-industry-in-trouble/tabid/615/articleID/77093/Default.aspx

Production Process Question Results

Grade: Merit
Why? I didn’t go into enough detail in my explanations and i leave the harder questions not fully answered therefore meaning i couldn’t achieve full marks for them. For next time i just need to go into more detail and fully explain the effects of what happens in the business.

PE Mountain Biking Evaluation

Q: Explain comprehensively (+/-) how your first MOT was applied to your mountain bike training (link a POT that you used and effects on exercise physiology).

Continuous

The continuous method of training was essential to my training. This is because without this method, it would have minimised my ways of increasing my stamina and endurance levels as continuous means i am constantly moving resulting in my heart rate going faster therefore pumping more blood around so my respiratory systems picks up pace with heavy breathing. This is how it was applied to my training as during one lesson i performed the Moffat Run in preparation for Woodhill so i could build up my fitness levels. This would give me a good indication that my training has actually progressed me ready for the trip.

During the Woodhill mountain biking trip, my continuous method was crucial. As the track was a fair distance, it meant that i was going to have to continuously put in effort if i wanted to achieve my goal of excellence which unfortunately i didn’t do. This is where my continuous was needed as i needed to be able to keep pushing myself meaning my fitness and stamina needed to be in good shape so that i could effectively do so while out on the track. This is how it applied to the trip s without it, i wouldn’t have finished the course which is why it was important that i used it during training.

Positives of this method of training is that it is really important when wanting to build up fitness levels. Continuous training is a good way to do this as you can go for a run with friends to make it a bit more enjoyable but when you both have the same goal then you can push each other to keep going which is what occurred on the Moffat Run as we had a goal of finishing it under 25 minutes. Another positive of this training is that it works your body hard so the blood rate increases making your muscles warm and active which will slowly reduce the risk of picking up injuries and cramp etc after the more times you use this method of training.

A negative of the continuous training is that it can take a long time and can be boring if by yourself. As you need to keep running or whatever activity for a long period of time, it becomes tedious which can then motivate you to stop so to perform continuous training you need to be able to use self talk to encourage yourself to keep going. Another negative of continuous training is that if you don’t stretch properly beforehand then an injury can be picked up easily as the run could last a long time so if the muscles aren’t ready, particularly the hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius and soleus then it could be a cause for concern.

A key principle of training that goes with the continuous method of training is the ‘time’ factor. This was crucial during training as i wanted to compete the Moffat Run under a specific time which would push myself more when participating. I also knew i didn’t want to spend too long in the event as i knew that would mean that i didn’t push myself hard enough the whole way. This is where it applied to the mountain bike trip as the grades were set from the time we took to complete the course in. Having a time frame in mind meant that i could focus on the track knowing i was going at a good enough pace after seeing most of the track beforehand. Time also meant i could pace my speed so that i was always traveling at a high intensity and speed but without overdoing myself in the early stages of the track as it was quite a long track so i needed energy leftover for a big finish if required.

Continuous training has a lot of effects on the human body therefore the exercise physiology was important. It impacts on the respiratory system by increasing the heart rate as i am requiring a higher oxygen level to ensure that my body can keep going. This can bee seen through short term responses to exercise such as heavy breathing, a red face and also sweating. My cardiovascular system is also impacted as the blood will move faster round my body and is needed to flow to my muscles efficiently so that they remain warm the whole time while running. If this doesn’t occur, it could be seen through a long term response of cramp or weak legs after a long run as a sign of tiredness or the blood not pumping around efficiently enough which shows that my cardiovascular system was required. My energy systems are also highly needed for the continuous method of training.  ATP-CP is used throughout the run at various stages during sections where i decide to increase my speed such as a downhill part of the Moffat Run course where i am going at maximum effort which means i am at high intensity for a short duration of time making me not require a high oxygen supply to complete the short burst. This gets a quick bit out of the way so that i can drop my intensity to a reasonable running rate that i can achieve for a long period of time. Allowing my ATP-CP to refill in preparation for the next faster section of running. That is where the aerobic system comes into play as a good supply of oxygen is required for me to maintain the controlled low to medium intensity speed for a long period of time during the activity before i have to use ATP-CP again when increasing the intensity of the run. Aerobic energy was also required as i wanted to keep a constant speed around the course so i can prove to myself that my fitness levels are okay. This shows how it was applied to the mountain bike trip because all this was reenacted on the bike by me using my energy systems to get me around the track, my ATP-CP was heavily involved on the downhill sections where i went with extra speed so my quick fire energy was being used up during those sections where as my aerobic system was being constantly used around the whole track in order for me to keep going, i needed the supply of energy and oxygen through the whole thing otherwise i wouldn’t have made around the whole course.

Q: Explain comprehensively (+/-) how your second MOT was applied to your mountain bike training (link a POT that you used and effects on exercise physiology).

Flexibility

The flexibility method of training was applied to my training sessions twice. I found it important for me to properly stretch out my muscles so that their resting length would be increased and so i could improve my maximum ability from my joint movement. Thos is how i applied it to my training as i spent the lesson really stretching out all the muscles in my body, with more emphasis on all the leg muscles such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius and soleus as they are the most crucial ones to mountain biking as i pedal with my legs. However i knew that all my muscles needed to be stretched to their maximum potential without pulling an injury to one of them which would have been a huge set back during preparation for Woodhill.

This method of training of Flexibility was applied to the trip as i stretched out my muscles before completely my attempt on the course. This was so my muscles were loose and ready to go for when it was my turn to ride the course as fast as i could. This meant i was a step in the right direction as i knew i had minimised the risk of injuring myself on the way round which was a bonus. It was extremely important to do so on the trip as it got blood pumping into the muscles straight away so they were heating up ready for the track so it gave me the best chance possible.

A positive aspect of this method of training is that after my muscles have been stretched out, it results in them being more capable of performing activities without injury such as the mountain biking assessment from when i stretched my muscles before jumping on the bike for my time trial. Another positive is that it doesn’t take a whole lot of energy and is easy to do, this allows people who don’t want to spend lots of time of physical stuff to get it over and done with quickly while making a huge improvement to their body.

Negatives of this method of training include that if overstretched then it could result in the pulling of a muscle. This would then be a huge set back for anyone who is in preparation for something like i was for the mountain biking assessment, Another negative of flexibility is that it isn’t the most effective method of training for increasing fitness levels or anything like that. Continuous, fartlek and interval all serve a bigger purpose to the human body except when someones muscles are at a very low resting length and aren’t constantly warm from having blood pumping efficiently to the all the time.

A principle of training that heavily related to the flexibility method of training is specificity. This principle refers to training for a sport or goal by doing the exercises that are going to get you towards that goal. This was very clear as flexibility was a huge necessity to ensure my muscles were stretched to their maximums so that i had the best chance while riding the course to get excellence.The effect of specificity on my training is that it ensured i worked the most on the muscles that were the most important and that i improved my most used ones during mountain biking such as all the leg muscles as i believe they are the most important parts of my body when riding the mountain bike. The effect of this is that my leg muscles are now longer at resting which means they have been stretched are so they are more capable of performing the physical activity that they were needed to do for this assessment.

Exercise physiology was heavily impacted from this method of training. The respiratory system was evidently used as i needed to maintain a steady breathing level so my heart rate wasn’t too high which could alter how far i am stretching my muscles as they will be extra warm but i need to have enough breathing from my respiratory system to make sure they are warm and ready to be stretched as this is when the training becomes most effective. A short term effect that can appear from this is a red face and some small moaning noises as i stretch my muscles past the point that they normally go to. My respiratory needed to be in balance for me to complete my static type of flexibility training as i needed to hold a stretch for at least 10 seconds without moving to ensure i got the muscle so maximum resting length before going a little bit more to improve it. My cardiovascular/circulatory system was crucial during my flexibility lesson as i had to have blood continuously flowing through my body and into my muscles to keep them warm so they are in peak condition to be stretched and improved therefore resulting in my level of flexibility to increase. The resting length of my muscles were needing to be improved so if i didn’t have blood flowing to my leg muscles such as the gastrocnemius and soleus then it may have caused injury or cramp. One of my energy systems was also definitely required to get the most out of this method of training which was going to affect my training therefore how i performed at Woodhill. The only energy system that was involved during this training lesson was my aerobic system. This was involved because my aerobic system refers to my body needing oxygen to break down the glucose so i have a good supply of energy to perform a low intensity activity that is long lasting. This was evident by some of the stretches that i performed as they went for a length of time so that i made sure i got the most out of my muscles to stretch their resting length the most so i could benefit myself the most when preparing for mountain biking.

Q: Explain comprehensively (+/-) how your third MOT was applied to your mountain bike training (link a POT that you used and effects on exercise physiology).

Fartlek

Fartlek training was used in this training lesson by the activities we performed, our first activity was doing continuous running around a 50 metre by 50 metre square, set out by cones. We ran around this for 12 minutes straight while counting how many metres we ran. We needed to ran at least 1.6km in the given time and the group i was in ran 2.2km. This rose the heart rate and got me breathing heavier which showed it was having an affect on my body by the continuous aspect of the fartlek training. After this we ran for 6 minutes with a bit of a twist, each length of the square required a sprint, jog, sprint, walk. This portrayed fartlek as we had the high paced and high intensity times during the sprinting lengths but then had the slow paced and low intensity points as well in the walk length which allowed the rest so we could gather breath and energy bag reading for the next full lap, following the same format. The final activity of the training lesson was we continuously ran around the 50 by 50 metre grid again but only for 6 minutes and we had to achieve at least half the distance that we did in the first 12 minute activity. This was made harder as we were becoming tired from the amount of running we had already done which showed that our aerobic energy system was put to use and therefore evidently showing that we used the Fartlek training method as the clear high intensity along with low intensity aspects of the training.

The fartlek training method was definitely applied to the mountain bike trip because throughout the course, there were different sections that called for different intensity levels. At points along the course i found my self at a lower intensity as i wasn’t needed to pedal during the downhill stages so i could just focus on steering therefore my energy systems and exercise physiology aspects weren’t being used to their full potential however during other sections such as the large gravel uphill, i was working at a very high intensity to ensure that i could make it up the hill without losing too much time while doing so. This evidently shows that the method of training called fartlek was applied to the trip in a way as to how i rode the mountain bike around the track.

A positive of the fartlek method of training is that it definitely improves stamina, endurance and in simple.. fitness as it is constantly requiring your body to give an output of energy however it just changes intensity which si a good thing o give yourself a bit of a break from a real high intensity section which occurred on the mountain bike trip. Another positive of this method is that it allows for a lot of variety in the activities that are included for the different intensity levels and it is also lightly done when deciding how long the low-medium intensity stints are going to last for so it allows your body to have a good break from the high intensity level.

The main negative of fartlek training is that the cool down or low intensity stages can sometimes go on for too long without you realising. This then creates a bigger strain on your muscles when trying to pick up the intensity again which was definitely evident while mountain biking as it was something i struggled with.. trying to pick speed back up after taking a break then trying to get up a bit of an uphill put a lot of strain on my quadriceps so it was a good thing that they had been well stretched before hand. Another negative is that it is a longer process than some other methods as for it to work well and efficiently then the process may take a while to have any signs of improvement in my fitness levels etc.

The main principle of training that can get related to fartlek is Intensity. Intensity is the rate at which the activity is completed. At a high intensity, my body is working harder and at a faster rate to keep up with my physical actions which occurs during fartlek during the short duration high intensity sections. Intensity is also seen during the low intensity constant speed parts of the training. Although my body is still working at a good rate, i am not exerting excess ATP-CP energy as i am not working at a high enough intensity so my aerobic system takes over through these parts to control my body at a lower intensity such as during the jog and walk parts of the run around the cones activity that we completed during the training. That is how it was seen through the training which therefore clearly applies to the actual trip by the intensity i went at around the mountain biking course making it obvious that this principle of training relates to the method of training very well.

The exercise physiology is also heavily impacted during this method of training. My cardiovascular system is extremely important during the Fartlek training programme. I need the blood to be flowing efficiently through my heart and throughout my body to make sure my muscles are warm so that they are running smoothly so it doesn’t impact on my performance. A short term response that shows this is heated muscles, red face, sweating and also shortness of breath as i may have just been through a high intensity stage making me rely on my respiratory system to keep up also. My respiratory system was crucial in my participation for this trip. I constantly needed to be inhaling oxygen to ensure i could keep going during the high intensity stints and also the low intensity longer sections also. If i was short of breath then my ability to do it the best that i could would be decreasing by a lot which would restrict me from carrying on at the rate that i am going at maximum effort where my fitness levels are surviving. A long term effect that could be seen from my respiratory not working efficiently is me having to stop the course as i may have a headache or i might be feeling like i am going to faint, this would be because i don’t have enough oxygen coming into to supply the blood channel to keep everything working smoothly. My energy systems are definitely required during the fartlek method of training for both my training lessons and the trip to Woodhill. ATP-CP is used because during fartlek training, i am going at maximum effort which means i am at high intensity for a short duration of time making me not require high oxygen supply to complete the short burst which results in me using my ATP-CP energy system to make up for it which was evident at different stages along the course when i wasn’t going at a low-medium intensity. That is where the aerobic system comes into play as a good supply of oxygen is required for me to maintain the controlled low intensity speed for a long period of time during the activity before i have to use ATP-CP again when increasing the intensity of the mountain bike ride when i was hoping to achieve my goal of an excellence grade.

Q: What changes would you make to the MOTS and POTS you have applied? If not what worked well and why?

A change i would make to the Method of trainings that i applied is that i should have gone harder in all of them to give me better preparation for the mountain bike trip. After actually doing the assessment, i now feel as though i may not have trained as hard as i should so i should of forced myself to work harder when the training lessons were left up to us to complete. Something i would have liked to happen is the teachers running the trainings more often as i found they were the most effective ways as i was properly put through the paces and i had to work hard which would have improved my fitness levels more than some of the trainings that i did. A principle of training that i applied that i would change would be the progression when doing a resistance training as the method of training. This is because i don’t necessarily believe that progression is overly important as it may cause me to overdo my self and cause an injury where as if i kept it at a high rate constantly then it would still increase my fitness levels without increasing that risk.

Something that worked well was that i took advantage of some of our lessons when we were to perform our own training sessions. Some lessons i put in a lot of effort with running and ensuring that i am actually improving the way i am so i was ready for the mountain bike trip because i really wanted to achieve my goal of getting an excellence however i must not have pushed myself in my own trainings often enough as i feel as though i might have been under prepared.

Week 7 Training Blog

Method Of Training:

The method of training that i used during this PE period was ‘Flexibility’. This is an extremely important method as it allows the body to release certain muscles that will be required during the mountain biking assessment. This increases the resting length of muscles and can improve the maximum ability of joint movement. There is three types of flexibility training, these are static, dynamic and PNF. As seen in the photo below of me attempting the splits, clearly showing my flexibility isn’t that flash… so i could definitely work on this more. I worked on flexibility during the lesson by stretching out all my muscles to maximum capacity to ensure i got to the stage where they were pulling as then i know that my stretching exercises were working. In particular my legs as i know they are the key area where my muscles are going to be needed during mountain biking. By doing the method of flexibility for the lesson, it also acted as a good rest/cool down period after running the estuary in the previous lesson so my muscles were still extremely tight after that so it served as a good stretch out period to recover.

The only energy system that was involved during this training lesson was my aerobic system. This was involved because my aerobic system refers to my body needing oxygen to break down the glucose so i have a good supply of energy to perform a low intensity activity that is long lasting. This was evident by some of the stretches that i performed as they went for a length of time so that i made sure i got the most out of my muscles to stretch their resting length the most so i could benefit myself the most when preparing for mountain biking. ATP-CP and Lactic Acid systems were not used throughout this lesson as they relate to more high intensity exercises where as the aerobic system is used during the everyday and rest activities.

My respiratory system and cardiovascular/circulatory system was used during the lesson. The respiratory system was evidently used as i needed to maintain a steady breathing level so my heart rate wasn’t too high which could alter how far i am stretching my muscles as they will be extra warm but i need to have enough breathing from my respiratory system to make sure they are warm and ready to be stretched as this is when the training becomes most effective. My respiratory needed to be in balance for me to complete my static type of flexibility training as i needed to hold a stretch for at least 10 seconds without moving to ensure i got the muscle so maximum resting length before going a little bit more to improve it. My cardiovascular/circulatory was crucial during my flexibility lesson as i had to have blood continuously flowing through my body and into my muscles to keep them warm so they are in peak condition to be stretched and improved therefore resulting in my level of flexibility to increase.

The muscular system in my body played a huge role during this lesson. This is because the muscles that were used were the main requirements to my flexibility exercises as i was working on improving the resting lengths of them. Every muscle in my legs were heavily worked on because they are the key muscles that are required for mountain biking so it is crucial that i build them up so i can perform to the best of my ability and also so that i restrict the chance of gaining an injury. My hamstrings and gastrocnemius/soleus were two of the main ones that i worked on during the lesson as i believe they are some of the most important ones in the legs. As well as leg muscles, i wanted to make sure i stretch my latissimus dorsi out to the point of it starting to pull so i know that it is improving. This is because while riding a mountain bike at Woodhill, my back will be crouched a lot so i want to minimise the risk of getting a sore back as that could impede on my performance and stop me from achieving my goal of an excellence on this assessment. Another very important muscle that i worked on through this flexibility lesson was my gluteus maximus. This was important because i will be sitting on the bike seat for most if not the whole time of the course so i want to to be stretched as much as possible to minimise pain that i could get from sitting down the whole time.

Principles Of Training:

The first principle of training i used was ‘Specificity’. This was a key principle as i chose specific muscles that i wanted to work on as i knew these would be most important when preparing for mountain biking. Specificity refers to training for a individual sport or goal by only doing the exercises that are going to get you towards that goal which clearly shows that this principle was evident from my training as i worked on specific muscles as they would launch me to my goal of achieving excellence in mountain biking.

The effect of specificity on my training is that it ensured i worked the most on the muscles that were the most important and that i improved my most used ones during mountain biking. The effect of this is that my leg muscles are now longer at resting which means they have been stretched are so they are more capable of performing the physical activity of mountain biking which is the sport i have been training for which puts me in a good stride to doing well in the assessment.

The second principle of training is ‘type’. Type relates to what type of stretches i am doing during my training. This relates to my flexibility levels in my muscles, particularly in my legs as they are the ones that need the most work as they will clearly be the most used to propel the mountain bike around the course at Woodhill. I chose the type of stretches that would improve my flexibility the most and it also enabled me to give my muscles the stretches that were required after my estuary run the day before.

The effect of choosing particular stretches, aka the type of training, meant that i would be making the best use of the lesson that i made to improve flexibility read for mountain biking. This was evident by me becoming more flexible and i was able to perform the splits slightly better than how i did in the photo below showing that the type of stretches i chose had an immediate effect by pulling my muscles longer making them more capable of physical exercise.

Sports Psychology:

A key sports psychology factor that i chose to relate to my flexibility training lesson is visualisation. I believe this is one of the most important psychology factors as it can relate to any type of training that i choose to perform as it will always encourage me to carry on. Visualisation is the idea of knowing that you could finish a tough activity soon and that you can visualise the finish line insight which works as an extra motivator for you to keep going and push yourself to the limits. It can also be seen through pushing yourself that extra bit to improve your muscles during stretches to make sure they are improved after performing the stretches on the specific muscles involved. Visualisation is something that is often taught by coaches and is something that is recommended by a lot of people as it is a known fact that it does help to encourage yourself to go that extra step knowing that you will be finished soon or by knowing that it will definitely help you in the long run with your flexibility levels which means that i know it will better my chances of getting excellence in mountain biking as i know i need to be in the best condition possible for it.

I know for a fact that visualisation improved the way i went during this lesson of flexibility as i could visualise myself on the mountain bike course doing well because my muscles have been stretched further so they can go harder improving my chances of doing well at Woodhill. This therefore lifted my spirits during the PE lesson and encouraged me to work hard on my muscles to improve them as much as possible in preparation for mountain biking which shows that visualisation was definitely a positive psychology factor for me during training.

Week 6 Training Blog

Method Of Training:

The method of training i used during the week was ‘Continuous’ training. This training consists of me performing the Moffat Run as one of the lessons in preparation for Woodhill mountain biking trip. This method includes a lot of physical exertion with a lot of energy being used throughout and at various intensity levels depending on how my heart rate is going during the run. I used the continuous method by doing a non stop run known as the Moffat run is a bit of 3km long. I wanted to achieve this in under 25 minutes so i knew that i would have to run at a good pace the whole way to make it under that time which is what i managed.

This method of training involves both ATP-CP and aerobic as the energy systems used. Like the other methods of training, ATP-CP is used throughout the run at various stages during sections where i increase my speed such as a downhill part of the Moffat Run course where i am going at maximum effort which means i am at high intensity for a short duration of time making me not require high oxygen supply to complete the short burst. This is good because it allows me to get the quick bit of effort done quickly so then i can lower the intensity level to a good paced running rate that i can achieve for a long period of time which acts as a rest period for my ATP-CP energy to refill in preparation for the next faster section of running. That is where the aerobic system comes into play as a good supply of oxygen is required for me to maintain the controlled low to medium intensity speed for a long period of time during the activity before i have to use ATP-CP again when increasing the intensity of the run. Aerobic energy was also required as i wanted to keep a constant speed around the course so i can complete the goal that i set of finishing the entire Moffat run course under 25 minutes.


Throughout this whole Continuous training session, my respiratory system was crucial in my participation for it. I constantly needed to be inhaling oxygen to ensure i could keep going during the entire run if i was serious about achieving my goal. If i was short of breath then my ability to do it the best time that i could would be decreasing by a lot which would restrict me from progressing further in preparation for mountain biking as i need my respiratory system to be working perfectly to ensure i have the stamina and endurance to keep going even if my body is struggling which is why the Continuous training makes for such a good training as it definitely helps me out. My breathing levels through the whole run was at a high as i was suffering from the short term effects of sweating and lack of breath due to the exertion of energy that i was going through to keep my body going at a decent pace for the whole 3 and a bit kilometres. My cardiovascular system is also extremely important during the Continuous training programme. I need the blood to be flowing efficiently through my heart and throughout my body to make sure my muscles are warm so that they are running smoothly so it doesn’t impact on my performance. During my slower sections of the run where i am catching my breath, it gives the cardiovascular system a chance to catch up so that when i start at faster pace again then my muscles will continue to stay warm constantly so when i do set off, i will avoid any risk of injury that could have been a potential threat from not being ready. The cardiovascular has a chance to react and slow down from a intense pace during the slower part, this is good for my blood supply so i can confidently go at higher pace again during the next phase that i wont to increase my pace so that i can keep progressing along the course at a good enough pace to achieve my goal of finishing under 25 minutes.

My muscular system was extremely crucial during the continuous training lesson. This is because without my muscles then i wouldn’t have been able to complete any of the run. Running is a really good way to gain fitness and to stretch out muscles to get them used more. During my Moffat Run, the muscles in my legs such as my quads, hamstrings, gastrocnemius and soleus, they all played a key role as muscles that were to be worked on as they are also the most important muscles when it comes to mountain bike as the only way to propel the bike forward is by the driving force of my leg muscles so if they are in peak condition, then i have a higher chance of getting excellence on this assessment. My latissimus dorsi, hip flexors and gluteus maximus also get a good workout from the run which is a good thing because the better fitness level i have then the better stamina and endurance i will have on the bike.

Principles Of Training:

The first principal of training that i connected with my Continous training was the ‘Time’ factor. Time refers to how long i chose to spend on either the amount of time spent on each activity or how long my entire training programme will go for. Time relates to this continuous training method because i wanted to completed the Moffat Run course in as little time as possible without overdoing myself which may have caused injury. I wanted to finish the run within 25 minutes which i did. By having a time of frame in mind, i knew how i could pace myself to ensure that i was still going hard to push myself but i didn’t want to overload it on myself. The time factor also gives me an indication of how well i am going on the run and by wearing a watch during it, i can track my progress which gives me the encouragement to possibly pick up my speed to make my goal or then as i know the track well, i can therefore judge what my expected time of finishing will be if i stay at my constant speed that i was already travelling at.

The effect of the time factor as a principle of training meant that i carried out the training session as a good enough rate so i increased my breathing levels and also so that i exerted a lot of energy which improves my fitness leading into the Woodhill mountain bike training. The effect of time on my training also meant that i knew how long i had been running for which meant i could judge if i needed to push my self anymore to achieve my goal of under 25 minutes to complete the few kilometre course.

My second principal is ‘Intensity’. Intensity is the rate at which the activity is completed. At a high intensity, my body is working harder and at a faster rate to keep up with my physical actions which occurs during continuous training as throughout the run i would travel at a higher intensity during some points such as the uphill going to hill top as it requires a lot more exertion of energy so i have to work at a harder rate to keep my pace while travelling up it then i follow with a lower pace section after it so my legs can recover at a lower speed before picking up again. Although my body is still working at a good rate at all times, i am not exerting excess ATP-CP energy as i am not working at a high enough intensity so my aerobic system takes over through these parts to control my body at a lower intensity such as the lower paced sections of my run.

The effects of the intensity on continuous training determines how hard i push myself during the Moffat Run. Increasing the intensity is forcing my body to work at a much faster rate which effects my respiratory system as it makes it work harder so i have enough oxygen to push myself seen through short term effects such as red face, sweating and lack of breath. My cardiovascular system is also affected as i need the blood pumping efficiently throughout my body to ensure my muscles are fuelled to carry on with the activity, The effect the low intensity parts is that my body is much more capable of coping for the longer duration that this section takes as it is not overworking its self which allows the respiratory and cardiovascular system to work efficiently to catch up after the harder rate of running that i had completed such as when i run up hilltop.

Sports Psychology:

An extremely important sports psychology factor that is definitely seen through this method of training is goal setting. Setting goals in all activities is always good idea as it acts as an extra motivation to yourself to push your body to the limits and to achieve at the best of your ability which is what i am always aiming to do during my training lessons to make sure i get the most out of them to benefit myself in the long run leading into Woodhill mountain biking practical internal. My goal of completing the run in under 25 minutes was a very realistic one as i am not in the best of shape but i knew if i went at a reasonable pace the whole way without stopping then i could achieve it comfortably which is what i did as i finished in around the 20 minute mark. Goal setting can be used in every single physical activity and it is a good idea to do so for your own personal confidence when you know you’ve achieved your goals.

By setting goals, it definitely helped me in my continuous training lesson. I set myself goals on the activities so that i would have something to strive towards such as my goal for the Moffat run was to finish under 25 minutes. I managed it in approximately 20 minutes which showed to me that by setting myself a goal, i found myself pushing my body even more to make sure that i achieved it as i did not want to disappoint myself by not making my goal. This clearly indicates that it is a good motivation method and i am sure that i will continue it through to the Woodill assessment day so i can aim for my wanted grade of excellence for this practical assessment, i believe i can achieve it since i worked hard during my training lessons so i gave it my best shot at having the best preparation possible.

Week 5 Training Blog

Method Of Training:

My method of training for this training session was ‘Fartlek’. Fartlek training is a combination between Interval and Continuous training as it is mainly periods of fast paced, high intensity activity with slower paced low intensity activities as the rest periods. By doing this, it gives the body the opportunity to exert a lot of energy at irregular points therefore it results in the body using and increasing the performance level of all three energy systems, (ATP-CP, Lactic Acid and Aerobic). Fartlek training was used in this training lesson by the activities we performed, our first activity was doing continuous running around a 50 metre by 50 metre square, set out by cones. We ran around this for 12 minutes straight while counting how many metres we ran. We needed to ran at least 1.6km in the given time and the group i was in ran 2.2km. This rose the heart rate and got me breathing heavier which showed it was having an affect on my body by the continuous aspect of the fartlek training. After this we ran for 6 minutes with a bit of a twist, each length of the square required a sprint, jog, sprint, walk. This portrayed fartlek as we had the high paced and high intensity times during the sprinting lengths but then had the slow paced and low intensity points as well in the walk length which allowed the rest so we could gather breath and energy bag reading for the next full lap, following the same format. The final activity of the training lesson was we continuously ran around the 50 by 50 metre grid again but only for 6 minutes and we had to achieve at least half the distance that we did in the first 12 minute activity. This was made harder as we were becoming tired from the amount of running we had already done which showed that our aerobic energy system was put to use and therefore evidently showing that we used the Fartlek training method as the clear high intensity along with low intensity aspects of the training.

This method of training involves both ATP-CP and aerobic as the energy systems used. Like the other methods of training, ATP-CP is used because at the start of the fartlek training, i am going at maximum effort which means i am at high intensity for a short duration of time making me not require high oxygen supply to complete the short burst. This is good because it allows me to get the quick bit of effort done quickly so then i can lower the intensity levels and continue the less intensive activities such as the jog sections and walk sections and they will act as rest periods for my ATP-CP energy to refill in preparation for the next sprint leg. That is where the aerobic system comes into play as a good supply of oxygen is required for me to maintain the controlled low intensity speed for a long period of time during the activity before i have to use ATP-CP again when increasing the intensity of the run. Aerobic energy was also used in the first activity of the lesson and also the last in order for me to keep a constant speed around the course so i can complete the goals that i set.

Throughout this whole Fartlek training session, my respiratory system was crucial in my participation for it. I constantly needed to be inhaling oxygen to ensure i could keep going during the high intensity stints and also the low intensity longer sections also. If i was short of breath then my ability to do it the best that i could would be decreasing by a lot which would restrict me from progressing further in preparation for mountain biking as i need my respiratory system to be working perfectly to ensure i have the stamina and endurance to keep going even if my body is struggling which is why the Fartlek training makes for such a good training as it definitely helps me out. My breathing levels through the initial activity of 12 minutes continuous around the cones were at a high as i was by the end of it, i was starting to find myself out of breath and struggling to carry on however i was in a good enough shape to complete the 12 minutes at a good pace. My cardiovascular system is also extremely important during the Fartlek training programme. I need the blood to be flowing efficiently through my heart and throughout my body to make sure my muscles are warm so that they are running smoothly so it doesn’t impact on my performance. The long rest periods that come with fartlek training give my body an opportunity to catch up on my respiratory systems and also give the cardiovascular system a chance to catch up in preparation for the next high intensity sprint of the training where my ATP-CP energy system will come into action once again. The cardiovascular has a chance to react and slow down from a intense pace during the jog and walk sections, this is good for my blood supply so i can go at high intensity again during the next sprint phase.

My muscular system is always an important part to any physical activity. All the muscles in my legs such as my quads, hamstring, and my gastrocnemius and soleus are needed to be used to ensure that they are being worked on so that they will be match fit for when Woodpile mountain biking comes around. I need to build up the strength in my legs and also my endurance which is why my muscular system is so heavily involved with my training. Sitting on the bike for the entire course requires good stamina so i need my muscles to be stretched fully so they work at maximum capability. As my latissimus dorsi isn’t in the best of shape where i get a lot of back pain, doing runs frees it up and gives it a good stretch out which is going to be crucial in my ability to remain on a bike crouched over for the whole course so the fartlek training worked well. Without working on all the muscles that are going to be used, my participation could be flawed as i may not be performing at the best of my ability which shows how crucial it is that my muscular system gets good involvement during my training sessions.

Principle Of Training:

My first principal is ‘Intensity’, to me this is the most important principle that can be merged with the Fartlek training system. Intensity is the rate at which the activity is completed. At a high intensity, my body is working harder and at a faster rate to keep up with my physical actions which occurs during fartlek during the short duration high intensity sections. Intensity is also seen during the low intensity constant speed parts of the training. Although my body is still working at a good rate, i am not exerting excess ATP-CP energy as i am not working at a high enough intensity so my aerobic system takes over through these parts to control my body at a lower intensity such as during the jog and walk parts of the run around the cones activity that we completed during the training.

The effects of the intensity on fartlek training determines how hard i push myself during the activity. Increasing the intensity is forcing my body to work at a much faster rate which effects my respiratory system as it makes it work harder so i have enough oxygen to push myself seen through short term effects such as red face, sweating and lack of breath. My cardiovascular system is also affected as i need the blood pumping efficiently throughout my body to ensure my muscles are fuelled to carry on with the activity, The effect of a low intensity is that my body is much more capable of coping for the longer duration that this section takes as it is not overworking its self which allows the respiratory and cardiovascular system to work efficiently to catch up after the quick sprint that i would have just done.

The second principal of training that i connected with Fartlek training was the ‘Time’ factor. Time refers to how long i chose to spend on either the amount of time spent on each activity or how long my entire training programme will go for. Time relates to this fartlek training method as we were given a set time restriction for the each of the activities that we completed (12 minutes, 6 minutes, 6 minutes with 3 minute break periods in between) However, the rate of intensity that we completed these activities varied from person to person but i wanted to do them all at a good intensity to make sure i was pushing myself in preparation for mountain biking. By having a time of frame in mind, i knew how i could pace myself to ensure that i was still going hard to push myself but i didn’t want to overload it on myself as that could cause injury which would have given me a major set back leading into the mountain biking internal. The time factor also gives me an indication of how much longer the activity is going to go for so i can set goals easier for myself and so i can also use self talk to push myself to get through it at the same rate without slowing down to much after the lengths of time that has passed during the activity.

The effect of the time factor as a principle of training meant that i carried out the training session as a good enough rate so i increased my breathing levels and also so that i exerted a lot of energy which improves my fitness leading into the Woodhill mountain bike training. The effect of time on my training also meant that i knew it wasn’t going to last forever and i had a sense of how much longer i had to go with enabled me to support myself with self talk which therefore encouraged me to keep going till the end as then i knew i would have a 3 minute rest period to recover.

Sports Psychology:

One sports psychology factor that played a huge role during my training was ‘Self Talk’. I find this an extremely effective way of improving my fitness as it encourages me to push myself harder to get the best outcomes of my training. By encouraging my self while i’m completing the activity, my confidence increases and makes me believe that i can do it when my body may be struggling which shows that i have perseverance to make sure i make it to the end of the intense training sections knowing i will have less intensive phases also.

This clearly shows that it helped me throughout my training and as a matter of fact, in all my sporting it helps me also . Im a big believer in the self talk factor and i use it a lot to encourage myself and it makes me believe in myself that i can do anything that i set my mind to, building confidence in myself. This is where it helped me because it made me keep going during the training even when my body was wanting to stop during the continuous 12 minute running exercise that we completed at the beginning at a fair pace. I highly recommend that people use the self talk as a psychology factor as i strongly believe it motivates you to go better and makes you achieve what you want out from a training session as it can definitely lessen the risk of injury during the mountain bike assessment if i know that i have trained to my full potential.

Week 4 Training Blog

Out of the three classes we had during the week, i am reflecting on Wednesdays recovery from the run lesson which was all about flexibility.

Method Of Training:

The method of training that i used during this PE period was ‘Flexibility’. This is an extremely important method as it allows the body to release certain muscles that will be required during the mountain biking assessment. This increases the resting length of muscles and can improve the maximum ability of joint movement. There is three types of flexibility training, these are static, dynamic and PNF. As seen in the photo below of me attempting the splits, clearly showing my flexibility isn’t that flash… so i could definitely work on this more. I worked on flexibility during the lesson by stretching out all my muscles to maximum capacity to ensure i got to the stage where they were pulling as then i know that my stretching exercises were working. In particular my legs as i know they are the key area where my muscles are going to be needed during mountain biking. By doing the method of flexibility for the lesson, it also acted as a good rest/cool down period after running the estuary in the previous lesson so my muscles were still extremely tight after that so it served as a good stretch out period to recover.

The only energy system that was involved during this training lesson was my aerobic system. This was involved because my aerobic system refers to my body needing oxygen to break down the glucose so i have a good supply of energy to perform a low intensity activity that is long lasting. This was evident by some of the stretches that i performed as they went for a length of time so that i made sure i got the most out of my muscles to stretch their resting length the most so i could benefit myself the most when preparing for mountain biking. ATP-CP and Lactic Acid systems were not used throughout this lesson as they relate to more high intensity exercises where as the aerobic system is used during the everyday and rest activities.

My respiratory system and cardiovascular/circulatory system was used during the lesson. The respiratory system was evidently used as i needed to maintain a steady breathing level so my heart rate wasn’t too high which could alter how far i am stretching my muscles as they will be extra warm but i need to have enough breathing from my respiratory system to make sure they are warm and ready to be stretched as this is when the training becomes most effective. My respiratory needed to be in balance for me to complete my static type of flexibility training as i needed to hold a stretch for at least 10 seconds without moving to ensure i got the muscle so maximum resting length before going a little bit more to improve it. My cardiovascular/circulatory was crucial during my flexibility lesson as i had to have blood continuously flowing through my body and into my muscles to keep them warm so they are in peak condition to be stretched and improved therefore resulting in my level of flexibility to increase.

The muscular system in my body played a huge role during this lesson. This is because the muscles that were used were the main requirements to my flexibility exercises as i was working on improving the resting lengths of them. Every muscle in my legs were heavily worked on because they are the key muscles that are required for mountain biking so it is crucial that i build them up so i can perform to the best of my ability and also so that i restrict the chance of gaining an injury. My hamstrings and gastrocnemius/soleus were two of the main ones that i worked on during the lesson as i believe they are some of the most important ones in the legs. As well as leg muscles, i wanted to make sure i stretch my latissimus dorsi out to the point of it starting to pull so i know that it is improving. This is because while riding a mountain bike at Woodhill, my back will be crouched a lot so i want to minimise the risk of getting a sore back as that could impede on my performance and stop me from achieving my goal of an excellence on this assessment.

Principles Of Training:

The first principle of training i used was ‘Specificity’. This was a key principle as i chose specific muscles that i wanted to work on as i knew these would be most important when preparing for mountain biking. Specificity refers to training for a individual sport or goal by only doing the exercises that are going to get you towards that goal which clearly shows that this principle was evident from my training as i worked on specific muscles as they would launch me to my goal of achieving excellence in mountain biking.

The effect of specificity on my training is that it ensured i worked the most on the muscles that were the most important and that i improved my most used ones during mountain biking. The effect of this is that my leg muscles are now longer at resting which means they have been stretched are so they are more capable of performing the physical activity of mountain biking which is the sport i have been training for which puts me in a good stride to doing well in the assessment.

The second principle of training is ‘type’. Type relates to what type of stretches i am doing during my training. This relates to my flexibility levels in my muscles, particularly in my legs as they are the ones that need the most work as they will clearly be the most used to propel the mountain bike around the course at Woodhill. I chose the type of stretches that would improve my flexibility the most and it also enabled me to give my muscles the stretches that were required after my estuary run the day before.

The effect of choosing particular stretches, aka the type of training, meant that i would be making the best use of the lesson that i made to improve flexibility read for mountain biking. This was evident by me becoming more flexible and i was able to perform the splits slightly better than how i did in the photo below showing that the type of stretches i chose had an immediate effect by pulling my muscles longer making them more capable of physical exercise.

Sports Psychology:

A key sports psychology factor that i chose to relate to my flexibility training lesson is visualisation. I believe this is one of the most important psychology factors as it can relate to any type of training that i choose to perform as it will always encourage me to carry on. Visualisation is the idea of knowing that you could finish a tough activity soon and that you can visualise the finish line insight which works as an extra motivator for you to keep going and push yourself to the limits. It can also be seen through pushing yourself that extra bit to improve your muscles during stretches to make sure they are improved after performing the stretches on the specific muscles involved. Visualisation is something that is often taught by coaches and is something that is recommended by a lot of people as it is a known fact that it does help to encourage yourself to go that extra step knowing that you will be finished soon or by knowing that it will definitely help you in the long run with your flexibility levels which means that i know it will better my chances of getting excellence in mountain biking as i know i need to be in the best condition possible for it.

I know for a fact that visualisation improved the way i went during this lesson of flexibility as i could visualise myself on the mountain bike course doing well because my muscles have been stretched further so they can go harder improving my chances of doing well at Woodhill. This therefore lifted my spirits during the PE lesson and encouraged me to work hard on my muscles to improve them as much as possible in preparation for mountain biking which shows that visualisation was definitely a positive psychology factor for me during training.

Week 4 Training Schedule

Week 3 Training Blog

Due to the short week, we only had 2 PE lessons however i was only available for 1 of them so i will be reflecting on Thursday’s lesson.

Method Of Training:

My method of training for this training session was ‘Fartlek’. Fartlek training is a mix between Interval and Continuous training as it is mainly periods of fast paced, high intensity activity with slower paced low intensity activities as the rest. This gives the body the chance to work at a much harder rate to exert more energy then continue to move during the rest so the body doesn’t cool down completely. I used Fartlek training during this training during my 2km cycle and also the 5km row. During the cycling, at points i would go at a high intensity rate for a while to get myself breathing faster then i would slow down to a lower intensity but maintain a speed that keeps my body functioning. Same applies to the rowing machine during the 5km row. This method of training allowed me to carry on with the activities at the best of my abilities by taking resting breaks but not completely stopping to regather energy.

This method of training involves both ATP-CP and aerobic as the energy systems used. Like the other methods of training, ATP-CP is used because at the start of the fartlek training, i am going at maximum effort which means i am at high intensity for a short duration of time making me not require high oxygen supply to complete the short burst. This is good because it allows me to get the quick bit of effort done quickly so then i can lower the intensity and continue the activity such as cycling at a constant speed that isn’t pushing my body to its limits. That is where the aerobic system comes into play as a good supply of oxygen is required for me to maintain the controlled low intensity speed for a long period of time during the activity before i have to use ATP-CP again when increasing the intensity of my exercise.

Throughout this whole Fartlek training session, my respiratory system was crucial in my participation for it. I constantly needed to be inhaling oxygen to ensure i could keep going during the high intensity stints and also the low intensity continuous sections also. If i was short of breath then my ability to do it the best that i could would be decreasing by a lot which would restrict me from progressing further in preparation for mountain biking as i need my respiratory system to be working perfectly to ensure i have the stamina and endurance to keep going even if my body is struggling which is why the Fartlek training makes for such a good training as it definitely helps me out. My cardiovascular system is also extremely important during the Fartlek training programme. I need the blood to be flowing efficiently through my heart and throughout my body to make sure my muscles are running smoothly so it doesn’t impact on my performance, the long rest periods that come with fartlek give my body an opportunity to catch up on my respiratory systems and also give the cardiovascular system a chance to catch up in preparation for the next high intensity sprint where my ATP-CP energy system will come into action.

My muscular system is always an important part to any physical activity. All the muscles in my legs are needed to be used to ensure that they are being worked on so that they will be match fit for when Rotorua mountain biking comes around in May. I need to build up the strength in my legs and also my endurance which is why my muscular system is so heavily involved with my training. Without it then i am not able to complete the exercises nor will i be working on anything meaning it would be a waste of time.

Principles Of Training:

My first principal of training is ‘Tedious’. Tedious relates to my fartlek training lesson as the activities i was doing in the lesson i have done multiple times. Tedious means doing the same thing over and over again until you get fed up with it. Cycling and rowing are my go to activities as i believe they are the two best ways of building up the correct muscles that are needed for mountain biking and they are both also good way of increasing endurance levels.

The effect of tedious on my training lesson is that my desire to complete each activity might of been starting to drift off as i have done in on a number of occasions. This means my drive to achieve it at the best of my ability each time is disappearing. This can be a visible effect as my times would worsen or i may not even finish. Although the two main events that i do in the lesson are ones i constantly do and they are very tedious, i still am always wanting to beat my times and perform at the best of my ability for self confidence.

My second principal is ‘Intensity’, to me this is the most important principle that can be merged with the Fartlek training system. Intensity is the rate at which the activity is completed. At a high intensity, my body is working harder and at a faster rate to keep up with my physical actions which occurs during fartlek during the short duration high intensity sections. Intensity is also seen during the low intensity constant speed parts of the training. Although my body is still working at a good rate, i am not exerting excess ATP-CP energy as i am not working at a high enough intensity so my aerobic system takes over through these parts to control my body and a lower intensity.

The effects of the intensity on fartlek training determines how hard i push myself during the activity. Increasing the intensity is forcing my body to work at the faster rate which effects my breathing rates and also blood flow to my muscles, seen through short term effects such as red face, sweating and lack of breath. The effect of a low intensity is that my body is much more capable of coping for the longer duration that this section takes as it is not overworking its self which allows the respiratory and cardiovascular system to work efficiently to catch up after the quick sprint that i would have just done.

Sports Psychology:

An extremely important sports psychology factor that is definitely seen through this method of training is goal setting.  Setting goals in all activities is always good idea as it acts as an extra motivation to yourself to push your body to the limits and to achieve at the best of your ability which is what i am always aiming to do during my training lessons to make sure i get the most out of them to benefit myself in the long run leading into Rotorua mountain biking practical internal. Goal setting can be used in every single physical activity and it is a good idea to do so for your own personal confidence when you know you’ve achieved your goals.

By setting goals, it definitely helped me in my fartlek training lesson. I set myself goals on the activities so that i would have something to strive towards such as my goals for the 5km row was to finish under 25 minutes. I managed it in 22 minutes which showed to me that by setting myself a goal, i found myself pushing my body even more to make sure that i achieved it as i did not want to disappoint myself by not making my goal. This clearly indicates that it is a good motivation method and i am sure that i will continue it through to Rotorua so i can aim for my wanted grade of excellence for this practical assessment, i believe i can achieve it if i continue to work hard during my training lessons so i get the best preparation possible.

Week 2 Training Blog

Through this week we only had 2 PE lessons, i am reflecting on the Wednesday training that I did out on the back field.

Method Of Training:

The method of training that i used for this lesson was ‘Interval’. Interval training includes the need of having alternate work and rest periods. This is my favourite method of training as i am able to do a particular activity for a set length or amount of time then i have a break period of a desired length. This allows the body to refresh itself after a quick burst of energy had been used. During the lesson i used interval training as i completed a full football field shuttle then took a rest period after for 3 minutes to regather some breath. I then did a run around the field then took another break afterwards, this showed how interval training was used during my lesson as after each individual activity, i took a rest before completing the next one.

During the lesson, my ATP-CP systems were used during my quick sprint bursts that i performed, this involved ATP-CP and that is located in my muscles and it works during an exercise of short duration but high intensity which is what many parts of my training were. Another energy system that was used during the lesson was my aerobic system, this was definitely used during the long duration activities such as the full field run as i needed to have a plentiful supply of oxygen to keep me breathing and to keep my muscles fuelled so i could carry on to finish the run knowing that i would have a rest period after it which worked as an encouragement factor when i was starting to get really tired.

The respiratory system came into action during my lesson to ensure I was able to breathe during all activities. As i was doing interval training, my respiratory system has extended time during the break periods to efficiently work to get me ready to take on the next activity after knowing that my breathing was back down to normal or close to, allowing me to perform at the best of my ability for the next activity before i would receive another break. My cardiovascular or circulatory system was also extremely necessary  during my training. In order to keep the blood pumping to my muscles and around my body during exercise to allow me to work at full potential. All parts of my body require nutrients and during physical activity, it requires it at a faster rate much like the blood so my cardiovascular system plays such an important role for me to be able to push my self to be the best that I can be.

From my muscular system, the main muscles that were used during this training lesson were all muscles in my legs, i have designed all my training’s to be based around gaining leg strength in the muscles such as gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius and soleus. It is also based around my want to improve my endurance as they are the most crucial parts for mountain biking so they need to be improved if i wasn’t to be successful in Rotorua and come away with my hopeful grade of excellence. My muscles are all important to allow me to complete the activities i plan for during my training as without the use of my muscles, i wouldn’t be able to do anything so they are vital to me performing at a good level, showing that my muscular system including skeletal muscles/bones was extremely important during this training.

Principles of Training:

The first principal of training that i connected with Interval training was the ‘Time’ factor. Time refers to how long i chose to spend on either the amount of time spent on each activity or how long my entire training programme will go for. Time relates to my Interval training method as i decided that i didn’t want to spend an excessive amount of time on one activity preventing me from getting through my schedule for the lesson. However, i didn’t want to set an unrealistic time goal for all activities so they all varied. Some i wanted to complete within 5 minutes, some faster, some slower. By having a time of frame in mind, i knew how i could pace myself to ensure that i was still going hard to push myself but i didn’t want to overload it on myself as that could cause injury which would have given me a major set back leading into the mountain biking internal as i cant afford to miss lots of training.

The effect of the time factor as a principle of training meant that i pushed myself to stick within my restrictions that I set myself which also worked as a motivation to push me forward to make sure I beat the goal I set but not beat it by so much that i destroy my muscles in the process by pushing too hard.

The second principle of training is ‘Type’. Type relates to what type of activities i am doing during my training. This relates to my  fitness interval training as i was selecting running activities that definitely improves my leg muscle and fitness to increase my endurance ready for mountain biking. I chose those types of activities as i know they are the most beneficial to me and i don’t see the point in doing multiple upper body strength activities as that will not help in the long run leading into the Rotorua trip, clearly showing why my type of training was important so that i got the most out of it.

The effect of the type principle was it meant that i gained the maximum results that i could from my training that will lead me in the correct direction ready for mountain biking. Specifically choosing activities that improve fitness and leg muscles will help me the most rather than mental and upper body strength as they do not have such a strong relation to mountain biking. Proving that the effect of ensuring my type of training was good to benefit me as much as possible to better myself and to prepare me for the next training lesson and also my end goal of receiving an excellence in the practical internal.

Sports Psychology:

A key sports psychology factor that i chose to relate to my interval training lesson is visualisation. I believe this is an extremely important factor that could relate to nearly any method of training. Visualisation is the idea of knowing that you could be finished a tough activity soon and that you can visualise the finish line insight which works as an extra motivator for you to keep going and push yourself to the limits. Visualisation is something that is often taught by coaches and is something that is recommended by a lot of people as it is a known fact that it does help to encourage yourself to go that extra step knowing that you will be finished soon especially when the activity is extremely tough or long.

Using visualisation definitely helped me during my training. As a sprinter, i don’t overly enjoy running anything longer than 100m, so to run around the field is a challenge for me so when i’m nearing the end, i visualise the finish line and the break that i am going to receive when i get there which lifts my spirits if i’m down in the dumps so i put in extra effort to complete the activity to the best of my ability wether its in the time frame i aim for or not, as long as i am happy with how i went. Visualisation allows me to do this and i certainly recommend it to others and it is something i use for a lot of things and it definitely helps me get through a lot.