Outline

Overview

The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental principles of exercise training adaptations. Specifically, students will be introduced to the basic principles of training including overload, reversibility and specificity as well as the concept of fatigue and training to enhance fatigue resistance. This unit will cover the different physiological systems including the cardiovascular and respiratory system, endocrine system and metabolic pathways pertaining to energy regulation and their related adaptations to training. Finally, how these adaptations may be impacted by various environmental stimuli or pharmacological treatments will be explored. During practical classes and tutorials, students will develop skills required for assessing readiness to train; implementation of training programs; and data collection for assessing success of a training program.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	EXSS2032
Academic unit	Movement Sciences
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	EXSS1036
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Kieron Rooney, kieron.rooney@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Ollie Jay, ollie.jay@sydney.edu.au
	Tom Gwinn, tom.gwinn@sydney.edu.au
	Kate Edwards, kate.edwards@sydney.edu.au
	Rhonda Orr, rhonda.orr@sydney.edu.au
	Timothy English, tim.english@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Take-home extended release)	Final Exam A series of questions covering material over the entire semester	40%	Formal exam period	48 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Take Home Test 1 A combination of short and long answer questions covering week 1-4 content	10%	Week 05 Due date: 25 Mar 2022 at 14:00 Closing date: 28 Mar 2022	72 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Report 1 - Data Assessment of practical class data in graphical and written formats	10%	Week 09	500-750 not including graphs / tables
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Take Home Test 2 Short and Long Answer Questions covering weeks 5-9 content	15%	Week 10 Due date: 06 May 2022 at 14:00 Closing date: 09 May 2022	72 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Report 2 - Reflections Structured discussion on methods for implementing a training program	15%	Week 12	1000-1500 Words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Take Home Test 3 Short and Long Answer Questions covering weeks 10-13 content	10%	Week 13 Due date: 27 May 2022 at 14:00 Closing date: 30 May 2022	72 hours
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = Type E final exam ?

Assessment summary

Assessment Item: Final Semester Exam
Task description	Exam consisting of both Short and long Answer Questions
Task length	It is expceted that the exam can be completed within 2 hours if administered under traditional in-class conditions
Links to unit’s intended learning outcomes	This exam covers lecture, practical and tutorial materials from the entire 13 weeks of semester
Assessment criteria	The format for this examination is a mix of, short answer questions, graphs and short calculations.
Dates and times due	It is expected the exam may take approximately 120 minutes to complete. These Tests will be provided at the centrally timetabled exam period in weeks 15/16 and students will have 48 hours to complete.

Assessment Item: Take Home Tests
Task description	Exam consisting of Short and Long Answer Questions
Task length	Approximately 45 – 60 minutes each
Links to unit’s intended learning outcomes	Test 1 (week 5) – Weeks 1-4 content, 10% Test 2 (week 10) – Weeks 5-9 content, 15% Test 3 (week 13) – Weeks 10-13, 10% Learning outcomes assessed will be in line with lecture material sequencing
Assessment criteria	The format for these tests will be a mix of short answer questions, graphs and short calculations.
Dates and times due	It is expected each test may take between 45 – 60 minutes to complete. These Tests will be provided on the Monday of the week identified and students will have 48 hours to complete.

Assessment Item: Final Report 1 - Data
Task description	A written report that presents data obtained during the practical class training intervention and describes the outcomes in the context of training responses and normative data
Task length	500-750 words not including graphs and tables
Links to unit’s intended learning outcomes	Learning Outcomes 3, 5 and 6
Assessment criteria	Prior to leaving class, each student collates the data obtained during the class for their participant. Constructs this data into a table and/or figures that best display the outcomes assessed. Writes a report describing the data in contrast to baseline assessments of the participant and personalised goals.
Dates and times due	Friday of week 9 (April 29), 23:59

Assessment Item: Final Report 2 - Reflections
Task description	Students use their personal experiences implementing the training program during weeks 4-8 to write a discussion of methodologies employed, comparisons to expectations of training success / failure and reflections on barriers and facilitators to client compliance.
Task length	1000-1500 words
Links to unit’s intended learning outcomes	Learning Outcomes 3, 5 and 6
Assessment criteria	During the implementation of the training program students should maintain a training log that will inform this writing task. The purpose of this task is to encourage engagement as a reflective learner in the context of exercise delivery, in the context of training adaptations. Students will be encouraged to utilise mechanisms learnt in class to show their depth of discussion.
Dates and times due	Friday of week 12 (May 21), 23:59

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Basic Principles of Training: Introduction to protein synthesis and the stimulus-response model of adaptation; Prescriptions based on dose-response literature.	Online class (2 hr)
Week 01	Practical 1: Fundamental assessments at rest for health evaluation; participant screening and exercise prescription.	Practical (2 hr)
Week 02	Adaptations to Resistance training: Genetics of training response, neural adaptations and skeletal muscle fibres	Online class (2 hr)
Week 02	Practical 2: Fundamental assessments at rest and during exercise for participant health evaluation; screening; predictive fitness and exercise prescription	Practical (2 hr)
Week 03	Adaptations to Resistance training: Understanding training types: conventional strength, plyometric, ballistic and power etc.	Online class (2 hr)
Week 03	Tutorial 1: High-Resistance Training. Hypertrophy, Strength and synthesis of myofibrils Tutorial 2: High-Resistance Training – Integrating mechanical load, myofibril synthesis and fibre hypertrophy	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Endurance training Adaptations of the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Changes in VO2max; stroke volume and arterio-venous oxygen difference	Online class (2 hr)
Week 04	Practical Class 3: Baseline assessments and Pre-Training screening Students screen each other for exercise readiness, collect pre-training baseline data and select training program	Practical (2 hr)
Week 05	Endurance Training Adaptations of the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Integration of changes in muscle structure and a-v difference; detraining and VO2	Online class (2 hr)
Week 06	Endurance Training Adaptations of the Endocrine System and Metabolic response: Signal transduction, central command, peripheral feedback and altered catecholamine response	Online class (2 hr)
Week 06	Tutorial 3: Cardiovascular Adaptations – Heart Rate, Stroke Volume and VO2Max	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Endurance Training Adaptations of the Endocrine System and Metabolic response: Changes in fuel storage, integration between endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems for understanding changes in oxygen kinetics, acid-base balance, indirect calorimetry and surrogate measures for fuel utilisation	Online class (2 hr)
Week 07	Tutorial 4: Fatigue - Revisiting the concept of fatigue and training to enhance fatigue resistance. Re-visiting the mitochondria, oxidative phosphorylation and fuel utilisation in the context of training response	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Environment dependent interactions with endurance training – Altitude Physical laws of altitude, physiological and metabolic responses to natural and simulated altitude training (and at rest)	Online class (2 hr)
Week 08	Practical class 4: Post-training assessments Students complete post-training assessments and upload data for whole class collation	Practical (2 hr)
Week 09	Environment dependent interactions with endurance Training – Hot and Cold Fundamental heat balance, autonomic responses to hot and cold, risks and consequences of hyperthermia and hypothermia	Online class (2 hr)
Week 09	Tutorial 5: Changes in Fuel storage and use, as a consequence of training and implications for fatigue	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Exercise and the Immune System: The innate and acquired immune response to exercise and training effects on measures of immune function	Online class (2 hr)
Week 10	Tutorial 6: Exercise Immunology The inflammatory response and interaction with exercise training.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Pathologies and pharmacological treatments: An introduction to exercise for special populations (Diabetes), including pathophysiological bases of disease, the impact of exercise and interaction with pharmacological treatments	Online class (2 hr)
Week 11	Tutorial 7: Pathologies and Pharmacological Agents – Understanding requisite precautions and safety of patients exercising with specific medications	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Pathologies and pharmacological treatments: An introduction to exercise for special populations (Hypertension, cardiovascular disease and ageing including pathophysiological bases of disease, the impact of exercise and interactions with pharmacological treatments	Online class (2 hr)
Week 12	Tutorial 8: Pathologies and Pharmacological Agents – Understanding requisite precautions and safety of patients exercising with specific medications.	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Pathologies and pharmacological treatments An introduction to exercise for special populations (Asthma, COPD), including pathophysiological bases of disease, the impact of exercise and interactions with pharmacological treatments	Online class (2 hr)
Week 13	Tutorial 9: Pharmacological Agents – Understanding requisite precautions and safety of patients exercising with specific medications.	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at practical and tutorial classes in person is not mandatory however in this unit, fundamental skills on client interaction, screening and data collection that will be examined in later units of study are taught and as such you may find youself performing poorly on future competency assessments if you do not attend in this unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

For generic Exercise Physiology content students may wish to purchase the following book as it contains content common across multiple units of study.

Powers, SK and Howley, ET. Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance. 10th ed New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Education LLC. 2018

However, specific modules will require more bespoke reading lists. The following of which are recommended:

Coffey VG and Hawley JA. The Molecular Bases of Training Adaptation. Sports Medicine. September 2007, Volume 37, Issue 9, pp 737–763

Hoppeler H; Baum O; Lurman G; Mueller M. Molecular mechanisms of muscle plasticity with exercise. Comprehensive Physiology. 1(3):1383-412, 2011,

Kenney WL; Wilmore JH; Costill DL. Physiology of Sport and Exercise. 6th Edition, Human Kinetics. Ed. 2018

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Be able to identify key components and role of the cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, endocrine and immune systems in the response to acute exercise and subsequent adaptations with training
LO2. Be able to describe how specific systems respond to acute changes in metabolic demand and explain fundamental mechanisms underscoring changes in fuel utilisation, macronutrient storage and mechanisms of fatigue following training
LO3. Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the interaction between physiological responses to exercise in variable environmental conditions as well as relevant examples of nutritional and technological ergogenic aids
LO4. Be able to describe the role of relevant systems underpinning common pathologies with consideration of contraindications to training as well as the interaction of pharmacological treatments in the context of training
LO5. Demonstrate competency in the measurement, analysis and interpretation of data pertaining to physiological measurements at rest, during acute exercise and following a training program.
LO6. Demonstrate a fundamental capacity to evaluate and communicate in written form the reporting of physiological assessments to either clients and/or other relevant stakeholders

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit ran for the first time 2021. Specific changes that have been made to this unit is the substitution of one practical class with two tutorials dedicated to pharmacology and pathologies to provide opportunity for a deeper exploration. Adjustments have also been planned for the take-home assessments as students identified that the workload required for these was not commensurate with the weighting.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

During the practical classes, students will be required to operate exercise equipment for which there is a low level of injury risk. However, to ensure any risk is mitigated, students will be inducted and assessed on their competency to use the equipment. Teaching staff have completed an extensive risk assessment prior to semester and will have developed safe work procedures for student inductions during class.

Further, during the practical classes students will be required to show competency in the collection of finger prick blood samples initially from themselves for training and then on fellow students as part of their learning in aid of assessing blood glucose and lactate levels.

This procedure will expose students and staff to a biological hazard. For this purpose students and staff are recommended to be vaccinated against Hepatitis B at a minimum and may also want to consider Hepatitis A. Teaching staff have completed an extensive risk assessment prior to semester and will have developed safe work procedures for student inductions during class including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment and aseptic techniques.

If any of this information causes concern for you, please contact the unit coordinator to discuss how the practical classes may be completed in the safest possible way for you without compromising your learning experience.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

EXSS2032: Exercise Training Physiology and Biochemistry

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect