Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 2
Scientific Bases of Physical Activity
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Scientific Bases of Physical Activity
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Subject: Physical Education Health Elective
Class: SHS 2
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 2
Grade code: 2.2.2.LI.2
Strand code: 2
Sub-strand code: 3
Content standard code: 2.2.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 2.2.2.LI.2
Theme: Physical Education
Subtheme: Scientific Bases of Physical Activity
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This lesson explores the fundamental principles that govern how our bodies adapt and improve through physical training. In Ghana, we see our heroes like the Black Stars, Benjamin Azamati, or our local Inter-Schools ("Inter-Co") champions perform at high levels. Their success is not just from talent, but from smart, scientific training. Understanding these principles will empower you, whether you want to improve your own performance in a sport, train others, or simply live a healthier life. This knowledge transforms simple exercise into purposeful training, helping you achieve your goals faster and safer, and avoid injuries.
The principles of training are the "rules" of exercise that we must follow to get fitter, stronger, or faster. If we ignore them, our progress will be slow, we might get injured, or we might even go backwards. The main principles can be remembered with the acronym SPORT-RID. Specificity Progression Overload Reversibility Tedium (or Variety) Rest & Recovery Individual Differences
Let's break down each one. Principle of Specificity Definition: This principle states that training must be relevant and appropriate to the sport for which the individual is training, the muscles used, and the energy systems used. In Simple Terms: "You get what you train for." The exercises you do should mimic the demands of your sport. Ghanaian Example: Imagine you are a sprinter at your school, preparing for the 100m race at the regional "Inter-Co". Good Specificity: Your training should focus on explosive power. This includes practicing starts from the blocks, short, high-intensity sprints (e.g., 30m, 60m), and weight training exercises like squats and power cleans to build leg strength. Poor Specificity: If you spend all your time jogging for 10 kilometres every day. While this improves your general cardiovascular fitness, it trains your slow-twitch muscle fibres for endurance, not the fast-twitch fibres needed for a powerful, explosive sprint. You are training to be a long-distance runner, not a sprinter. Principle of Progression Definition: This principle states that for training to continue producing results, the workload must gradually be increased as the body adapts. In Simple Terms: "Start slow and go low, then gradually increase." You must make your training a little harder over time. Ghanaian Example: A student at Accra Academy wants to improve their push-up count for their school's cadet corps fitness test. Week 1-2: They can do 3 sets of 8 push-ups. This feels challenging. Week 3-4: Their body has adapted, and 3x8 is now easy. To apply progression, they could increase the repetitions to 3 sets of 10 push-ups. Week 5-6: Once 3x10 is manageable, they could increase the sets to 4 sets of 10 push-ups. If you try to jump from 8 push-ups to 30 in one week, you risk injury and burnout. The increase must be gradual. Principle of Overload Definition: This principle states that for the body to make fitness gains, it must be stressed beyond its normal capacity. This is closely related to progression, but overload is *how* you make the training harder. We use the FITT principle to apply overload. In Simple Terms: "To get stronger, you must work harder than you are used to."
The FITT Principle is the tool we use to apply overload: F - Frequency: How often you train. *Example:* Increasing your running sessions from 3 days a week to 4 days a week. I - Intensity: How hard you train. *Example:* Running at a faster pace (e.g., 70% of your maximum heart rate instead of 60%), or lifting a heavier weight (e.g., 50kg squat instead of 45kg). T - Time: How long you train for (duration). *Example:* Increasing your jogging time from 30 minutes to 40 minutes per session. T - Type: The kind of training you do. *Example:* To improve leg power, a footballer might add box jumps and hill sprints to their usual training routine. This varies the stimulus on the muscles. Principle of Reversibility Definition: This principle states that if an individual stops training or reduces their training load, the fitness improvements they have made will be lost over time. In Simple Terms: "Use it or lose it." Ghanaian Example: A player for a local team like Asante Kotoko or Hearts of Oak is in peak condition during the football season. If they get a minor injury and cannot train for 4-5 weeks, they will lose a significant amount of their aerobic fitness, speed, and strength. When they return, they cannot perform at the same level immediately. They will need to start training again to regain their fitness. This is why the off-season still includes some training to maintain a base level of fitness. Principle of Tedium (or Variety) Definition: This principle suggests that using a variety of training methods and exercises helps to maintain motivation and reduce the risk of boredom and overuse injuries. In Simple Terms: "Keep it interesting." Ghanaian Example: A female volleyball player at Wesley Girls' High School needs to improve her jumping ability. Tedious Plan: Doing only squat jumps every single training day. This would become boring and could strain her knees. Varied Plan: Her coach could design a plan that includes different exercises across the week: Monday: Squat jumps Wednesday: Box jumps Friday: Skipping with a rope and lunges All these exercises work the leg muscles but in different ways, keeping the athlete engaged and reducing the risk of an overuse injury. Principle of Individual Differences Definition: This principle acknowledges that every individual is unique and will respond differently to the same training programme. Factors like genetics, age, gender, diet, and initial fitness level affect the outcome. In Simple Terms: "What works for your friend may not work for you." Ghanaian Example: Two friends, Kofi and Yaw, decide to train for the Accra Milo Marathon. They follow the exact same 5km training plan. After one month, Kofi has improved his time by 5 minutes and feels great. Yaw has only improved by 1 minute and often feels tired and sore. This could be due to many factors: Kofi might have a genetic predisposition for endurance, a better diet (more carbohydrates like yam and plantain for energy), or get more sleep. The coach or trainer must adjust Yaw's plan, perhaps by adding more rest days or starting at a slower pace, to suit his individual needs. Principle of Rest & Recovery Definition: This is a crucial principle which states that the body needs time to recover from the stress of training and for adaptations to occur. It is during rest that the body repairs and strengthens itself. In Simple Terms: "You get fitter while you rest, not while you train." Ghanaian Example: A boxer in Bukom training for a major fight. He has intense training sessions where he breaks down muscle fibres. Effective Recovery: After training, he gets 8-9 hours of sleep, eats a meal rich in protein (like eggs, beans, or fish) to repair muscles, and carbohydrates (like kenkey or banku) to replenish energy. He also has a full rest day during the week. Poor Recovery: If he only sleeps 4 hours, eats poorly, and trains intensely every single day, his body never has time to repair. He will become overtrained, his performance will drop, and he will be at high risk of getting sick or injured.
Guided Practice (With Solutions)