ABSTRACT
The principles of sports science are based on an understanding of the production and use of energy in biological systems. With an awareness of the contributions of the different energy systems across a variety of activities, effective training programs can be designed. Activities such as marathon rely almost exclusively on aerobic energy systems, whereas others, such as the 50-m swim, are quite anaerobic; the predominant energy systems in team sports such as basketball and soccer, on the other hand, are constantly changing. To improve an athlete’s ability to perform a certain task, a training program must be designed and implemented to specifically develop the muscles, organs (e.g. heart, lungs), and energy systems involved in the sport or activity. This means training the involved muscles, organs, and energy systems at an increased level, so that they adapt and achieve a greater maximal energy potential. The end result is faster, stronger, and more powerful movements that will likely enhance sports performance and increase resistance to injury. Although a training program is designed with the specific goals, needs, and medical concerns of the athlete carefully evaluated by the team physician, its quality is defined by the ability to apply scientific principles efficiently and effectively in its design. Extensive amounts of literature have been published on aerobic training; more recently, the acute and chronic responses to anaerobic training have received increasing public and medical attention. Because of the potential influence of exercise training on sports performance and injury prevention, the team physician needs to understand the principles of sports science and their implications for the design and evaluation of sports training programs.
