The Effect of Environmental Factors on

Training

Intro Training rarely takes place in ideal conditions

Extreme temperatures High humidity High altitude Air quality

Training in certain extreme environmental conditions can be very dangerous and even fatal

Body Temperature Regulation and the

EnvironmentNormal body temperature in between 36 and 40

degrees Celsius The body cannot adapt to vast fluctuations in

temperature Can withstand a drop in core body temperature of

10 degrees C but only a rise of 5 degrees C Beyond these levels conditions known as cold

stress or heat stress can set in Can be fatal

Example: Korey Stringer

2002 Minnesota Viking's Korey Stringer collapsed

during a practice in extreme heat Heavy protective equipment Later died

Heat Transfer Hypothalamus: located at the base of the brain

and is responsible for maintaining body temperature

Body temperature is regulated through thermal receptors in the skin and blood

Cold Conditions In extremely cold weather, massive heat loss

can occur Causes the core temperature to drop to

dangerous levels unless the body can increase heat production and decrease heat loss

Both can be stimulated by exercise

Hot Conditions The body may overheat Can prevent bodily organs from functioning

properly Can lead to an overall “shut down” of the body

including respiration and heartbeat Heat exchange: processes that prevent the

shut down of the body due to extreme heat

Heat Transfer Radiation – emission of radiant heat from the

body into the cooler environment Conduction – transfer of heat through a liquid,

solid, or gas i.e. Dousing oneself with water Convection – air movement around the skin Evaporation – water, i.e. Sweat, vaporization

from the skin into the environment Major mechanism for cooling off

The Role of Clothing Protects against cold, rain, sun Identify teammates heavy equipment (i.e. Football players) can

block 50% of the body's surface from cooling itself

In hot weather – loose clothing, light colours, synthetic fibres (DriFit)

In cold weather – layers of thin clothing, synthetic fibres

Altitude Acclimatization and Training

Air in higher altitudes contains less oxygen Acclimatization: the body's ability to adjust

through training, to conditions at higher altitudes

Some endurance athletes use the “live high, train low” approach reasoning that, while spending their non-training time at altitude can still have acclimatization benefits

Air Pollution Can lead to diminished breathing ability, chest

pain, coughing and wheezing, a reduction in the body's ability to fight infection, aggravation of asthma, emphysema, and other breathing problems, heart disease, and other physical irritations

“The marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie will not compete in this event at the Beijing Olympics, because he fears the impact of Beijing air pollution on his health. The 34-year-old, widely regarded as the best distance runner of all time, suffers from asthma”

Avoiding Injury Warm-up Stretching

Sport specific Cool down Weight training – core strength Physical therapy (if needed)