OVERVIEW

The Sports Physiology teaching of the Integrated Course Biological and Biomechanical Aspects of Sports Performance I provides the elements to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying motor learning and the role of the neuromuscular system in optimizing sports performance. It also provides information on how to optimize sports performance and some considerations on age and gender relating to physical exercise and sport.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Integrated Teaching Module focuses on an integrated approach to the study of acute regulations and long-term adaptations of the neural control of movement in response to different motor tasks and environmental conditions such as fatigue, motor and cognitive activities, learning new sensorimotor skills and inactivity. In this module we will study how the nervous system adapts when humans perform a wide range of motor tasks throughout life. In particular, this experimental approach is aimed at providing fundamental tools in improving knowledge of the mechanisms underlying neural plasticity and which have functional implications in motor and sports activities.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student must learn: the physiology of movement and muscular adaptations induced by training; the concept of learning new sensorimotor and inactivity skills; long-term adaptations of nervous control of movement in response to learning new motor tasks and different environmental conditions; the concept of optimization of sports performance.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures on Sports Physiology.

Any Student with documented Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or with any special needs, should contact the Lecturer(s) and to the dedicated SLD Representative in the Department before class begins, in order to liaise and arrange the specific teaching methods so that the learning aims and outcomes may be met.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• The structure and function of skeletal muscle
• the motor system and in particular spinal reflexes and the control of voluntary movement
• the concept of posture and maintaining balance
• the adaptations induced by resistance training and the mechanisms underlying the increase in strength
• muscle pain
• the neurophysiological bases of motor learning
• the concept of neural plasticity and the role of physical exercise in inducing plasticity
• optimize sports performance through training

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

JH Wilmore, D.L. Costill - Fisiologia dell’esercizio fisico e dello sport. Calzetti e Mariucci ed.

Slides in AulaWeb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LAURA STURLA (President)

MARCO BOVE (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

I semester.

Class schedule

PHYSIOLOGY OF SPORT

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written test consisting of 30 multiple choice questions.