LFU:online

This module will develop students understanding of factors that affect human performance in sports and health. The module will discuss components of the oxygen transport system, their contribution to limiting maximal oxygen uptake (fitness) and the importance of psychological, central and peripheral fatigue. An in-depth discussion of varied training adaptations, deconditioning (or detraining), and disease processes will be utilized to foment discussion and understanding of these topics. 

Subject specific and transferable skills.

Literacy, reading and discussing the scientific literature; self-management, ability to work unsupervised and to manage deadlines appropriately; information retrieval, ability to access and critically assess the quality of different information sources; presentation, clearly present a well-structured scientific argument and debate the merits and limitations of scientific research papers; team-work, ability to cooperate with others to complete and deliver a shared presentation.

Recommended study hours

Contact in Lectures

2 hours per lecture

Reading materials

Students should aim to read 4 to 5 research articles per lecture (at a minimum) and the associated book chapters. ~10 hours for every lecture (e.g. per week).

Private study

Development of mind map (or similar) and research material for viva voce examination. ~20 hours.

Viva Voce

Examination revision and viva voce practice. ~10 hours

Learning methods:

1.  Lectures led by Univ.-Prof. Justin Lawley.

2.  Classroom debates. Students will be expected to read key references with the aim of addressing questions on basic physiology and critically evaluating the scientific literature in class.

3.  (optional) Short presentations by class members in small groups dealing with specific topics / articles or controversies in the literature.

Assessment method:

Verbal examination. 15-minute viva voce examination. Students will be examined during a one-to-one verbal examination. Students will be allowed to bring one A4 piece of paper (mind-map or similar) and a selection (maximum 4) of peer reviewed scientific articles into the examination. 

Assessment criteria.

Unsatisfactory (5) Substantial improvement necessary. Requirement of further work. Students are unable to discuss even the basic principles of the oxygen transport system or principles of fatigue.  

Sufficient (4). Performance meets the minimum criteria. Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the different factors that affect exercise performance. However, the students’ knowledge is clearly superficial and limited to text book definitions and descriptions (i.e. no accurate references to peer reviewed literature).

Satisfactory (3): Generally sound work, but with many substantial errors. The students will display an acceptable working knowledge of the oxygen transport system and be able to precisely convey the differences between principles of fatigue.  Students discuss some peer reviewed literature to support their opinions, but not critically and only those given in lectures or as part of the reading list.

Good (2). Generally good, but with some errors. Students will be able to provide a precise and in-depth understanding of central and peripheral factors that affect maximal oxygen consumption and fatigue.  Students will show a good working knowledge and interpretation of the scientific literature that extends beyond those given in lectures or as part of the reading list.

Excellent (1): Outstanding performance. As above, but with the ability to critically evaluate the scientific literature, provide alternative yet plausible mechanisms and explanations and/or provide a reasoned argument that perhaps challenges scientific dogma. Finally, students will have an integrative understanding between the oxygen transport system, afferent feedback and principles of fatigue.

To be added and lecture slides.

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training programs/specialized degree programs), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.