← Health and Movement Science syllabus

NSWHealth and Movement Science

Focus Area 2: Training for improved performance

9 dot points across 9 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do energy systems and training types interact to produce performance adaptations?

Analyse the three energy systems (ATP-PC, anaerobic glycolysis, aerobic) and the training types that target each, with reference to specific sporting contexts
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on the three energy systems and the training types that target each. Includes the dominant-system durations, rest:work ratios, adaptations, and worked sporting examples.
9 min answer →

How are sports injuries prevented, rehabilitated, and managed back to play?

Investigate sports injury prevention, rehabilitation, and return-to-play decisions, including risk factors, evidence-based warm-up protocols, rehabilitation phases, return-to-play criteria, and concussion management
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on injury prevention, rehabilitation and return to play. Covers intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors, load management, evidence-based warm-up protocols (FIFA 11+, RAMP), rehabilitation phases, return-to-play criteria, and concussion management per AFL, NRL and World Rugby protocols.
9 min answer →

How do coaches monitor, record and evaluate training to know whether the program is working?

Examine the tools and methods used to monitor, record and evaluate training load and performance, and explain how the resulting data informs program decisions
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on monitoring training load and performance. Covers training logbooks, GPS units, heart-rate monitors, RPE, wellness questionnaires, performance testing batteries, and how to read trends rather than single sessions.
9 min answer →

How do nutrition, hydration, supplementation and sleep support training adaptation and performance?

Analyse the role of nutrition, hydration, supplementation and sleep in supporting training adaptation, performance and recovery, with reference to evidence-based recommendations
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on nutrition, hydration, supplementation and sleep for performance. Covers carbohydrate periodisation, protein intake, hydration strategies, evidence-based ergogenic aids, and sleep recommendations for athletes.
9 min answer →

What physiological adaptations occur in response to training, and over what timeframe?

Investigate acute physiological responses (cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular) and chronic adaptations to aerobic and resistance training
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on the difference between acute physiological responses (during exercise) and chronic adaptations (after weeks of training), across cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular and metabolic systems.
9 min answer →

How do the principles of training inform program design?

Apply the principles of training (specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, variety, individuality, recovery) to design a training program for a specific performance goal
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on the principles of training. Defines specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, variety, individuality and recovery; applies them to a worked training-program example for a named sport.
9 min answer →

How is sporting skill acquired, and what makes practice and feedback most effective?

Investigate skill acquisition through the stages of learning, types of practice, types of feedback, and the role of coaching cues; apply the principles to a chosen sporting context
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on skill acquisition. The Fitts and Posner stages of learning (cognitive, associative, autonomous); types of practice (massed vs distributed; whole vs part; blocked vs random); types of feedback (intrinsic vs extrinsic; knowledge of performance vs results); coaching cues; the role of deliberate practice in expert performance.
9 min answer →

How are training principles applied to develop strength, power, speed and flexibility, and how are these combined for team-sport athletes?

Examine training methods for strength, power, speed and flexibility, and design a periodised plan that integrates these capacities for a chosen athlete
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on strength, power, speed and flexibility training. Applies specificity, progressive overload and FITT to each capacity, distinguishes the rep ranges and loading patterns for strength, hypertrophy and power, and shows how a periodised plan integrates these capacities for a team-sport athlete.
9 min answer →

How does technology shape performance, and what ethical and equity issues does it raise?

Investigate the role of technology in performance enhancement, including training monitoring tools, performance-enhancing drugs and anti-doping, technological doping, and the ethical and equity issues these raise across athlete populations
A focused HSC Health and Movement Science answer on technology in sport. Training monitoring tools (GPS, force plates, video analysis, wearables); performance-enhancing drugs and anti-doping (WADA, ASADA, the prohibited list); blood manipulation and gene doping; technological doping (specialised footwear and equipment); ethical and equity considerations.
9 min answer →