When answering 9 mark questions, it is important to structure the question right. You should look to have 4/5 paragraphs. Often a question will be a discuss question which may mean that you require two sides of an argument. You should be following this structure:
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4 (depending on the question)
Conclusion - this should contain some form of opinion.
Within each paragraph you should be looking to have a point, an example and an impact on the performer. Below shows an example response of an 9 mark question.
"Helen is a county level swimmer. Discuss how she can use the additional principles of training to improve her performance. (9 marks)"
One additional principle of training Helen should look to incorporate is specificity. Specificity is making sure that training is specific to the needs of her sport. Firstly, Helen should look to ensure that her training is in the swimming pool so that she develops the muscle groups that will help her improve her performance. She should also look to use methods of training specific to her distance. 800m is an endurance based swim, so she should look to use interval or fartlek training. By working at higher speeds, it will increase the amount of adaptations that occur and it may help her improve her overall time.
Additionally, Helen should look to incorporate rest and recovery into her training. Rest and recovery is taking breaks between training sessions to allow the body to regroup, but also to develop physically. Swimmers do train extremely frequently, but it is also important to incorporate rest. I would recommend that Helen has at least 2 rest days in a week to allow her body to recover. This will also allow adaptations to take place, which in turn will help her to reduce her time.
Another principle Helen could use is reversibility. Reversibility occurs when training is not hard enough, you skip training sessions or you suffer an injury causing you to go backwards in your progress. Helen could make sure that she warms up prior to each session, cools down after to reduce the risk of an injury occurring. She should also make sure that she is training regularly, also using to frequency element to ensure that progress occurs and adaptations take place, meaning her performance will improve.
One final additional principle of training to incorporate would be variation. Variation is changing your training so that you avoid boredom and motivation is maintained and improved. Although Helen is training in the pool there is a number of things she can do to avoid boredom. Firstly, she could train with friends, making training more sociable. Secondly, she could train and different times in the day (e.g. morning or evening) making less of a routine and making training different. Finally, she could change the methods of training such as using fartlek, interval or continuous, so that each session is different. This will make training more interesting so that motivation is increased, meaning that Helen will push herself to improve her time.
In my opinion, the more important additional principle to incorporate is specificity. If training is not specific to the sport, then there is no point in doing it, as the components of fitness you are working on may become completely irrelevant to the sport. It is important to focus on areas that will develop your overall performance and plan training accordingly.
Here is an alternative example looking at fitness training methods:
Discuss the suitability of interval training for the following three athletes; Javelin thrower, 800m runner, hockey player (9 marks)
Interval training involves working for periods of time, followed by periods of rest. This can be adapted for short and long interval, depending on the intensity of the sport working for. Interval training would be suitable for an 800m runner, as it will enable them to work on their speed or aerobic endurance. They can use it by working for one lap, then resting for a lap, and then repeating. By doing this, their lap speed will increase, which will lead to a faster time overall.
Interval training will also be suitable for a hockey player, as it directly links to the sport in which they are playing. For example a hockey player will have periods of exercise when the ball is in play, followed by periods of rest, when the ball is out of play. By carrying out short interval training e.g. working for 2 minutes, resting for 30 seconds, this will be close to the sport itself. This will develop a performers muscular endurance, which will help them maintain a higher level of performance throughout a match.
Interval training will not be suitable for a javelin thrower. A javelin thrower will exert one maximal bout of energy into the throw and then will have a long rest period before throwing the next. Although this is technically an interval the rest period is too long for the training method to be relevant. I would suggest that the javelin thrower works on free weights training to develop their strength or flexibility training to develop their reach, in order to improve the distance of their throw.
In my opinion, i think that interval training is most suitable for the hockey player, as it directly links to their sport. By having periods of work and periods of rest, the performer may improve their speed, muscular endurance or aerobic endurance, which will help improve their overall performance and may contribute to winning a match for their team.