The course aims to provide an advanced understanding of the core principles and topics of Sport Physiology. The acute responses to exercise and functional adaptations of the body during exercise and during sports training will be analyzed. Acute responses and adaptations of the body during physical activity in different environmental and physiological conditions will also be considered.

Skeletal Muscle Plasticity to exercise training: hypertrophy, hyperplasia and fibres shift. Structural and functional muscular adaptations to resistance exercise training and mechanisms of gains in muscle strength. Structural and functional muscular adaptations to endurance exercise training. Molecular networks in skeletal muscle plasticity. Satellite cells in human skeletal muscle plasticity.

Neural control of human movement. Sensory-Motor Integration. Proprioception. Reflexive, rhythmic and voluntary actions. Locomotion. Neural plasticity induced by exercise. Motor unit remodelling and adaptation in motor unit recruitment.

Cardiovascular/respiratory systems and physical performance. response to acute exercise and adaptations to exercise training.

Fuel for exercising muscle and metabolic responses to physical exercise. Adaptations to aerobic and anaerobic training.

Hormonal control to physical exercise. Hormonal regulation of metabolism (glucose and fat metabolism) during exercise; hormonal regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance during exercise.

Environmental influences on performance. Exercise in hot and cold environments and thermoregulation. Physiological responses and acclimatization to altitude exposure. Optimizing training and sports performance at altitude.

Age and Sex Considerations in sport and exercise. Physiological responses and adaptations in pediatric age groups, ageing and sex differences. Female athlete triad.

Optimizing performance in sport. Overreaching, tapering, overtraining syndrome. Effects of acute and chronic exercise on the immune system.  Early markers of overtraining syndrome. Weight, body composition and performance.

In agreement with the Dublin Descriptors all students must satisfy the following requirements:

1- KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY OF UNDERSTANDING: the student must be able to set a logical and complete discussion about theoretical aspects of the Sport Physiology and to make connections among the treated topics;

2- CAPACITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: the student must be able to apply the acquired knowledge to the discussion of different issues within Physiology of Sport.

3- JUDGEMENT AUTONOMY: the student must make independent decisions and choices about different aspects inherent to Physiology of Sport.

4- COMMUNICATION  SKILLS: the student must be able to communicate, clearly and comprehensively, the acquired knowledge, using an appropriate language and scientific terms;

5- LEARNING ABILITY: the student must be able to analyze and understand scientific texts about Physiology of Sport and to use them for study and research. 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

free access to didactic materials

Teaching

oral lectures

Innovative teaching methods

Problem-based learning

Course books

Physiology of Sport and Exercise. J.H. Wilmore & D.L. Costill. Ed. Human Kinetics.
Exercise Physiology. W.D. McArdle, F.I. Katch, V.L. Katch. Ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Fisiologìa del Ejercicio. J. Lòpez Chicharro, A. Fernàndez Vaquero. Editorial Medica Panamericana.

Assessment

Oral exam designed to assess compliance with Dublin Descriptors requirements.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

oral lectures

Course books

Physiology of Sport and Exercise. J.H. Wilmore & D.L. Costill. Ed. Human Kinetics.
Exercise Physiology. W.D. McArdle, F.I. Katch, V.L. Katch. Ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Fisiologìa del Ejercicio. J. Lòpez Chicharro, A. Fernàndez Vaquero. Editorial Medica Panamericana.

Assessment

Oral exam designed to assess compliance with Dublin Descriptors requirements.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.