WIFI Presentation

Creatine Supplementation

Nutrition

Assessment Task 4

Creatine

Creatine is a group A supplement as shown in the AIS supplement program that is most commonly supplemented in the form of creatine monohydrate. It is most commonly used as an aid to the ATP PC system to perform increased maximum power and performance in high-intensity anaerobic work.

Creatine is used by loading the supplement, this can be done multiple ways such as a rapid loading phase which may be achieved within a week by taking repeated doses per day (such as 4 doses of 5g per day) or a slower loading phase over a longer period taking a smaller dose daily. Once loaded maintaining the dose will allow elevated levels to be sustained, when unloading the muscle creatine levels from saturated it will take at least 4 weeks to return to the normal resting levels. Creatine is best taken in doses with a considerable amount of carbohydrates as this will increase the uptake and storage into the muscles.

It is common to see a small weight gain when loading which may be water retention thus the person taking creating may find they feel slightly bloated. Aside from this there are no other real side effects, as a supplement it has been around for a long time with much research on the supplement suggesting it is safe and effective.

Because creatine shows a rather specialized performance increase it is easy to associate it with activities that will benefit. Any sport or activity that requires maximum power or high intensity anaerobic training would benefit from creatine supplementation, examples of this would be power lifting, rugby league or even any gym routine that focuses on strength work.

References:

http://ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/466030/Creatine_11-_website_fact_sheet.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine_supplements

Hypertension Assessment Task

Exercise Science

Assessment Task 4

Hypertension is the medical term used to describe high blood pressure, hypertension is considered to be present if you are tested and the results are 140/90 mmHg or higher consistently. External factors such as medication, stimulants or exercise can cause a short term change in blood pressure so need to be noted when testing blood pressure, so for example if I had were to have my blood pressure taken directly after a vigorous exercise routine and having drank 4 cups of coffee my blood pressure would be very different to what it naturally is so it is important to take these factors into consideration.

Diagnosing hypertension is not a trainer’s responsibility however the blood pressure test is a great tool for fitness professionals to utilize as it is a great indicator of cardiovascular health and the results of the test will make a doctor referral an easy decision as the results are not hard to interpret. A normal blood pressure is considered to be around 120/70 mmHg, between that reading and 140/90 mmHg can be considered pre-hypertension or a high normal reading (especially if leaning towards the higher end of the reading) and then the higher the reading from there the worse the condition is.

Hypertension is quite dangerous as without testing blood pressure you may not actually know that you have it, symptoms will are rare in those suffering from hypertension but they may feel headaches, fatigue or confusion, vision problems, light headedness, chest pain, difficulty of breathing or vertigo however this may also be attributed to other ailments as hypertension increases the risk of other diseases. There are several factors and conditions that play a role in potentially developing hypertension such as smoking, being overweight, lack of physical activity, too much salt in the diet, high alcohol consumption, stress, aging, genetics. Hypertension is a common disease however should not be underestimated as it was identified by the World Health Organization as the leading case of cardiovascular mortality. To combat this hypertension the first line of treatment is to make preventative lifestyle changes including dietary changes, increased physical activity and weight loss. Medication may be employed to fight hypertension such as diuretics which will likely increase the amount the patient will need to use the toilet so when training it would be advisable not to take them far from facilities where they won’t be able to use a toilet.

When training someone with hypertension it is advisable not to push heavy weights overhead as the heart will have to increase blood pressure in order to fight gravity and push the blood up the arms, so if you do decide to train someone with hypertension in overhead training such as a dumbbell shoulder press do so with caution and monitor them as they may have adverse reactions to this. When training blood pressure will increase a bit regardless as is required of the body however overhead training will do more so than general training so extremely vigorous training may not be appropriate, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the client to make sure they are alright however after training their blood pressure will lower which is why it is considered the first line of treatment for hypertension.

Always consult a physician if testing reveals the client may have hypertension, knowing emergency contacts such as family or GP of the client is a good idea. Aside from seeing their GP for general information for hypertension clients can also find research online at almost any medical website (even just a standard search should be a good start) as it is such a common disease.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertension

http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes

http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/hypertension-symptoms-high-blood-pressure

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2650754/

Fit College WOW speech

Hi everyone!

My name is Thor McKenzie and I am a student at FIT College in Maroochydore (www.fitcollege.edu.au) with a dream for working in the Health and Fitness Industry. I have a family history of people in the industry with my mum working in public health and sister recently completing her masters in medical science so I have always felt an affinity with the health and fitness industry. Growing up I have always been an avid sports fan so naturallly wanted to be part of an active occupation.

I mainly played Tennis growing up for about 5 years and am still a big fan, I participated in Judo for about 3 years as well as interschool group sports. My hope is that once I have earned my certificates in fitness I can start my career in the industry as I study further and continue to grow as a fitness professional.

For any queries please email me at mckenzie.d88@gmail.com.