Short-term preparation in practice involves warming up, proper hydration and nutrition, holding camps, adjusting to time zones, and developing pre-match rituals. An athlete should warm up to prepare physically and technically, eat carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen stores, and hold camps in the same environment as the competition to familiarize themselves. Team GB would look for a holding camp in India close to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi to allow athletes time to adjust to the new time zone. Many athletes develop specific pre-match routines to help manage nerves.

1. Short-term preparation in practice !!A2 THEORY!! Objectives : Understand how an athlete would prepare themselves in the short-term period before the event

2. Warm up! Probably the most obvious form of short term preparation Many factors should be taken into consideration: - Physical preparation Technical preparation Mental preparation

3. Hydration and Nutrition Studies show that a drop of just 2% hydration leads to a negative affect on performance! High carbohydrate intake in final stage of Short term prep should fill muscle glycogen stores and therefore……. Despite this closer to the start of competition the athlete should eat only that which they believe will benefit their performance

4. Camps! Used by elite athletes in the period before competition HOLDING CAMPS – a single base camp used in the weeks immediately before the start of games. This allows athletes to train in the same environment they will during competition PREPARATION CAMPS – a training base using the facilities to be used in a holding camp phase. This allows athletes, coaches and support staff ti familiarise themselves with the location

5. Adjustment to day-night rhythm Careful planning is vital in order to ensure that athletes have time to adjust to the new time zone. (4-5 days) For example the Sydney Olympics!

6. Task Describe how a 400m sprinter should prepare for an International event.

7. Case Study: What does Team GB look for when searching for a holding camp? Thinking of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Dheli, India, where would Team GB’s holding camp be?

8. Pre-Match Rituals Many players and teams go through specific routines and programmes prior to playing. Why?

9. ‘I always wear the same T-Shirt under my England shirt and I always go out to warm up, come back, put my shoulder pads on then my England shirt. I never warm up in my England shirt.’ People have their own routines to fight against nerves Describe any pre-match rituals you have developed in your own sport? How did they start? Case Study: Jonny Wilkinson

10. Pre-Match Rituals Rugby Players are more obsessive about rituals than any other sportsmen. Examples include: Putting their gumshield in only when they have crossed the touchline to enter the pitch Touching the ceiling as they leave the players tunnel Taping up old injuries even though they are healed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkVqZOFHnlk

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiyiAqf47u0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQJC1_liZI8&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJC7u64ZJzc