Sports Physiology

Physiology in sport and exercise

Sport and exercise physiology is a diverse discipline that includes a number of sub-disciplines, including: ³

• Altitude training
• Exercise in the heat (thermoregulation)
• Biochemistry and haematology
• Immunology
• Performance recovery
• Tapering
• Talent Identification
• Anthropometry
• Smart sensors and devices

Sports physiologists perform a broad range of tasks that contribute to individual and/or team sport performances. This can include: ^{3, 4}

• Identifying and quantifying an athlete’s physical and physiological characteristics in laboratory or field settings.
• Establishing the physiological and performance demands of competition.
• Modelling and monitoring training sessions or performance to accurately quantify physical load/stress placed on athletes.
• Determining and implementing effective interventions to improve sports performance (e.g., training, dietary, recovery, environmental, technological).
• Maintaining, evaluating, and developing sport technology and scientific equipment.
• Educating and providing relevant advice to athletes, coaches, peers, and students.
• Travelling with athletes and teams to training camps or competitions.
• Conducting applied research projects to enhance sports performance.
• Presentation and reporting of testing and research outcomes.

Groups, societies and professional bodies

Sports physiology covers a range of disciplines and therefore a number of societies may be applicable.

Vocational educational training

The path to becoming a sports physiologist can be varied. The main path is generally via an undergraduate degree followed by a postgraduate degree, such as honours, masters or PhD in Exercise Science, Human Movement, Sport Science, Physical Education or a related field.

Sports physiologists can practice in a variety of settings and may work as permanent employees, consultants, be self-employed, occupational trainees, or volunteers. In Australia, the majority of sports physiologists are associated with National Institute Network (NIN) institutions, national sporting organisations (NSOs), and/or professional sporting teams.

Standards

The Australian Performance Support Practitioner Minimum Standards represent the minimum standards for Performance Support staff and contractors engaged to deliver professional services in identified practice disciplines by National Sporting Organisations (NSOs), National Institute Network (NIN) partners, the Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia, and Commonwealth Games Australia. These standards, along with the AIS Sport Science Sport Medicine Best Practice Principles are a recommendation within the National Integrity Framework, opens in a new tab.

The AIS develops evidence-based position statements on new and complex topics in sports science and sports medicine to provide guidance and leadership for the Australian high-performance sports system.

Research and Resources

• National Institute Network Research. Recently published sports science/sports medicine research from NIN researchers. This list is updated on a monthly basis.
• Best Practice Guidelines: Measurement, analysis and interpretation of resting heart rate and heart rate variability in athletes, Clint Bellenger, Rodney Siegel, Jamie Stanley, Katie McGibbon, National Institute Network/Australian Institute of Sport, (2023). These Guidelines are intended for performance support practitioners, coaches and athletes in the Australian high performance sport system and outline best practice for the measurement, analysis, and interpretation of resting heart rate and heart rate variability for the purpose of monitoring athlete stress, acute training responses and/or adaptation to training over time.
• Training load in relation to loading and unloading phases of training, Australian Institute of Sport, (version 2; 2021). Can be used by coaches, performance support team members and organisations in the national high performance sport system as a resource to guide conversations relating to holistic approaches to well-periodised and individualised training load planning following unloading.
• National protocols for the assessment of strength and power, National Institute Network/Australian Institute of Sport, (version 2; 202?). These protocols outline updated testing methods for strength and power assessment that have a sound theoretical basis but are also practical in the training environment.

Journals

Videos

^{* Licencing restrictions apply to some resources.}