To provide a comprehensive picture of the physiological factors influencing performance, and ultimately maximise the performance impact a physiologist can have within a program, fundamental understanding of all physiological systems is essential. This includes cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, immune, muscular, nervous, renal, reproductive, respiratory, and skeletal systems.

This fundamental knowledge base is beneficial to develop an in depth understanding at a mechanistic level, which then informs how to accurately identify and solve performance problems to optimise the outcome of a given intervention (training or otherwise). Having a mechanistic and holistic mindset is crucial.

This mindset is also applicable regarding measurement and equipment. Understanding first principles of measurement (e.g., oxygen consumption, blood lactate, etc.) is essential to having a thorough comprehension of the mechanisms which may affect a given measure. This also allows awareness of the limitations of certain measurements and equipment (e.g., measurement error, reliability), resulting in accurate interpretation, troubleshooting of equipment, etc. Not a “black box” approach.

Physiologists lead and support the testing, monitoring, and measurement of athletes with the intent of informing decisions related to athletes’ performance plans.  For recommendations to be accurate, appropriate and have a positive impact on performance, it is essential that any data collected, and their analysis methods, are valid and reliable. To achieve this, an understanding of the following quality assurance principles and practices, and how to apply them locally and as part of a united system, is required for success.

1. Principles of quality assurance, best practice, and continuous improvement
2. Understanding, documenting, and where possible controlling sources of error in data collection, analysis, and reporting
3. Understanding and applying principles of validity, accuracy, reliability, sensitivity
4. Developing, modifying, and effectively using testing and monitoring protocols and analysis methodologies
5. Assessing for meaningful change – e.g., testing errors, smallest worthwhile changes etc.
6. Equipment error, calibration, and troubleshooting
7. Interrogation and critical appraisal of new technologies, wearables, testing protocols and analysis methods

Critical thinking is a multi-component skillset that includes question identification, problem solving, critical review, iteration and project scoping. Key features include:

1. The ability to provide relevant and well-focussed questions to problem solving in the sport-specific context.
2. Has a quality assurance mindset to seek clarity, consistency and accuracy with interpreting other research or during solution iteration.
3. The capacity to test conclusions and reasoning against specific relevant criteria
4. Has a causal approach to understand the effects and implications of actions/interventions, systems and ideas
5. Is cognizant to recognise bias (including self-bias) and is open to alternate ideas, views and information.

• Capability to accurately simplify complex information/principles for maximum coach/athlete understanding/uptake.
• Ability to demonstrate the capacity to provide contextual referencing of physiological principles in sports-specific scenarios.
• Uses a mixed-learning approach to convey information based on the coach/athlete’s preferred method of learning.

Capability to proactively build effective working relationships within a multidisciplinary team and to work together as an effective team to advance performance support goals.

In sports where performance is heavily determined by an athlete’s physiological traits, an extensive understanding of training physiology is essential, as it is primarily the training process where these traits are developed, both acutely and over time. Therefore, knowledge in the following areas is needed:

1. Physiological signals and responses to various training stimuli – acute and chronic
2. Training quantification – general philosophies, sport specific, measurement and analysis methodologies, interpretation
3. Training responses – acute, chronic, interactive, gender, impairment, and maturation level specific
4. Dose-response relationship – physiological theory, measurement methodologies and interpretation
5. Periodisation – acute and chronic
6. Tapering
7. Differences between training modalities
8. Training zones (internal and external) – accurate identification, signal– and dose–response relationships
9. Recovery (kinetics and methods to manipulate) and impact on training performance and adaptive response
10. Role of nutritional status on training performance and adaptive response

Understanding individual athlete physiological characteristics are important to profile strengths and weaknesses, target training requirements and to optimise the training stimulus and response at an individual level. Testing and monitoring should align to as many of the critical performance factors of the sport as possible. Accurate measurement and interpretation should provide objective data regarding the effectiveness of previous interventions, as well as inform future interventions to enhance performance. Additionally, testing and monitoring may also provide opportunities for exploration into other areas such as talent identification, event selection and competition specific considerations (e.g., warm up, pacing, ergogenic aids).

1. Direct physiological assessment
2. Exercise (e.g., metabolic, thermoregulatory) and other (e.g., haematology, sleep, heart rate variability, hydration)
3. Neuromuscular, anaerobic, and aerobic
4. Laboratory and field
5. Physical performance assessment (e.g., power profiling, critical speed/power assessment, GPS monitoring)
6. Performance analysis – training and competition monitoring
7. Gender specific considerations
8. Para-athlete and impairment specific considerations
9. Development/maturation level considerations
10. Physique assessment (concepts and techniques) and impact on health and performance
11. Behavioural, cognitive, emotional, habitual and knowledge assessment (e.g., wellness questionnaires)

In addition to the training process, other interventions may be utilised to enhance competition and/or training performance. A complete understanding of these interventions is important in ensuring all the critical performance factors are taken into account in the preparation process. These may include:

1. Ergogenic aids (nutritional and other e.g., ischemic preconditioning)
2. Environmental (heat, cold, altitude)
3. Recovery
4. Nutrition and hydration
5. Competition schedule specific planning
6. Other: e.g., warm up, pacing, travel, cooling, etc.

1. NSO Athlete Development Framework
2. Benchmarks / targets (throughout the pathway)
3. Testing factors (exercise and other)
4. Training factors
5. Anthropometry and physique
6. Performance modelling
7. Performance trajectory modelling
8. Awareness, and fundamental understanding of other Performance Support elements impact on performance
   1. Athlete wellbeing, biomechanics, data science, engineering, medicine, nutrition, performance analysis, physiotherapy, psychology, skill acquisition, strength and conditioning
   2. “Basic” competency in technical skills of one or more interdisciplinary elements (relevant “non-physiology” knowledge and tasks/duties)
9. Long term athlete development
   1. Understanding of how critical performance traits can be used for talent identification and development over time, and how to best foster their development with a long-term view in mind.

Whilst sports which rely heavily on physiological traits for performance are similar in many ways, the specific nuances between sports can mean that elements of the training and preparation processes are distinctly different. Therefore, understanding these nuances is imperative to support athletes in optimising their preparation for competition. Factors which may influence the training and preparation process include:

1. Modality specific requirements and considerations
2. Event specific race distances
3. Single vs multi event competition formats
4. Competition schedules and progressions
5. Weight bearing vs. non-weight bearing sports
6. Land- vs water-based sports
7. Anthropometric and physique considerations / requirements (weight categories)
8. Common availability issues (injuries, illness, overtraining)
9. Common development and progression rates through the pathway