What does Eduqas A-Level PE area of study 1 cover?

Exercise physiology, training and performance covers diet, nutrition and ergogenic aids; the components of fitness, principles of training and training methods; periodisation and planning of training; energy for exercise (ATP and the three energy systems); fatigue and recovery (including EPOC); injury prevention and rehabilitation; and the effects of altitude, heat and cold on the body. It is the largest of the five areas of study and supplies most of the calculation and applied-physiology questions in Component 1.

Which calculations must I know in Eduqas PE physiology?

The key calculations are cardiac output (heart rate times stroke volume), estimating maximum heart rate (220 minus age) and target training zones (a percentage of maximum heart rate), and recognising VO2 max in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram per minute. You should also reason quantitatively about ATP yields (1 ATP from the ATP-PC system, 2 from anaerobic glycolysis and up to about 38 from the aerobic system) and the relative contribution of the energy systems across the energy continuum.

What are the three energy systems in Eduqas A-Level PE?

The ATP-PC (phosphocreatine) system works in the sarcoplasm, uses phosphocreatine broken down by creatine kinase, gives 1 ATP very fast for about 8 to 10 seconds and is alactic. The lactic acid (anaerobic glycolytic) system works in the sarcoplasm, uses glucose or glycogen, gives 2 ATP for about 10 to 60 seconds and produces lactate and hydrogen ions. The aerobic system works in the mitochondria, uses glucose, glycogen and fats with oxygen, gives up to about 38 ATP slowly for prolonged work, and produces only carbon dioxide and water. They blend across the energy continuum by intensity and duration.

What is EPOC and why does it matter?

EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) is the oxygen taken in after exercise above resting levels, used to restore the body. Its fast component (2 to 3 minutes) restores ATP, phosphocreatine and the oxygen on myoglobin and haemoglobin; its slow component (up to hours) removes lactate, restores glycogen and supports the raised heart rate, breathing and temperature. EPOC matters because it explains heavy breathing after exercise and why aerobic fitness, which clears EPOC faster, aids recovery between efforts.

How should I revise area of study 1 for Eduqas PE?

Learn each system, principle and method precisely, with the figures (ATP yields, training zone percentages, EPOC components), then apply each to a named performer, because application earns the AO2 marks. Drill the cardiac output and training-zone calculations until they are automatic with units. Practise explaining cause and effect (why altitude lowers VO2 max, why humidity blocks cooling, what causes fatigue) and rehearse the extended responses that ask you to evaluate a training method or an ergogenic aid. Work through the seven dot-point pages, then attempt the quiz.

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Eduqas A-Level PE exercise physiology, training and performance: a complete overview of area of study 1

A complete overview of Eduqas A-Level PE exercise physiology, training and performance (area of study 1). Covers diet and ergogenic aids, training methods and principles, periodisation, the energy systems, fatigue and recovery, injury, and environmental effects, with the calculations the paper rewards.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.813 min readEduqas-A-Level-PE-Area-1Updated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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What this area demands
Diet, nutrition and ergogenic aids
Training methods and principles
Periodisation and planning
Energy for exercise
Fatigue and recovery
Injury and environmental effects
Check your knowledge

What this area demands

Exercise physiology, training and performance is the largest of the five areas of study and the source of most calculation and applied-physiology questions in Component 1. It tests the energy systems and their yields, the components of fitness and the principles and methods of training, periodisation, fatigue and recovery, injury, and the effects of the environment. Marks are lost on missing units in calculations and on vague answers; they are gained by precise figures and by applying each idea to a named sport. This overview ties the dot-point pages together.

Diet, nutrition and ergogenic aids

A balanced diet supplies carbohydrate (the main fuel), fat (a concentrated store), protein (growth and repair), vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. Energy balance compares intake with expenditure. Endurance athletes manipulate diet through carbohydrate loading and timed pre and post-event meals, with a hydration strategy. Ergogenic aids are judged on effectiveness, legality and risk: legal aids include creatine, caffeine, bicarbonate and nitrate; illegal doping includes anabolic steroids, EPO, blood doping and growth hormone. See the diet, nutrition and ergogenic aids page.

Training methods and principles

Fitness has health-related components (stamina, strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition) and skill-related components (speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, reaction time). The principles are specificity, progressive overload, reversibility and variance, with the FITT variables. Methods each overload a component: continuous and fartlek (aerobic), interval and HIIT (anaerobic and speed), plyometrics (power), weights (strength), and flexibility work. Target zones come from $220 - \text{age}$ and a percentage. See the preparation and training methods page.

Periodisation and planning

Periodisation divides the year into macrocycles (the whole plan), mesocycles (blocks of weeks with one focus) and microcycles (weeks or sessions), through preparation, competition and transition phases. Tapering cuts volume to clear fatigue and peak for a key event; double periodisation plans two peaks. Warm-up and cool-down each have physiological purposes, and ignoring recovery risks overtraining. See the periodisation and planning page.

Energy for exercise

All work is powered by ATP, resynthesised by three systems: the ATP-PC system (1 ATP, fast, alactic), the anaerobic glycolytic system (2 ATP, lactate and $\text{H}^+$ ) and the aerobic system (up to about 38 ATP, slow, with carbon dioxide and water). They blend across the energy continuum by intensity and duration, with thresholds where one predominates. VO2 max sets the aerobic ceiling and is affected by training, genetics, age, sex and body composition. See the energy systems and ATP page.

Fatigue and recovery

Fatigue is peripheral (PC and glycogen depletion, lactate and $\text{H}^+$ ) or central (rising temperature, dehydration). EPOC restores the body after exercise: the fast component restores ATP, PC and oxygen stores; the slow component removes lactate and restores glycogen. Recovery strategies (cool-down, refuelling, rehydration, cryotherapy, massage) each target a cause of fatigue. See the fatigue and recovery page.

Injury and environmental effects

Injury risk is intrinsic (within the performer) or extrinsic (outside), and injuries are acute (sudden) or chronic (overuse). Immediate treatment is PRICE; rehabilitation rebuilds range, strength and proprioception. The environment matters too: altitude lowers the partial pressure of oxygen and VO2 max; heat and humidity impair cooling and cause cardiovascular drift; cold risks hypothermia. See the injury prevention and rehabilitation and environmental effects on performance pages.

Exercise physiology, training and performance (area of study 1) covers diet and ergogenic aids (macronutrients, energy balance, carbohydrate loading, legal versus banned aids), training (components of fitness, the principles specificity, overload, reversibility and variance, the methods and the zones from $220 - \text{age}$ ), periodisation (macro, meso and microcycles, tapering and peaking), the energy systems (ATP-PC giving 1 ATP, anaerobic glycolysis giving 2, aerobic giving about 38, blended across the continuum), fatigue and recovery (peripheral and central fatigue, EPOC's fast and slow components), injury (intrinsic and extrinsic risk, acute and chronic, PRICE, rehabilitation) and environmental effects (altitude lowering oxygen partial pressure and VO2 max, heat and humidity impairing cooling, cold risking hypothermia). The marks come from precise figures and applying each idea to a named performer.

Check your knowledge

Attempt these, then check the solutions.

A games player has a heart rate of 75 beats per minute and a stroke volume of 80 ml. Calculate their cardiac output and give the unit. (2 marks)
State the ATP yield of each of the three energy systems. (3 marks)
A 30-year-old wants to train at 75 percent of maximum heart rate. Calculate the target. (2 marks)
Name the two components of EPOC and state what the fast component restores. (3 marks)
Explain in one sentence why VO2 max falls at altitude. (2 marks)

Sources & how we know this

Eduqas A Level Physical Education Specification — Eduqas (2016)