If you have just one week left before your IB Sport Science exam, you’re not alone—and you’re not doomed. While this is far from ideal, focused, strategic revision can still make a real difference. This guide is designed to help you prioritise the right content, avoid wasted effort, and walk into the exam confident rather than overwhelmed.

This is not about perfection. It’s about maximising marks with the time you have.

Understanding the IB Sport Science Syllabus (What Actually Matters)

Before you revise anything, you need clarity. IB Sport Science is content-heavy, but it follows predictable themes and question styles.

The core areas you must know are:

Exercise Physiology and Nutrition

• Body systems and communication during exercise
• Hydration and nutrition
• Acute and chronic responses to exercise

Biomechanics

• How movement is generated
• Forces, motion, and technique
• Injury risk and prevention

Sports Psychology and Motor Learning

• Individual differences
• Motivation
• Stress, coping, and performance
• Psychological skills and motor learning

Your goal this week is competence across all topics, not mastery of one.

Day 1: Building the Foundation – Exercise Physiology and Nutrition

Morning: Communication in the Body

• Review how body systems interact during exercise (nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular)
• Use diagrams and practice labeling processes
• Focus on terminology commonly used in exam questions

Tip: Prioritise understanding over memorisation. IB rewards explanation.

Afternoon: Hydration and Nutrition

• Learn the role of fluids, electrolytes, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
• Understand how nutrition affects performance and recovery
• Use targeted practice questions to identify weak areas

This topic is highly examinable and often appears in short-answer and data-based questions.

Day 2: Responses to Exercise

Morning: Physiological Responses

• Cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular responses
• Differences between aerobic and anaerobic exercise
• Acute vs long-term adaptations

Link concepts to real sports examples—IB loves application.

Afternoon: Exam Application

• Complete past-paper style questions on exercise response
• Practise structuring answers clearly and concisely
• Focus on command terms such as “explain,” “outline,” and “analyse”

Day 3: Biomechanics – How Movement Works

Morning: Generating Movement

• Muscle function, joints, levers, and movement patterns
• Learn how technique affects performance

Use diagrams and movement examples to reinforce understanding.

Afternoon: Forces and Motion

• Newton’s laws in sport
• Force production, acceleration, and efficiency
• Apply biomechanics concepts to common sports actions

Biomechanics questions often reward clarity more than complexity.

Day 4: Injury and Injury Prevention

Morning: Injury Mechanisms

• Common sports injuries and their causes
• Overuse vs acute injuries
• Risk factors related to biomechanics and training load

Afternoon: Prevention Strategies

• Warm-ups, technique correction, equipment, and recovery
• Case-study style questions
• Apply prevention strategies to real sporting contexts

This topic often overlaps with biomechanics—use that to your advantage.

Day 5: Sports Psychology and Motor Learning

Morning: Individual Differences and Skill Acquisition

• Personality, motivation, and learning styles
• Stages of motor learning
• Practice methods and feedback

Afternoon: Motivation and Psychological Skills

• Motivation theories
• Psychological skills such as goal setting, imagery, and self-talk
• Application to performance and training environments

IB examiners value clear examples here.

Day 6: Stress, Coping, and Full Integration

Morning: Stress and Coping

• Sources of stress in sport
• Arousal, anxiety, and performance
• Coping strategies and mental preparation

Afternoon: Full Review and Mock Exam

• Connect physiology, biomechanics, and psychology
• Complete a full mock exam under timed conditions
• Identify patterns in your mistakes and revise those topics immediately

This is where marks are gained.

Day 7: Light Review and Mental Preparation

Morning: Final Review

• Flashcards and summaries only
• Key definitions, diagrams, and examples
• Create simple mind maps for each topic

Avoid learning new content today.

Afternoon: Rest and Reset

• Light exercise or a walk
• Stay hydrated and eat properly
• Review progress, not panic

Confidence is a performance tool.

Final Advice: How to Maximise Marks in One Week

• Focus on exam technique as much as content
• Always link theory to sport-specific examples
• Write clearly and answer the question directly
• Do not neglect psychology—it is often underestimated

You are not aiming for perfection. You are aiming for efficient, exam-ready understanding.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cramming IB Sport Science in One Week

Can you really revise IB Sport Science in one week?

Yes—but with realistic expectations. One week is enough to consolidate key concepts, improve exam technique, and significantly boost your score. It is not enough to master every detail, so your focus should be on high-yield topics, clear explanations, and application to sporting examples.

What should I prioritise if I’m short on time?

Prioritise topics that appear frequently and are easy to apply:

• Exercise physiology responses
• Biomechanics principles with sports examples
• Sports psychology concepts like motivation, stress, and coping

Also prioritise exam technique. Clear structure and correct command-term responses can gain marks even with partial content knowledge.

Is IB Sport Science more about memorisation or understanding?

IB Sport Science rewards understanding far more than memorisation. Examiners look for:

• Clear explanations
• Application to real sporting contexts
• Correct use of terminology

Memorising definitions without understanding how they apply will limit your marks.

Should I focus more on theory or practice questions?

Both are essential, but practice questions are critical in the final week. They help you:

• Learn how questions are phrased
• Practise structuring answers
• Identify weak topics quickly

A good rule is to revise content briefly, then immediately apply it to exam-style questions.

How important are sports examples in IB Sport Science exams?

Very important. Many marks are awarded for applying theory to real or realistic sporting situations. Even simple examples, such as sprinting, endurance running, or throwing actions, can significantly improve answers.

What’s the biggest mistake students make when cramming IB Sport Science?

The most common mistakes are:

• Trying to relearn everything instead of prioritising
• Ignoring sports psychology because it seems “easier”
• Reading notes passively without answering questions
• Not practising exam timing

Smart revision is about selection and application, not volume.

Is sports psychology really worth revising?

Absolutely. Sports psychology is often underestimated, yet it:

• Appears regularly in exams
• Has clear, repeatable concepts
• Is easier to apply than some physiology topics

Well-prepared psychology answers can be a reliable source of marks.

Can I still improve my grade significantly in one week?

Yes. Many students improve by one to two grade boundaries by:

• Cleaning up exam technique
• Using correct terminology
• Applying concepts clearly
• Avoiding common mistakes

One focused week can make a real difference.

What should I do the night before the exam?

Do not try to learn new content. Instead:

• Review key definitions and diagrams
• Look over example answers
• Get proper sleep
• Eat well and hydrate

Mental clarity matters more than last-minute cramming.

Ready to Study Smarter?

Using the right tools makes a huge difference when time is limited.

RevisionDojo helps IB Sport Science students with:

• Topic-focused revision resources
• Exam-style questions and markscheme guidance
• Structured revision plans
• Tools that target weak areas fast

If you want to turn one week into meaningful progress, RevisionDojo helps you focus on what actually scores marks.