Anaerobic Training (Power and Speed) Developing power through resistance/weight training Plyometrics Short interval

ANAEROBIC TRAINING Anaerobic training focuses on the anaerobic energy systems (lactic acid and alactacid) and obtaining physiological adaptations that benefit these systems. However, you should note that here in Improving Performance the focus is not on improving lactate thresholds or durations of anaerobic activity, but on speed and power.

Anaerobic training for speed Speed training seeks to develop the quickness of limb movement and by nature is a form of anaerobic training. There are various methods used to focus on speed development, many overlap with the development of power, since the two (2) are so connected. Frequently speed training will focus on running technique, as proper running technique is very important for the athlete to reach top speeds and produce maximum power during acceleration. Other specifics depend on the method of training. Some of the more common methods include: weight/resistance training, plyometrics, and short interval training. Speed is a vital component of fitness for sports such as: sprinting, football, ice-hockey, baseball, and netball.

Anaerobic training for power Power is the combination of velocity and strength (force). A strong athlete is not by definition powerful, and neither is a fast athlete necessarily powerful. There must be a combination of both velocity and power for an athlete to be considered powerful. Power is beneficial for many sports, but particularly sports that require acceleration or deceleration (rugby codes, football, netball, basketball etc). Power training is often done through the use of weight/resistance training, plyometrics, and short interval training.

Design an anaerobic training program Anaerobic training programs involve work periods at very high intensities and have longer rest periods built into the training to ensure the muscle recovers before the next work period. This applies to all forms of anaerobic training. Weight/resistance training will have a rest period between sets, plyometric training will have short breaks between each exercise, and short interval training has rest periods by definition. Rest periods are vital in anaerobic training programs, as they ensure the athlete’s anaerobic energy systems recover before the next work period. This allows for greater intensities to occur during the work period, and a greater volume of work to be completed at the higher intensities. This is important because the greater the volume of work done at the higher intensities the greater the physiological adaptations will be. Anaerobic training will have work periods that are at an intensity above the lactate threshold/lactate inflection point, ensuring that adaptations occur in the anaerobic energy system and that the adaptations are anaerobic specific (although aerobic physiological adaptations will occur as well).

Measuring anaerobic training adaptations Anaerobic adaptations include: increased anaerobic enzymes increased PC stores increased strength increased speed increased removal of waste products faster recovery hypertrophy etc These can be measured in various ways. Lactic threshold testing can provide information regarding improvements in waste product removal, circumference measurements will provide information on hypertrophy, 1 RM testing will provide measures for strength gains etc. Tests for measuring speed and power are often sport specific, though they can also be conducted in laboratory environments. Tests for power include: Vertical jump, standing long jump, seated medicine ball throw, etc. Tests for speed include: 20 metre dash, radar testing, exercise bike testing etc

Safety for anaerobic training Anaerobic training is one of the more dangerous forms of training, especially plyometrics and power weight training. This is due not just to the high intensities, but the high force and high velocity movements. These place large amounts of stress on the body and minor mistakes can cause serious injuries. Technique MUST be mastered before power training. Athletes will usually develop their strength before adapting it to power, where the focus becomes developing the force at speed. Rest is also an important safety measure in anaerobic training. This is not just rest between sets, though it includes this, but also rest between training sessions or competition. Anaerobic training should be conducted under professional supervision (personal trainer, coach, exercise scientist etc). Overuse injuries and soft tissue injuries are the types of injuries that commonly occur in anaerobic training.

Developing Power through Resistance/Weight Training Developing power through resistance weight training is common in many sports, especially when size is an advantage. Resistance training is often used in reference to weight training, but includes more than just weight training.   Example program for developing power through resistance: weight training Developing power through weight training revolves around very high intensities, long rest periods and low work volumes. In order to develop power it is generally recommended that the athlete complete:  1-3 sets 1-5 RM 1-5 times a week

However, research seems to indicate that the most important aspect of developing power through weight training is “bar speed”. The faster the bar speed, or the greater the velocity at which the weight is lifted the greater the improvements in power. In resistance training programs, training with a faster bar speed seems likely to enhance gains in power, training closer to muscular failure and using longer rest periods may enhance gains in power, while the effects of training with heavier relative loads, higher volumes, or larger ROMs are unclear. Advice for resistance training and power development seems to be the same. The aspect of training that is of most importance is the speed at which movements are completed. Higher intensities could possibly increase gains in power along with shorter rest periods.

The difference between resistance training in general and weight training specifically is what is used to increase the load. weight training requires weights, while in resistance training anything can be used to create the resistance from a parachute, weight sled, body weight, elastics, hydraulics etc. Developing power through resistance/ weight training is foundational for sports such as: Rugby codes, NFL, weight lifting, sprinting etc.

Plyometrics Plyometrics is a method of anaerobic training involving a stretch-shortening cycle to exert maximal force in short fast intervals. The stretch-shortening cycle involves a brief eccentric contraction where the muscle is stretched. This stretch produces an “extra” elastic force in the muscles that then adds to the maximal muscular concentric contraction to produce more force and power than would be produced from a static jump. Stretch-shortening cycle The stretch-shortening cycle needs to be performed as fast as possible in plyometrics training. In addition to this, the eccentric contraction in plyometrics stimulates the stretch reflex. This reflex is the one checked when the doctor taps your knee and causes a muscular contraction moving your lower leg. When a muscle is stretched at speed, the stretch reflex stimulus a muscular contraction to slow down or reverse the stretching. This reflex is there to help avoid injury and is turned off during static and PNF stretching.

Plyometrics exercises often involve jumping, hopping or sprinting Plyometrics exercises often involve jumping, hopping or sprinting. They are always performed at maximal power and are used for the purpose of developing power, which in turn increases speed. Plyometric exercises include: double legged hurdle jumps speed ladders power skipping vertical depth jumps etc. The most important aspect of plyometrics training is the speed at which the athlete can switch from the eccentric contraction to the concentric contraction. Plyometrics has been shown to develop: speed, power, force development and speed endurance. There are many sports that benefit from this training method including: basketball, netball, volleyball, high-jump, and any other sport where speed or power is required.

Short Interval Short interval training has short work periods followed by longer rest periods. Often the work to rest ratio is around 1:2 with the rest interval being twice as long and the work period. This method of training is, therefore, different from long interval training in that long interval training has larger work periods than rest intervals. Today many people know short interval training by the buzz acronym “H.I.I.T.” High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT is a great acronym for understanding this training method, because this short interval training is done at high intensities, usually between 85-100% maximal workload, for short periods of time. Exercises used during short interval training include: bike riding, rowing, running, cross-trainers, skipping, jumping, push-ups, etc. In fact just about any exercises that can be done at a high intensity for 10sec-3 min can be used. This is because it relies on the anaerobic energy systems during the work period and the aerobic system for recovery.

It is important during short interval training that the athlete achieve a good level of recovery before the next work period. This helps to ensure the work periods are maintained at high intensities. Specific benefits of short interval training include: can focus on the alactacid or lactic acid energy systems focuses on improved recovery after high intensity work periods improves waste product removal speed increases in speed and power These benefits are suited to many sports, but particularly replicate sports such as the rugby codes, where high intensity is often followed by short breaks before another high intensity action is required. Other sports that benefit include: netball, basketball, futsal, football, cricket (particularly batting) and tennis.