Section A: Exercise and Training A4- Methods of Training

The Exercise Session Before looking at specific methods of training it is perhaps sensible to consider and understand the concepts of an exercise session. The exercise session usually has 3 distinct phases. Do you know what they are? Warm Up, Training Activity and Cool Down

WARM UP (15-20mins) This could include some jogging, stretching and some sport specific familiarity work (dribbling a ball). This will help an athlete prepare mentally, increase HR and blood flow, warms the muscles and makes them more flexible and also reduces the risk of injury to muscles and joints.

TRAINING ACTIVITY This could be a session of continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit or weight training. A skills training session. A practice match This will improve your fitness, sharpen your skills and improve teamwork and communication

COOL DOWN Few minutes gentle jogging. Stretching, especially of the main joints you have used. Helps to prevent soreness by keeping the circulation up...so that more oxygen reaches muscles to clear Lactic Acid Away. Also loosens tight muscles so they won´t get stiff later.

AEROBIC & ANAEROBIC It is important to know and understand the difference between Aerobic & Anaerobic when talking about exercise and training.

AEROBIC The ability to exercise or compete, for a long time, at a level that allows the respiratory system to cope physiologically, without getting breathless or cramp. There are as we shall see, many ways to improve aerobic fitness. (see methods of training)

ANAEROBIC The ability to work at a high intensity for a short period of time and then to repay your respiratory system after completing the training session or competition. Anerobic exercise can only last for about 40 seconds and the repayment comes in the form of deep breaths at the end of the activity. This is to enable as much oxygen as possible to get back into the respiratory system.

Methods of Training Students should be able to relate the following information to the principles of training and know how to use this knowledge to improve performance

Continuous Training This is a good way to improve the AEROBIC System and involves continuously exercising at a steady pace for at least 30 minutes. Also a very good way of introducing unfit individuals to exercise. This type of exercise could take the form of running, walking, cycling or swimming.

Task What are some of the disadvantages of continuous training?

Disadvantages Can get boring. Does not improve sprint speed needed for many sports. Includes no specific sports related skill work.

Fartlek Training Fartlek is Swedish for speedplay. This method of training involves many changes of speed. It can be used to improve both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. It is very good for games players as games involve lots of changes in speed.

Fartlek Training AdvantagesDisadvantages It can be done on a variety of terrain. Programmes are flexible Sufficient time for rest you can skip through the hard parts and the coach does not know how hard you are working.

Interval Training This method of training involves periods of work followed by periods of rest. The word interval can be related to a distance or a time. The rest period could be a recovery period, not walking or a walk back to the start and should be about 30 seconds in duration although it can vary. Quality in the workout is the main aim.

Circuit Training Circuit training involves a number of exercises, set out in stations and set up so to avoid exercising the same muscle group consecutively. The aim is to improve local muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness. The exercises may be carried out for a length of time or a set number of times and usually to music

Advantages of Circuit Training Offers more all round fitness than other methods. It includes strength, endurance, power, flexibility and speed. Equipment is not expensive. Suits all levels of ability Uses principle of Overload.

Weight Training Is a form of training that uses progressive resistance, either in the form of actual weight lifted or in terms of the number of times the weight is lifted. It is used to increase muscular strength, muscular endurance speed, size and also in rehabilitation.

Consider this! What you are training for and which muscles. Number of exercises, repititions and sets. The weight used. Speed of action. The length of rest between sets. Frequency of training.

Types of Muscle Training Muscle training falls into different categories depending on the muscle contraction. All involve muscles pulling in certain ways and we will look at ISOTONIC & ISOMETRIC contractions.

ISOTONIC CONTRACTION An isotonic contraction occurs when the muscle both contract and works over the full range of movement. Eg. In the Bicep curl. Nearly all your training will involve isotonic exercises. (press ups, sit ups, chin ups and weight lifting) Advantages - strengthens a muscle through full range of movemnt, sport specific Disadvantages - Can make muscles sore because of stress while they lengthen

ISOMETRIC TRAINING An Isometric contraction is when the muscle contracts but stays in a fixed position, neither shortening or lengthening.Isometric contractions produce static strength eg. Pushing against a wall with your hand or leaning against the wall in a sitting position. Advantages - is quick to do and no expensive equipment needed however disadvantages are that blood flow to the muscle stops and blood pressure rises and this could be dangerous.

Immediate Effects of Exercise Heart Rate (HR) increases. Your breathing gets quicker & deeper. Your body temperature increases. You start to sweat Your muscles begin to ache.

Effects of Regular Training The Heart pumps more blood per beat The Recovery Rate becomes quicker (how long it takes your pulse to get back to normal). The quicker this happens the fitter we are. The resting HR becomes lower (the heart can supply the required amount of blood but in less beats) More capillaries form around the muscles. The Cardiovascular system becomes more efficient.

Long Term Benefits of Exercise Apart from the obvious of reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and making you fitter, can you think about what changes will happen to your bones, muscles, joints, respiratory & circulatory systems. Please see seperate handout.

Task To write a brief information page about Target Zones & Recovery rate and also provide graphical illustrations.