Training Principles and Methods

What is training? Training is a vehicle by which the human body is made more efficient Better able to complete certain tasks like running, jumping, lifting, swimming, etc. Training needs vary depending on the objective as well as the physical attributes of the individual

F.I.T.T. Principle Frequency: number of workouts per week Recommended 3-5 workouts/week for basic aerobic fitness Endurance athlete (elite) may have 15 workouts/week Intensity: several methods of measuring intensity such as % of VO2 max, Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, % of max HR, and the Karvonen method aka heart rate reserve

Intensity cont... Most accurate way to measure intensity is a VO2 max test Not practical for recreational athletes One of the most popular ways of determining weight- training intensity is to derive a % from one repetition maximum (1RM)‏ The max amount of weight an individual can lift for one rep. A less taxing variation is repetition maximum Complete a higher number of repetitions until they can no longer perform that exercise Use information and charts to design a program

Type and Time Type: Which energy system is being used? Anaerobic alactic, anaerobic lactic, aerobic, or a combination Time: the length of the workout If an exercise is not maintained for long enough, it will not lead to any physiological changes Length of workouts depend on the individual's ability, the goal, the individual's lifestyle (are they able to fit in a quality workout?)‏

Other Principles of Training There are 6 basic training principles that complement F.I.T.T.: The Principle of Overload The Principle of Progression The Specificity Principle The Principle of Individual Differences The Principle of Reversibility The Principle of Diminishing Returns

Overload In order for physiological change to occur, the body must be subjected to greater stresses than the ones it is accustomed to Applies to both anaerobic and aerobic training Anaerobic: increasing the amount of weight for bicep curls from 10lb to 15lb Aerobic: increasing your distance run from 10km to 12km

Progression In order for the overall effect of training to progress, an athlete must be subjected to greater and greater overloads, over time After an athlete has had the chance to adapt to a certain level of training, the workouts must continue to increase in stress in order for new achievements to be made Increases can be made in the number of reps, weight, time, distance, etc.

Specificity In order for specific outcomes to occur, training exercises must be specific to those outcomes In order to reach maximum training effect, the loads placed on the body have to mimic the actual sport as closely as possible

Individual Differences Every athlete has a different physical and psychological make-up, therefore, different training needs Factors: pre-training fitness level, sport-specific requirements (quarterback vs. Linebacker), age, gender, ability to recover from intense workouts, previous susceptibility to injury Avoid copying someone else's workout plan (i.e. A professional athlete)‏

Reversibility “Use it or lose it” principle When a muscle has undergone a period of training, and then the training ceases, the muscle overtime will lose the benefits of training Can lead to two things: 1. Atrophy 2. Detraining Atrophy: muscle decreases in size and strength Detraining: a term to describe what happens when training is removed or reduced Several reasons: injury, lack of motivation, other commitments, end of a season, etc.

Diminishing Returns Based on the fact that a person's training gains will reflect their prior level of training A person who has had no or little training is usually able to make significant gains in their levels of fitness A highly trained athlete will make relatively small incremental gains in their performance Large increases will be made until the athlete plateaus

Training Methods Athletes can train to increase speed, endurance, strength, agility, and flexibility The following methods are used to achieve these objectives through training: Periodization Concurrent training Interval training Fartlek training Resistance training Plyometrics training

Periodization The breakdown of the overall training plan into distinct training periods in an attempt to maximize performances at peak times Reduce risk of injury Reduce mental burnout The year is broken down into 3 parts: the off-season, pre- season, and the in-season

Concurrent Training It is possible to train multiple energy systems by performing different types of training simultaneously Studies have shown that endurance athletes benefit from strength and power training and vice versa i.e. A marathon runner will have speed workouts built into their training regimen

Based on the idea that energy systems can make both aerobic and anaerobic gains, not only by steady, uninterrupted exercise, but also by alternating periods of relatively intense exercise with period of recovery within the same workout Allows the body to become accustomed to lactic acid buildup and anaerobic loads Example: 6-8 1km repeats with 2 min. Jogging between each

Fartlek Training Developed in the 1940's by Swedish runners as an alternative to interval training The term literally means “speed play” Encourages a more free-form session, the distances and lengths of intervals are not predetermined i.e. Cross country runner may do a fartlek session through a trail: sprint uphills, recover downhill, pick up speed on flat sections, recover on flat sections

Resistance Training Most common form: weight training Use resistance training to work either several muscles groups or specific ones, which isolate a single joint or muscle group i.e. May need to strengthen a certain area for increased stability (back or abdomen)‏

Plyometrics Training Used because of its ability to stretch and then shorten the muscles through exercise Uses a series of drills with the person's own body weight as the overload Use a pre-stretch, or counter-movement to build up muscular energy before an explosive movement releases it Drills include: squat-jumps, box drills, bounding, hopping, medicine ball drills