Performance Enhancement Strength Training

Learning Log  Why do we strength train?  What benefits do we receive?  Any side effects?

Muscle Fiber type & Performance  Slow twitch (Type I)  More efficient using oxygen to generate fuel for continuous extended muscle contractions  Contract slowly, but continue for long periods of time

Muscle Fiber type & Performance  Fast twitch (Type II)  Generates short bursts of strength or speed  Fatigue quickly

Muscle Fiber type & Performance  Hybrid Twitch (Type IIa)  Generic muscle fiber  Use both anaerobic and aerobic metabolism  Ability to develop depending on training (Debate)

Muscle Fiber type & Performance  Fiber type may influence what type of sports an athlete is naturally good at.  Slow twitch  Cycling, jogging, swimming, running  Fast twitch  Sprinting, jumping, other explosive activities

Learning Log  What muscle fiber type do you think you have?  How can you tell what muscle fiber type you have?  Can you still perform anaerobic events with Type I muscle fibers and vice versa?  Muscle Biopsy  I still run but I am never going to be as good as someone with the majority of Type I fibers

Types of strength training movements  Isometric  No movement  Performed against fixed resistance  Least effective form  Ex: wall sit, stationary press  Doorway Experiment

Types of strength training movements  Isotonic  Joint moved through full range of motion against fixed weight, speed is variable  Greatest gains in the initial movement, least at the mid point  Greatest chance of getting injured  Ex: bench press, bicep curls, etc.  Correct form is crucial to prevent injury

Types of strength training movements  Isokinetic  Variable resistance with fixed speed  Resistance accommodates to match the force applied  Machine is required

Types of strength training movements  Eccentric  Negative work  Muscle lengthened while weight is lowered  Produce great strength gains, but more muscle soreness  Ex: down movement of bicep curl

Types of strength training movements  Concentric  Positive work  Muscle shortens as weight is lifted  Ex: up movement of bicep curl

Types of strength training movements  Closed chain exercises  Distal segment is fixed  Allows strength gains of several muscle groups  Ex: body squats, lunges, push ups

Types of strength training movements  Open chain exercise  Distal segments are not fixed & freely moving is space  Good at targeting one set of muscles, but increases the forces transmitted to the involved joint  Ex: knee extensions, any throwing movement

Types of strength training movements  Plyometrics  Muscles are repeatedly and rapidly stretched (loaded) and then contracted  The aim is to improve muscle power  Maximize stretch reflex  Rate is more important than the magnitude of the stretch  Ex: jumps, bounds, skips, hops, medicine ball throws

Types of strength training movements  Plyometrics cont.  Stretch reflex – stretch the muscle from its resting length immediately before the concentric contraction  The greater the stretch, the greater the load (power generated) the muscle can lift.

Learning Log  How do muscles get bigger?  Do muscles always get bigger?  Tearing and Healing  Testosterone builds muscles

Methods of resistance training  Free weights  Variety of exercise selection  Athlete in control of range of motion  Builds coordination  Recruits stabilizing muscles to control movement

Methods of resistance training  Weight machines  Simple to use  Relatively safe  Doesn‘t require a lot of coordination  Limited to targeting one muscle group  Body may not anatomically match the movement of the machine.

Methods of resistance training  Exercise tubing  Similar advantages to free weights  High variety of exercise selection  May not be able to generate enough force to increase strength gains as free weights

Methods of resistance training  Body weight exercises  Does not require any equipment  Exercises can be very functional and sport specific  Difficult for experienced athletes to achieve high level of intensity without high number of repetitions

Strength conditioning principles  General guidelines  Safety first  Allow proper rest between exercises  Balance training program to prevent injury and overuse  Use a spotter

Strength conditioning principles  Repetition: performing the particular exercise one time  Set: grouping of a specific exercise into a number of repetitions  Resistance: the opposing force to a muscle contraction  Strength & size: high resistance / low repetitions  Muscular endurance: low resistance / high repetitions  Power: rapid movements