The Principles of Training

What are the Principles of Training?

The Principles of Training (POT) help to guide a trainer or coach in selecting the correct training type and method in order to make specific adaptations on an athletes components of fitness.

The training principles also help to ensure the athlete does not lose physiological adaptations due to inactivity and helps to ensure the athlete is provided with a wide variety of activities that are still relevant to their competition needs.

There are 5 Principles of Training (POT)

Progressive Overload
Specificity
Variety
Training Thresholds
Reversibility

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

The Progressive Overload principle implies that adaptations only occur when the training load is greater than normal and is progressively increased as improvements in fitness occur. As a body becomes familiar with a particular level of training stress, it adapts to it and further training at this level fails to sufficiently stress the system. Training adaptations will not take place if the stress of the training load is too small or too large.

Examples: Increasing the amount of weight you lift every 2-3 weeks, increasing the distance or intensity of a run every 2-3 weeks

SPECIFICITY

The Specificity principle implies that the effects of a training program are specifically related to the manner in which the program is conducted. That is, the training program, exercise and activities need to directly reflect requirements of the sport in which the athlete is training for. This principle of training implies that the greatest adaptations are made when the training program resembles the movements in the game or activity.

Examples: A centre player in netball needs to make short, sharp movements in creating leads. Training activities that focus on agility, reaction time, power and coordination would address the principle of specificity and allow the athlete to make adaptations.

VARIETY

Using the same drills and routines to develop fitness components in every training session is not productive, as repetition without creativity leads to boredom and in some cases injury.

Examples: If an athlete's sport requires a large aerobic capacity there are a variety of ways to train this such as swimming, running, cycling and circuit training.

TRAINING THRESHOLDS

Training thresholds refer to a specific point that, when passed, take the person to a new level. For adaptations to be made as a result of training an athlete must work at a level of intensity that causes their body to respond in a particular way.

Training thresholds are determined by work intensity, which can be calculated using heart rate. A person's maximal heart rate (MHR) is estimated at 220 beats/minute minus age.

REVERSIBILITY

In the same way that the body responds to training by improving the level of fitness, lack of training causes the opposite to occur and the effects of training are reversed. This is referred to the detraining effect.

Examples: If an endurance athlete becomes injured and can no longer complete regular continuous running exercise at 70% of their MHR, they will lose their aerobic adaptations (reversibility) unless they substitute their running for activities such as swimming or cycling.

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