Training
Principles of training
The main principles of training you need to know are: individual needs, specificity, progressive overload, FITT (frequency, intensity, time, type), overtraining, reversibility and thresholds of training.
Specificity is relating the training to activity/sport. The coach should match the training to the needs of the sport for example focusing on the main energy systems used in a game or particular muscle requirements in the activity.
Progressive Overload is a combination of two principles;
Progression:
- Gradually increase the amount you do
Overloading:
- Training more than you normally do.
Progressive overload – gradually increasing intensity of workload for example starting at 5KG and increasing to 6KG once 5KG becomes too easy, in this way the muscles adapt to the new work loads increasing the strength of the individual. By increasing workload slightly minimises risk of injury, therefore the body can continue to train without fear of needing to stop due to injury.
Reversibility is often linked to the phrase "don't use it you lose it" and means that if you decrease level of exercise your level of fitness will drop. It usually occurs if an individual stops training or was were injured. But can occur if the athlete shifts thier training focus for example a power athlete moves to focus on cardiovascular endurance, the unused muscles may experiance atrophy (the reduction in size)
Principles of training.pdfFITT (frequency, intensity, time.pdfMethods of training
Continuous Training
Exercising at a steady workload, with no breaks or rest periods for an extended period of time.
Component of fitness: Aerobic fitness/ CV endurance / stamina
Continuous training involves working for over 20 minutes at an even pace with no rest intervals. It is sometimes referred to as ‘steady state’ training. To be considered continuous training at least 20 minutes of exercise at a moderate pace and constant heart rate must be performed. The most common forms of activity are swimming, running, rowing or cycling. It should be the method of training that is most commonly performed for those who work for long periods of time at a constant pace, for example a marathon runner, triathlete or a 10 km open water swimmer. Therefore it is a training method that predominately produces adaptations to the body’s ability to take in, deliver and use oxygen and supply energy by the aerobic energy system. It is also a common method used by games players early in the pre-season period or recovering after a long-term injury when an ‘aerobic-base’ is required before more intensive forms of aerobic training are introduced (i.e. Fartlek or interval).
Fartlek Training
Running at different paces, often over different terrains for an extended period of time (usually between 20 and 60 minutes). Also known as 'speed play'.
Component of fitness: Aerobic endurance/CV endurance / stamina
Fartlek is different to continuous training because despite involving exercising for a prolonged period of time without resting, there are many changes of speed or intensity. Fartlek training involves exercising at varying intensities and because there are changes in speed; both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems will be stressed.
Many elite games players will carry out this type of training, although they will usually use their own pitch of field of play, rather than using different terrains. For example, football players will perform walking, running and sprinting different distances around the penalty or 18-yard box.
Interval Training
Interval training is a series of periods of work alternated with periods of rest. For example, a sprinter working on their start may sprint 30 metres and walk back to start (this is 1 rep) and repeating this on a number of occasions. Endurance athletes also use interval training but they will usually work for longer periods.
Interval training can be modified easily to make the training specific (e.g. performed in the pool for a swimmer) and to implement progressive-overload by manipulating the; length of the work periods, the time spent recovering, the intensity of the work and recovery periods and/or the number of reps/sets. It is common to use the term ‘work-to-rest’ or ‘work:rest’ ratio when discussing interval training. This relates to amount of time spent working against the rest period.
Interval training is a form of intermittent training that allows the performer to recover so they can work at high levels of intensity during training to match event requirements. Interval training helps to avoid tedium and therefore increase chances of maintaining training.
Plyometric Training
Involves jumping from one level to another the muscle lengthens on landing and then quickly contracts and shortens (to provide power to make next jump). Box jumps, skipping or bounding are all exercises where the muscles have to exert maximum force quickly and can be included in plyometric training.
Plyometrics are an effective way to increase power so are suitable for athletes who tend to jump in performance such as a volleyball player or a high jumper. Circuit training can incorporate plyometrics and needs minimal equipment, e.g. a skipping rope or a box. However athletes can become injured if plyometric intensity is too great and it increases risk of muscle strain and DOMs.
Circuit Training
A series of exercises where the participant moves from one exercise station to the next. The session can be designed to improve skill or fitness.
Component of fitness: suitable for all components
Circuits can be organised to allow a high intensity of exercise with a recovery period before using the same muscles again. Circuit training is a very adaptable method of training, but altering the stations or reps/sets you can alter the aspect of fitness worked on.
Different exercises helps to avoid tedium and therefore increase chances of maintaining training and circuit training can be made more specific to a sport by making sure exercise focus on relevant components of fitness and relevant muscles. When analysing a circuit you should rest time, work time, exercises, components of fitness, muscles being worked and specificity of exercises to the sport.
Weight/resistance training.
Components of fitness: muscular endurance and muscular strength.
Resistance machines such as a bench press machine, or leg press machine can be used to develop strength. The benefits of these machines are that they can control the ‘range of movement’ and isolate the muscle or muscles being trained. However, this is also their limitation because they do not allow the development of supporting muscles during lifting. ‘Free weights’ require supporting muscle activation and are more challenging, therefore lead to greater adaptations and improvements in fitness. However, there is a greater risk of injury (e.g. dropping a weight on yourself, or damaging a joint). Most elite athletes use Olympic lifts and the development exercises that are used to develop them and training using these lifts has been shown to be most beneficial such as jumping, sprinting and other activities. Examples of these exercises includes; snatch, power cleans, clean and jerk, back squat, front squat, ‘good morning’, dead-lift and straight leg dead lift.
Weight training can be varied to allow targeted training on the muscles required for the sport and this reduces tedium. Weight training can be specific by using high reps, low weights to improve muscular endurance and low reps, high weights for muscular strength/power. However it requires correct balance, too much emphasis on weight training could have negative impact on body weight and sport efficiency.