Principles of training

What are the 5 principles of training?

• Individuality

• Specificity

• Reversibility

• Progressive overload

• Variation

What is individuality?

• Idea that not all athletes are equal

• Variations in genes, metabolism, CV health can affect performance

What is specificity?

• Training programmes must stress the most physiologically relevant system for the athlete to produce relevant adaptations

• Must be specific to type of activity, volume of training, intensity, energy systems

What is reversibility?

The idea that not training will reverse the adaptations caused by the exercise

What is progressive overload?

• The demands on the body need to be increased to make further improvements

• e.g. muscles must be overloaded beyond the normal loading level for improvement. This state is called overreaching

What is the difference between overreaching and overtraining?

Overreaching = athlete intentionally pushes their body past its normal limits, causing improvements

Overtraining = A chronic condition where excessive training and poor recovery leads to long-term performance decline

What are the symptoms of overtraining?

• General fatigue

• Loss of strength and weight

• Loss of appetite

• Sleep and emotional disturbances

• Increased resting HR

• Metabolic and hormonal disturbances

How can the principle of periodisation be utilised by a coach?

• Change the intensity

• Change the volume

• Change the technique

• Change of mode of exercise

What are the 3 components of periodisation?

• Macrocycle = largest section of training with a clear end point (e.g. whole season)

• Mesocycle = broken part of a macrocycle, often in smaller blocks (e.g. a 4 week block)

• Microcycle = broken part of a mesocycle, often specific parts of training (e.g. each session within a mesocycle)

What are the benefits of periodisation?

• Allows for tapering of exercise within the cycles

• Avoids overtraining

• Promotes overreaching

• Athlete can achieve acute overload (progressive overload)

What is the equation for training volume?

Volume = Duration x FrequencyIntensity

What is the ideal relationship between intensity and volume?

• Intensity and volume are inversely related

 – If volume ↑, intensity should ↓

 – If intensity ↑, volume should ↓

 • Intensity ↑ + volume ↑ → potential negative effects

How would an athlete periodise for an upcoming competition?

• During the preparation phase, work at a low intensity and high volume

• Leading upto pre-comp and competition phase, intensity will increase and volume will decrease

What type of resistance training produces greater force?

Eccentric training

How should a resistance training session be scheduled?

• Multi-joint movements should occur before single joint ones (e.g. squat before hamstring curls)

• Larger muscles should be done before small muscles, as the small muscles provide stability

• High intensity movements before low intensity

What are the reps and intensities needed for different resistance training outcomes?

• Muscle hypertrophy = 8-12 reps, slow-moderate speed, high load

• Muscle power = 3-6 reps, moderate-fast speeds

  • Muscle endurance = 10-25 reps, light load

What is tapering and why?

• The reduction in training volume prior to a major competition

• Allows muscles to repair and replenish glycogen stores

What is the ideal tapering strategy?