Lecture 11 - Strength Training

Goals of strength training for sport performance

• increase maximal strength

• increase power = all athletes!!

• increase muscular endurance

• increase muscle size

• prevent injury

What do powerlifters train for

strength

What do bodybuilders train for

size

What do olympic lifters train for

power

Power

Force x Velocity

When should rate of force development be focused on?

Activities in sports lasting less than 0.3 seconds

• work on this by decreasing the explosive strength deficit

Strength Spectrum

supra-maximum goes off the curve at the top

hypertrophy training not on the curve (is underneath it)

Ballistic Speed-Strength Training

• concentric

• can be loaded or unloaded (ex: box jumps, squat jumps, med ball throws)

• maximize acceleration and deceleration)

• train to improve RFD

• faster recruitment of high threshold motor units

• greater recruitment of motor units and increased firing frequency

• intra and intermuscular coordination

Plyometric Speed-Strength Training

• running is categorized under this

• eccentric and concentric components

• involves short, rapid ground contact

• can be loaded or unloaded

  • ex: jumps, hops, bounds, skips, hurdles

• improves stretch-shortening cycle and RFD by:

  • enhancing muscle spindle reflex

  • inhibiting GTO reflex

  • improve storage and utilization of elastic strain energy —> increases muscle stiffness

Explosive Strength Training Strength-Speed Training

• olympic lifts

• heavy squat jumps, depth jumps

• total body heavy throws

• lifting exercises at 75-90% 1RM

• low volume (ex: 3×3)

• Improves RFD

  • increased neural drive: faster recruitment of high threshold motor units, greater recruitment of motor units, firing frequency, intra and intermuscular coordination

  • enhanced muscle force production

  • increased muscle and tendon stiffness

Heavy Lifting Absolute Strength Training

• multi-joint movements (squat, bench deadlift)

• functional core training

• 85-100% of 1RM (don’t do for isolation)

• controlled eccentrics

• warm up to high % as needed

• Improves maximum strength by:

  • induce optimal changes to muscle morphology and neural capacity of filaments per myofibril, myofibrils per muscle fiber, and intra and intermuscular coordination

  • difficult to do year long because of amount of recovery needed and fatigue affects sport performance —> why programs utilize it in the off-season

Supra Maximal Training

Extreme Neural Loading

• heavy eccentric training (100-140% of 1RM)

• heavy holds (110-130% of 1RM)

• partial reps (1/4 squats)

• cheating past sticking points using momentum (used to improve a lift not overall sport performance)

• gains are lift focused

• Improves central nervous system

  • because loads are so heavy —> faster recruitment of high motor units and max motor unit recruitment

  • performing eccentrics in prepatory phase can reduce RFD

  • ***very easy to over train and hard on joints

Controlled Rep (Classic Hypertrophy)

• 65-85% of 1RM

• slower but more reps so more time under tension

• improves tendon stiffness

• majority of adaptations formed are in the muscle itself, not the central nervous system

• Increases muscle size:

  • helps strengthen weakness, balances each side, can target specific needs

Teaching Squat Form

• Feet: flat, facing forward, shoulder width, COG

• through center

• Knees: straight

• Hips: posterior tilt

• Back: straight, tight, chest full of air, shoulders retracted

• Arms: elbows bent, “bending” bar over back

• Hands: outside shoulder width

• Head: neutral

• bar can be positioned low on back or high on back (low bar/high bar)

Teaching Bench Form

Set-up

• Feet: pulled back, under knees, COG on balls of feet

• Hips: butt on bench

• Back: shoulders retracted, scapula tucked, chest full of air

• Arms: straight, locked, wide enough for 90° bend

• Hands: tight grip, thumbs around bar

• Head: neutral

Teaching Deadlift Form

Set-up

• Feet: flat, facing forward, shoulder width, COG over center

• Back: straight, tight, flat, shoulders retracted and depressed

• Arms: straight, locked, tight

• Hands: tight grip, just outside of knees

• Head: neutral