Developing Muscular Strength and Endurance
Vocabulary
Muscle fatigue: A condition in which the muscle is no longer able to contract; usually caused by a lack of energy due to overexertion.
Components of a Weight-Training Program
Overload
Progression
Specificity
Regularity
Recovery
Balance
Variety
Overload
Increase amount of activity
Weight
Duration
Speed
Distance
Progression
Gradually increase amount and type of stimulus applied to each exercise
Specificity
Type of training will affect how the body changes
Regularity
Evenly spaced practice sessions
Three times a week
Recovery
Rest needed for recovery
Recovery aids progression
Balance
Work all of the major muscle groups in upper and lower body
Work opposite sides of muscle groups
Variety
Variety produces better results; prevents boredom
Change the exercises
Alter the volume and intensity
Use different equipment
The FITT Principle
A complete weight-training program works all of the major muscle groups
8-10 exercises for a complete workout
Use the FITT principle to set up workout parameters
F
Frequency
I
Intensity
T
Time
T
Type
Developing Muscular Strength
Weight
Should be relatively heavy
Challenging
Still allow proper form
Developing Muscular Strength
Choosing the right weight
Light enough to perform 3-7 repetitions correctly
Heavy enough so the eighth repetition would be impossible
Muscle fatigue
0-2 Reps
Too heavy
3-7 Reps
Just right
8+ Reps
Too light
3 work outs per muscle group a week
At least one of day rest between each
3-5 set of each lift
Monday
3-7 Reps
3-5 Sets
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
3-7 Reps
3-5 Sets
Thursday
Rest
Friday
3-7 Reps
3-5 Sets
Frequency
3 workouts per muscle group each week
Intensity
Relatively heavy weight
Time
3-5 Sets
3-7 Reps
Type
Building muscular strength
Developing Muscular Endurance
Select weight that can be lifted for 12 - 20 repetitions
If weight can be lifted for 20 reps over three sets
Increase amount of weight
3-5 workouts per muscle group a week
Fewer workouts for compound exercises
At least one day of rest between each
2-4 sets of each lift
Monday
12-20 Reps
2-4 Sets
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
12-20 Reps
2-4 Sets
Thursday
Rest
Friday
12-20 Reps
2-4 Sets
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
12-20 Reps
2-4 sets
Frequency
3-5 workouts per muscle group each week
Intensity
Relatively light weight
Time
2-4 Sets
12-20 Reps
Type
Building muscular endurance
Developing Muscular Strength AND Endurance
3 workouts per muscle group a week
At least one day of rest between each
For each lift:
8-12 max Reps
2-4 Sets
Monday
8-12 Reps
2-4 Sets
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
8-12 Reps
2-4 Sets
Thursday
Rest
Friday
8-12 Reps
2-4 Sets
Frequency
3 workouts per muscle group each week
Intensity
Moderate weight
Time
2-4 Sets
8-12 Reps
Type
Building muscular strength and endurance
Methods of Assessment
Assessing muscular strength
Maxing out
Prediction of 1 rep max
Assessing muscular endurance
Fixed percentage of 1 rep max method
Absolute method
Callisthenic type tests
Maxing Out
Do a one repetition max (1 RM)
“Maxing out” means lifting the heaviest weight possible
1 RM
Must maintain lift form
Benefit
No calculation or estimation
Drawback
Possibly inaccurate
Affected by illness or discomfort
How to Max Out
1 warm-up set
8-10 reps
40% to 50% of predicted max
1 complete set
5-7 reps
80% of predicted max
1 rep with attempted max
Add light weight after each successful max attempt until failure
3 minutes rest between each attempt
Predicting 1 RM
Uses percentage of weight and reps to predict 1 RM
Charts and calculators are available
Books
Online
Benefit
No worrying of selecting wrong weight for the max attempt
Drawback
There are questions on accuracy since muscular endurance plays a role
75 lbs for 9 repetitions
96-lb for 1 RM
180 lbs for 8 repetitions
223-lb 1 RM
256 lbs for 3 repetitions
271-lb 1 RM
Fixed Percentage of 1 RM Method
Use 50%-70% of the 1 RM and perform as many reps as possible before failure
Absolute Method
Use a fixed amount of weight
Perform as many successful attempts as possible until muscle failure
Callisthenic Type Test
Measurement exercises
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Curl-ups
Size is a factor in ability
Longer arms
More body weight