The Science of Training

The Scientific Principles of Training

• The scientific principles of training guide the planning of fitness training programs to improve performance, skill, game ability, and physical fitness.
• A successful training program should be designed based on individual needs, including age, gender, fitness level, and fitness goals.
• The overload principle states that physical fitness can be improved by increasing the demands placed on the muscles systematically and progressively over time.
• To increase physical capacity, muscles must be taxed beyond their accustomed loads.
• The specificity of training principle requires that the type of training should be specific to individual needs and goals.
• Muscular fitness has two components: muscular strength and muscular endurance, and to target one of the components requires specificity of training.
• The principle of individuality states that every individual is unique and will respond differently to the same training stimulus.
• Biological age, training age, gender, body size and shape, and past injuries could influence individual differences in response to training.
• The principle of progression implies that to achieve desired training adaptations, the training stimulus must gradually and constantly increase.
• Overload must occur at an optimal level and time frame to achieve the desired training adaptations.
• The principle of diminishing returns suggests that performance gains are related to the level of training of an individual.
• The gains in performance will be much harder to obtain as a person nears their genetic potential, and the key is to continue to show progress in areas of weaknesses.

The Scientific Principles of Training

• The scientific principles of training guide the planning of fitness training programs to improve performance, skill, game ability, and physical fitness.
• A successful training program should be designed based on individual needs, including age, gender, fitness level, and fitness goals.
• The overload principle states that physical fitness can be improved by increasing the demands placed on the muscles systematically and progressively over time.
• To increase physical capacity, muscles must be taxed beyond their accustomed loads.
• The specificity of training principle requires that the type of training should be specific to individual needs and goals.
• Muscular fitness has two components: muscular strength and muscular endurance, and to target one of the components requires specificity of training.
• The principle of individuality states that every individual is unique and will respond differently to the same training stimulus.
• Biological age, training age, gender, body size and shape, and past injuries could influence individual differences in response to training.
• The principle of progression implies that to achieve desired training adaptations, the training stimulus must gradually and constantly increase.
• Overload must occur at an optimal level and time frame to achieve the desired training adaptations.
• The principle of diminishing returns suggests that performance gains are related to the level of training of an individual.
• The gains in performance will be much harder to obtain as a person nears their genetic potential, and the key is to continue to show progress in areas of weaknesses.

Muscular Strength Training: Mode, Resistance, Sets and Frequency

• The Principle of Reversibility states that when a person stops training, the gains achieved will return to the original level.
• The decrease in performance is directly related to inactivity of the muscles that have been atrophied from nonuse.
• Two basic training methods are used to improve strength: isometric and dynamic.
• Isometric exercise involves pushing or pulling against immovable objects, while dynamic exercise requires movement with the muscle contraction.
• Isometric training remains beneficial in sports such as gymnastics that require static contractions during routines.
• Dynamic exercise can be conducted without weights or with free weights, fixed resistance machines, variable-resistance machines, and isokinetic equipment.
• Dynamic training has two action phases: concentric or positive resistance and eccentric or negative resistance.
• The mode of training depends mainly on the type of equipment available and the specific objective of the training program.
• Dynamic training is the most popular mode for strength training because most daily activities are dynamic in nature.
• Improvements in dynamic exercise are measured easily by the amount lifted.
• Plate-loaded barbells were the most popular weight training equipment available during the first half of the 20th century, while strength training machines became popular in the 1970s.
• There is a debate over which of the two training modalities, free weights or machines, is better.