Training Principles & Methods

1. Training Principles & Methods • To bring about long term or chronic training effects the individual must adhere to certain training principles and methods. • Without these principles and methods training effects will be less than optimal. • Training therefore needs to be planned and based on the correct principles and methods. • The stress placed on the body from training has a catabolic or destructive effect and recovery time is needed to allow the body to respond / improve.

2. Training Principles • Remember : FIDSOP • Frequency • Intensity • Duration • Specificity • Overload (progressive) • Periodisation

3. Training Principles • Frequency : • The no. of training days per week. • Aerobic - 3\7 Anaerobic - 3\5 • (An important factor in any program is rest. Therefore a program that does not include rest days is likely to create an overtraining situation. Sufficient rest days in between training sessions should always be included.) • Intensity : • How hard the sessions is. Measured by heart rate. • Training threshold, target heart rate, threshold intensity, or aerobic thresholdrefer to : The minimum heart rate at which the training effect begins. • Aerobic - 70 % of max heart rate. • Anaerobic – 85 – 90 % of max heart rate. • Training zone : Refers to the intensity range where training effects are expected. • Aerobic - 70 - 85% of max heart rate (MHR). Recovery : < 70% • Anaerobic –Lactic acid 85 – 95% of max heart rate. ATP-CP – 95-100 % Recovery : < 70% • The upper limit of the aerobic training zone is known as the anaerobic threshold. Generally this occurs at 85 % of MHR but can be lower for untrained individuals or higher for trained athletes. For a 20 year old subject the aerobic training zone is between 140 & 180 bpm. 180 bpm also represents his anaerobic threshold. As the subject ages, all of these figures decrease. (See above)

4. Training Principles cont.. • Duration: • The minimum number of weeks a program should run or the length of the training session to see appreciable gains. • Minimum of 6 weeks for both aerobic and anaerobic training. • Aerobic – 12-16 weeks and between 70-85% of MHR for 20- 30 minutes. • Anaerobic - 8-10 weeks. No specific time frame indicated for sessions. • Specificity: • Training should be specific to the intended performance. ie Training should simulate as much as possible the actual performance. • Overload (progressive): • Athlete should aim to train a little harder at regular intervals to force the body to adapt to the unaccustomed stress. The changes should be moderate and progressive with only one parameter changed at a time. If the overload is excessive then overtraining and injury may result. Under-load will result in no improvement and possible de-training • The ideal time to overload is at the peak of the overcompensation effect.

5. Training Principles cont.. • Diminishing returns :Beginners experience substantial gains whereas the fitter athlete experiences smaller and smaller gains performance. As the athlete approaches his genetic potential training gains deminish. • Detraining / Reversability: Gains made from training will be lost within 4-8 weeks. Minimal losses can be expected in the first 1-2 weeks out of training. When training effects are lost the same amount of training will be required to regain the losses. • Periodisation:Trainingis broken down into blocks of intense training followed by a week of light training followed by overload. (See training management section) • Other less important principles include: • Generalisation before specialisation. • Right practice makes perfect. • Variety adds spice. • Maintenance : Training effects can be maintained with 2 sessions / week at optimal intensity.