Resistance Training Programs

1. Resistance Training Programs Chapter 14:

2. Objectives • Define resistance training principles. • Review how and why resistance training should be performed. • Design, evaluate, and implement resistance training programs. • Evaluate clients’ resistance training needs and progress.

3. The History and Science behind Resistance Training • Thomas Delorme • A. L. Watkins • Patrick O’Shea • Richard Berger • Bob Hoffman • Joe and Ben Weider • ACSM’s Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise • NSCA’s Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

4. General Resistance Training Principles • Resistance exercise: single training session • Resistance training: overall program • General principles • Specificity of training • SAID principle • Progressive overload • Variation in training • Prioritization of training

5. Program Design Process • Identifying specific variables that can be controlled to predict training outcomes is key to improved program design. • Sound decisions must be made based on factual understanding of resistance training, the needs of the sport or activity, individual training responses, and testing data. • Planning and changing the exercise prescription is vital for success.

6. Program Design Process: Training Potential • Clients who are relatively deconditioned will see great gains initially. • As training progresses, gains decrease. • Gains are linked to the client’s genetic potential.

7. Program Design Process: Initial Assessments • Needs analysis • Intended time frame • Targeted areas or muscle groups • Health issues, musculoskeletal limitations, recent surgeries, chronic injuries, sites of pain, and so on

8. Program Design Process: Initial Assessments (cont.) • Learn about the client’s previous resistance exercise experience before designing a new program. • Conduct a baseline fitness assessment. • Initial determination of the level of the different fitness variables can help in the development of an effective training program.

9. Program Design Process: Follow-up Assessments • Keep records of your client’s progress. • Individualized training logs are a useful tool. • Reassess the client’s progress periodically. • Modify the program variables accordingly.

10. Program Design Process: Individualization • Modifications for client variability • Anatomical characteristics • Needs • Abilities • Training adaptations

11. Program Design Process: Client Feedback • Expressed verbally • Openly expressed • Solicited by Personal Trainer • Expressed physically • Physical signs of discomfort or pain • Reduction in technique

12. Program Design Process: Client Feedback (cont.) • Of special concern is careful and proper progression, especially in beginners or those coming off injury or disease. • Too much exercise, too heavy of exercise, and/or accentuated eccentric exercise can lead to an excessive amount of muscle tissue damage and breakdown. • Concern with rhabdomyolysis

13. Program Design Process: Client Feedback (cont.) • Symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a first sign that the individual has done too much too soon. • Swelling, pain, and soreness are classical signs of muscle tissue damage.

14. Program Design Process: Client Feedback (cont.) • Explain muscle group(s) the exercise is intended to target. • Watch for deterioration of technique — proper technique must always be a priority.

16. Program Design: Setting and Evaluating Goals • Need to individualize to client’s goals • Goals • Obtainable • Testable/measurable • Time frame • Realistic

17. Program Design: Maintenance of Training Goals • Capping • Value judgment of gains versus training time • Leads to maintenance training program • Decisions such as capping are part of the many types of decisions that must be made when monitoring the progress of resistance training programs.

18. Program Design: Unrealistic Goals • Genetic limitations • Lack of underlying scientific principles • Unrealistic body image • Lack of long-term commitment • Ultimately, for both men and women, it is a question of whether the resistance training program used can stimulate the desired changes in their body.

19. Resistance Training Modalities • Many training tools available • Choice depends on: • Client’s needs • Client’s goals • Client’s experiences • Client’s limitations

20. Resistance Training Modalities: Variable-Resistance Devices • Purpose is to alter resistance throughout the exercise’s ROM • Changes in strength curve • Ascending • Descending • Bell shaped • Lever arm, cam, or pulley arrangement • Elastic bands

21. Figure 14.3. Three basic strength curves exist for every exercise, with hybrids of them for certain movements.

22. Resistance Training Modalities: Dynamic Constant External Resistance Devices • External resistance does not change during each phase of the lift. • Dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) • Lifting (concentric) phase • Lowering (eccentric) phase • Types of devices: dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells, weight machines, medicine balls

23. Resistance Training Modalities: Dynamic Constant External Resistance Devices (cont.) • Free form exercises • Exercise stabilizing muscles • Operate in multiple dimensions • Almost unlimited range of motion • Easily adaptable to individual

24. Resistance Training Modalities: Static Resistance Devices • Muscular action that does not change muscle length • Immovable apparatus • Weak muscle group against strong • Strength gains less than 5% per week related to: • Action number • Action duration • Action strength (maximal or submaximal) • Training frequency

25. Resistance Training Modalities: Other Resistance Devices • Isokinetic devices control speed for maximum resistance: • Friction • Compressed air • Pneumatics • Hydraulics

26. Machines versus Free-Weight Exercises • Machines at comparative disadvantage • Do not fit all proportions • Do not allow full range of motion • Negate stabilizing muscles

27. Machines versus Free-Weight Exercises (cont.) • Machines • Allow greater independence • Are less intimidating • Do not allow power training • Do allow body movements that free weights do not

28. The Needs Analysis 1. What is the main goal of the resistance training program? 2. What muscle groups need to be trained? 3. What are the basic energy sources (e.g., anaerobic, aerobic) that need to be trained? 4. What type of muscle action (e.g., isometric, eccentric actions) should be used? 5. What are the primary sites of injury for the particular sport or prior injury history of the individual?

29. Resistance Training Goals • First question to ask a client relates to his or her main goal for resistance training. • Reviewing with client allows for discussion of realistic expectations and time commitments.

30. Biomechanical Analysis to Determine Which Muscles Need to Be Trained • Specificity • The joint around which movement occurs • The joint range of motion • The pattern of resistance throughout the range of motion (ascending, descending, or bell-shaped) • The pattern of limb velocity throughout the range of motion • Types of muscle contraction (e.g., concentric, eccentric, or isometric)

31. Transfer Specificity • Each resistance exercise will have various amounts of transfer to other activities. • No conditioning activity has perfect transfer. • Optimal training program needs to maximize carryover to the target sport or activity.

32. Determining the Energy Sources Used in the Activity • ATP metabolism • Anaerobic metabolism • Aerobic metabolism

33. Selecting a Resistance Modality • Most resistance training programs use several types of muscle actions: • Isometric • Dynamic concentric • Dynamic eccentric • Isokinetic

34. Injury Prevention Exercises • Enhance strength and function of tissue to: • Resist injury • Recover faster • Reduce extent of damage • Prehabilitation • Prevent injury by training susceptible joints and muscles • Prevent reinjury

35. The Acute Program Variables • The classical acute program variables are: • Choice of exercises • Order of exercises • Resistance and repetitions used • Number of sets for each exercise • Duration of rest period between sets and exercises

36. Choice of Exercises • Primary or assistance • Multijoint or single-joint • Single-joint or single-muscle group • Bilateral or unilateral

37. Order of Exercises 1. Large muscle group before small muscle group exercises 2. Multijoint before single-joint exercises 3. Alternating push/pull exercises for total body sessions 4. Alternating upper/lower body exercises for total body sessions

38. Order of Exercises (cont.) 5. Explosive/power type lifts (e.g., Olympic lifts) and plyometric exercises before basic strength and single-joint exercises 6. Exercises for priority weak areas before exercises for strong areas 7. Most intense to least intense (particularly when performing several exercises consecutively for the same muscle group)

39. Resistance and Repetitions used • Repetition maximum (RM) • Absolute resistance • Percentage of 1-RM

40. Number of Days per Week of Training (Frequency) • Depends on desired outcome, training status, competitive season (for athletes), and type of training session (full-body or split routine) • Health related: 2–3 days per week using a full-body resistance training program • Additional days may be needed for intermediate (4–5 d · wk−1) or advanced (4–6 d · wk−1).

44. Number of Sets for Each Exercise • Volume of exercise equation sets × reps × resistance • Long-term progression • Maintenance • Experience in training • Provide an appropriate training load

45. Duration of Rest Period between Sets and Exercises • Primary energy system (ATP) needs to be replenished. • The duration of the rest period significantly influences the metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular responses to a short-term bout of resistance exercise as well as the performance of subsequent sets. • Long versus short rest • Heavy versus moderate loading • Effects of aging

46. Duration of Rest Period between Sets and Exercises (cont.) • Rest periods can be characterized as: • Very short rest periods: 1 minute or shorter • Short rest periods: 1–2 minutes • Moderate rest periods: 2–3 minutes • Long rest periods: 3–4 minutes • Very long rest periods: 5 minutes or longer

47. Variation of Acute Program Variables • Variation addresses needed change in demands on neuromuscular system. • Light exercise can rest higher threshold motor units. • Motor recruitment follows the “size principle.” • Different loads can result in varying amounts and types of muscle tissue being used.

48. Muscle Actions • Muscles can produce force while performing one of three different actions: • When sufficient force is produced to overcome the external load and shorten the muscle, the actions is termed concentric muscle action or contraction. • If the muscle produces force but there is no change in length of the muscle, the action is termed isometric. • Production of force while the muscle is lengthening (i.e., resisting the movement) is termed eccentric muscle action.

49. True Repetition and Range of Movement • Muscle actions involving joint movement are dynamic: • Concentric phase • Eccentric phase • Importance of using entire range of motion

50. Periodization of Exercise • Periodization — systematic changes in prescribed volume and intensity during different phases of resistance training program • Hypertrophy • Strength/power • Peaking • Recovery