| Principle |
Description |
Example |
|
| |
 Frequency |
How often a
training exercise is carried out; usually the frequency
of training sessions. |
|
Three sessions
per week is typical for weight training. |
|
| |
| Intensity |
How 'Hard' a
session or exercise is |
|
Intensity measures
could be: weight or resistance used in strength training;
speed of completion of a run; 'perceived rating of exertion'
(PRE) |
|
|
| Duration |
.How long a
particular exercise takes |
|
Time for a jogging
session; number of 'sets' and 'repetitions' in resistance
training. |
|
|
|
| Overload |
You get little
body development unless you stress the body beyond it's
current capability; it's as if you develop only just
enough to do what you usually do. So fitness training
needs to push you beyond your current limits - to 'overload'
the current capability. |
|
To run a mile
comfortably, you might practice running two miles. To
shoot 60 arrows easily, you might practice regularly
with 100, shoot 50% faster than competition rate, or
do muscle training that substantially tires the shooting
muscles. |
|
|
| Reversibility
|
What training
can achieve, disuse can undo. Use it, or lose it! |
|
The classic example is the main energy store (specifically,
your glycogen reserve). This reserve is very susceptible
to training, and trained reserves can be triple the
normal reserve. But on disuse of even a few weeks,
the extra reserve just fades away. Easy come, easy
go.
The implications; Training programmes avoid
long breaks; long breaks (injury, holidays...) mean
restarting at a lower level of effort.
|
|
|
| Progression |
If overload
is necessary, what happens when your fitness improves
with training?
To keep developing, you need to keep overloading, and
that means the training load has to increase, or 'progress'.
|
|
Examples: Beginers
start with a light bow and 'progress' to heavier bows.
A weights regime progressively increases weights, repetitions,
or cuts rest time, depending on the intent. |
|
|
| Specificity |
Substantial
research
shows that training is extraordinarily specific
in its effect. Strength training does not add much endurance
and vice versa; training one muscle group has little
effect on others; training for one movement pattern
often does not transfer to even quite closely related
movements. |
|
Training to
lift dumbells makes you a better dumbell lifter. It
may have little or no effect on your shooting.
Implication: The intensity and duration of training
must match the sport closely, and it's important to
train the right muscle groups. |
|
|
