Strength Concepts Strength Concepts

What is Strength?What is Strength?

•Classically, strength is defined as Classically, strength is defined as the ability of a given muscle or the ability of a given muscle or group of muscles to generate group of muscles to generate muscular force under specific muscular force under specific

conditions (Siff, 1999).conditions (Siff, 1999).

Fundamental Principle of Fundamental Principle of Strength TrainingStrength Training

•All strength increase is All strength increase is initiated by neuromuscular initiated by neuromuscular

stimulation (Fleck & Kramer, stimulation (Fleck & Kramer, 1997).1997).

More Definitions…….More Definitions…….

•Functional Muscular Action Functional Muscular Action (functional effect)(functional effect)

•Muscle Hypertrophy Muscle Hypertrophy (structural effect)(structural effect)

•Functional Resistance TrainingFunctional Resistance Training

•Structural Resistance TrainingStructural Resistance Training

Types of Strength TrainingTypes of Strength Training

•Fundamental Strength MovementsFundamental Strength Movements

Isometrics, Isotonics, Variable Isometrics, Isotonics, Variable Resistance,Resistance,

Isokinetics, EccentricIsokinetics, Eccentric

•Specific Strength TrainingSpecific Strength Training

Hypertrophy, Strength, Speed-Hypertrophy, Strength, Speed-strength,strength,

Strength-endurance, enduranceStrength-endurance, endurance

Basic Periodization PrinciplesBasic Periodization Principles(Bompa, 2001)(Bompa, 2001)

• Anatomical Adaptation:Anatomical Adaptation:Foundation on which the other phases Foundation on which the other phases

of training are based. Progressive of training are based. Progressive adaptation of an athlete’s body.adaptation of an athlete’s body.

Higher volume of training with low to Higher volume of training with low to medium loads to aid integrity not medium loads to aid integrity not only muscle tissue, but ligaments, only muscle tissue, but ligaments, tendons, bone, and joint capsulestendons, bone, and joint capsules

Basic Periodization Basic Periodization PrinciplesPrinciples

•HypertrophyHypertrophy

Enlargement in muscle size, through Enlargement in muscle size, through increasing the cross-sectional area of increasing the cross-sectional area of muscle. Unlike bodybuilding, muscle. Unlike bodybuilding, hypertrophy training for selected hypertrophy training for selected sports focuses mainly on increasing sports focuses mainly on increasing the size of prime movers.the size of prime movers.

Basic Periodization Basic Periodization PrinciplesPrinciples

• Maximum StrengthMaximum Strength

Develop highest level of force Develop highest level of force possible to aid in creating sport possible to aid in creating sport specific strengthspecific strength

Basic Periodization Basic Periodization PrinciplesPrinciples

• PowerPower Ability of neuromuscular system to Ability of neuromuscular system to

produce the greatest possible force in produce the greatest possible force in the shortest period of timethe shortest period of time

Fast, ballistic application of force. Fast, ballistic application of force. Load – standard weight of the Load – standard weight of the

implementsimplements Repetitions discontinue as movement Repetitions discontinue as movement

speed declinesspeed declines

Physiology of MovementPhysiology of Movement

• Connective TissueConnective Tissue

• Nervous SystemNervous System

• MuscleMuscle

Connective TissueConnective Tissue

• Role: passively stabilize the joints, Role: passively stabilize the joints, facilitating contact between parts facilitating contact between parts and absorbing shockand absorbing shock

• Tendons, ligaments, joint capsules Tendons, ligaments, joint capsules only display significant adaptation only display significant adaptation and hypertrophy after several weeks and hypertrophy after several weeks or months of progressive loading or months of progressive loading (McDonagh & Davies, 1984)(McDonagh & Davies, 1984)

Nervous SystemNervous System

• Neuromuscular system is Neuromuscular system is fundamental to all training (Siff, fundamental to all training (Siff, 2000)2000)

• Major adaptation is developing the Major adaptation is developing the ability to recruit all motor units ability to recruit all motor units needed to perform a taskneeded to perform a task

• Neural adaptations make up for most Neural adaptations make up for most of strength gains in first 2-8 weeks of of strength gains in first 2-8 weeks of strength trainingstrength training

MuscleMuscle

• Highly innervated and very well Highly innervated and very well nourishednourished

• Muscle tissue adapts much quicker to Muscle tissue adapts much quicker to resistance training than does connective resistance training than does connective tissue, thus an overemphasis on muscle tissue, thus an overemphasis on muscle strengthening can compromise strengthening can compromise connective tissue, and produce a connective tissue, and produce a complex that is more prone to injurycomplex that is more prone to injury

Program Characteristics for Program Characteristics for Basic Goals in Resistance Basic Goals in Resistance

TrainingTraining1 Rep Max (RM)Strength1 Rep Max (RM)Strength

*Choice of exercise,the specific movement patterns, and types of muscle action

*Exercises to be emphasized are performed early in training session

*HEAVY resistances (<6RM)*Mod to Long Rests (>2m)*Mod to High # of sets (4-10) for primary

specific exercises (the squat), low to mod # of sets (1-3) for assistance exercises

PowerPower

• Multi-joint structural movements (Oly type Multi-joint structural movements (Oly type exercises) Eccentric actions not exercises) Eccentric actions not emphasizedemphasized

• Performed early in Training SessionPerformed early in Training Session

• High-Intensity (<10RM)High-Intensity (<10RM)

• Rarely more than 5 repsRarely more than 5 reps

• Moderate to long rest periods (>2m)Moderate to long rest periods (>2m)

• Mod to High # of sets (4-10)Mod to High # of sets (4-10)

HypertrophyHypertrophy

• Large variety of exercisesLarge variety of exercises

• Large variety of exercise orderLarge variety of exercise order

• Concentric and eccentric actionsConcentric and eccentric actions

• Moderate to High intensity (6-12RM)Moderate to High intensity (6-12RM)

• Higher number of repsHigher number of reps

• Short rest periods (<1.5m)Short rest periods (<1.5m)

• High total # of sets/ muscle or group High total # of sets/ muscle or group (>3)(>3)

Muscular EnduranceMuscular Endurance

• Choice of exercise needed for Choice of exercise needed for specific sportspecific sport

• Low intensity (12-20RM)Low intensity (12-20RM)

• Moderate rest periods (2-3m) for long Moderate rest periods (2-3m) for long rep sets (>20) and short rest periods rep sets (>20) and short rest periods (45sec) for lower rep sets (12-19)(45sec) for lower rep sets (12-19)

• Moderate # of sets (2-3)Moderate # of sets (2-3)

Variable Strength PowerHyper-trophy Endurance

Load (% of 1 RM) 80 - 100 70 - 100 60 - 80 40 - 60

Repetitions per set 1 - 5 1 - 5 8 - 15 25 - 60

Sets per exercise 3 - 5 3 - 5 4 - 8 2 - 4

Rest between sets (mins) 2 - 6 2 - 6 2 - 5 1 -2

Duration (secs per set) 5 - 10 4 - 8 20 - 60 80 - 150

Speed per rep (% of max) 60 - 100 90 - 100 60 - 90 6 - 80

Training sessions per week 3 - 6 3 - 6 5 - 7 8 -14

Designing a ProgramDesigning a Program

• Needs AnalysisNeeds Analysis

• What phase of training is the athlete What phase of training is the athlete in?in?

• What muscles need to be trained?What muscles need to be trained?

• What energy sources will be utilized?What energy sources will be utilized?

• What movements are related to What movements are related to performance?performance?

Other ConsiderationsOther Considerations

• TrainabilityTrainability• Neuromuscular Neuromuscular

EfficiencyEfficiency• Biomechanical Biomechanical

EfficiencyEfficiency• Psychological Psychological

FactorsFactors• Injury and Fear of Injury and Fear of

InjuryInjury• FatigueFatigue

Periodization ModelsPeriodization Models

Conjugated vs. Complex & Conjugated vs. Complex & RehabilitationRehabilitation

Complex TrainingComplex Training

• The concurrent and parallel training The concurrent and parallel training of several motor abilities with the of several motor abilities with the intention of producing multi-faceted intention of producing multi-faceted development of physical fitness.development of physical fitness.

• May be appropriate for lower level May be appropriate for lower level athletes, but may have negative athletes, but may have negative influence on highly trained influence on highly trained individualsindividuals

Conjugated TrainingConjugated Training

• Extension of Complex Training focusing Extension of Complex Training focusing on the elite athlete.on the elite athlete.

• Overlapping of several different training Overlapping of several different training variables (hypertrophy,strength,etc.), variables (hypertrophy,strength,etc.), each of which has a different training each of which has a different training objective.objective.

• At any time, a different proportion of At any time, a different proportion of each type of training is provided, but at each type of training is provided, but at no stage is there only one type of no stage is there only one type of training.training.

Advantages of Complex Advantages of Complex

• Simple designSimple design

• Effective for Effective for beginning clients beginning clients or athletesor athletes

• Useful for athletes Useful for athletes training 1 or 2 training 1 or 2 days/ weekdays/ week

Advantages of ConjugatedAdvantages of Conjugated

• Produces a specific Produces a specific training effecttraining effect

• Preserves Preserves magnitude of magnitude of training effecttraining effect

• More effective for More effective for highly trainedhighly trained

Points to Remember!Points to Remember!

• The long term use of The long term use of the same training the same training variable, even if variable, even if volume is increased, volume is increased, will will notnot increase increase one’s level of special one’s level of special fitness and will fitness and will decreasedecrease the the existing level of existing level of maximum strength…maximum strength…

Rehabilitative/Corrective Rehabilitative/Corrective ExerciseExercise

• Imperative to Imperative to strengthen integrity of strengthen integrity of connective tissueconnective tissue

• 4 Phases of 4 Phases of RehabilitationRehabilitation

• Quality of Movement Quality of Movement Biomechanical Biomechanical limitationslimitations

• Transfer to sport Transfer to sport specificspecific

Concepts for Athletic Concepts for Athletic TrainersTrainers

• Understanding of Understanding of FundamentalsFundamentals

• Creating a Creating a Continuum in Continuum in RehabilitationRehabilitation

• Increased Increased knowledge base = knowledge base = increased increased marketabilitymarketability