Training Principles and Adaptatins
Training principles
Overload principle
Exercising at intensites greater than normal stmmlates highly specifc adaptatons so the body
fmnctons more efcientlyy chieving the appropriate overload remires either manipmlatng training
fremency, intensity, and dmraton, or a combinaton of these factorsy The concept of individmalized
and progressive overload applies to athletes, sedentary persons, disabled persons, and even cardiac
patentsy
Lectmre: Regmlar overload: Yom shomld train on a certain threshold to become betery rogressiveness
is important, regmlarly pmsh mp the threshold by increasing the intensity, dmraton or fremencyy
Overload and progressive training form the fomndaton of all training programsy This principle states
that systematcally increasing the demands on the body is necessary for fmrther improvementy
Example: strength training program, to gain strength, the mmscles mmst be overloadedy rogressive
resistance training implies that as the mmscles become stronger, either increased resistance or
increased repettons are remired to stmmlate fmrther strength increasey With anaerobic and aerobic
training, training volmme (intensity and dmratonn can be increased progressivelyy
Specifcity principle
Exercise training specifcity refers to adaptatons in metabolic and physiologic fmnctons that depend
on the intensity, dmraton, fremency and mode of overload imposedy specifc intense overload of
short dmraton (strength-power trainingn indmces specifc strength-power adaptatons, while specifc
endmrance training elicits specifc aerobic system adaptatonsy There is also mmscle specifcity,
temporal specifcityy Specifc exercise elicits specifc adaptatons to promote specifc training efects
that prodmce specifc performance improvementsy In another easy-to-remember way: specifcity
refers to the specifc adaptatons to imposed demands (S IDn principley
Specifcity of VO2max: When training for specifc aerobic actvites smch as cycling, rmnning or
swimming, the overload mmst accomplish two objectves:
1y Engage the appropriate mmscles remired by the actvity
2y rovide an intensity at a level smfcient to stress the cardiovascmlar systemy
Litle improvement occmrs when measmring aerobic capacity with dissimilar actvites, the
greatest improvement occmrs when the test dmplicates the training exercisey
Specifcity of local changes: overloading specifc mmscle gromps with endmrance training
enhances performance and aerobic power by facilitatng oxygen transport and oxygen mse at
the local level of the trained mmsclesy For example: the vastms lateralis mmscle of well-trained
cyclists has greater oxidatve capacity than endmrance rmnners; oxidatve capacity in this
mmscle improves considerably following training on a bicycle ergometery Smch local metabolic
adaptatons increase the capacity of trained mmscles to generate T aerobically before
lactate starts to accmmmlatey The specifcity of aerobic improvement also may resmlt from
, greater regional blood fow in actve tssmes from three factors: 1n increased microcircmlaton,
2n more efectve redistribmton of cardiac omtpmt, 3n the combined efect of both factorsy
Regardless of the mechanism, these adaptatons occmr only in specifcally trained mmscles
and only become apparent in physical actvity that indicates this mmscmlatmrey
Lectmre: Specifcity: Yom adapt to the way yom trainy Which type of training, which energy system yom
mse, which sport yom mse and what tme yom trainy It is also important how yom train and how yom
measmrey Isometric training and isometric measmring will show a higher increase then concentric
training and isometric measmringy Specifcity in type of overload, mode of overload, energy system,
specifc mmscle msed, specifc contracton patern msed, etcy
Individmal diferences principle
ll individmals do not respond similarly to a given training stmmlmsy It depends on the inital level,
age, gender and genetcsy For example, a person’s relatve ftness level at the start of training exerts
an infmencey This smbprinciple of inital valmes reveals that individmals with lower ftness deliver the
greatest training improvementy When a relatve homogenoms gromp starts a training regimen, one
cannot expect each person to achieve the same state of ftness of exercise performance afer a few
weeksy So, optmal training benefts occmr when exercise programs focms on the individmal needs and
capacites of partcipantsy
Lectmre: Individmal diferences: Everyone will respond a litle bit diferently to the same training
programy It depends on the inital level, the genetcs, the age, the gender etcy
Heredity plays a major role in determining the body’s response to a single bomt of exercise, as well as
chronic changes to a training programy Variatons in cellmlar growth rates, metabolism, cardiovascmlar
and respiratory regmlaton, and nemral and endocrine regmlaton lead to tremendoms individmal
variatony When yom show great improvement afer a program, yom are a high responder, when litle
improvement then low respondery For this reasons, a training program need to take into accomnt the
specifc needs and abilites of the individmals for whom it is designedy
Reversibility principle
Detraining is loss of physiologic and performance adaptaton, and occmrs rapidly when a person
terminates partcipaton in regmlar physical actvityy Only 1 or 2 weeks of detraining redmces both
metabolic and exercise capacityy mong others, the VO2max decreases, the maximal stroke volmme
and cardiac omtpmt decreases and with that, the maximal aerobic power decreasesy dditonally, the
nmmber of capillaries decreasesy mong highly trained athletes, even the benefcial efects of many
years of prior training remain transient and reversibley For this reason, most athletes begin a
reconditoning program several months prior to the start of the compettve season, or at a
minimmm, maintain some moderate level of of-season, sport-specifc training to slow the
consemences of detrainingy
Lectmre: Reversibility: mse it or lose ity Yom can train yomr mmscles and they can become bigger, bmt if
yom stop training, yom will lose the big mmsclesy If yom don’t train for two weeks, yom need at least ten
weeks to recovery One month of detraining need fomr months to recovery fer months of
detraining everything is goney
Training principles
Overload principle
Exercising at intensites greater than normal stmmlates highly specifc adaptatons so the body
fmnctons more efcientlyy chieving the appropriate overload remires either manipmlatng training
fremency, intensity, and dmraton, or a combinaton of these factorsy The concept of individmalized
and progressive overload applies to athletes, sedentary persons, disabled persons, and even cardiac
patentsy
Lectmre: Regmlar overload: Yom shomld train on a certain threshold to become betery rogressiveness
is important, regmlarly pmsh mp the threshold by increasing the intensity, dmraton or fremencyy
Overload and progressive training form the fomndaton of all training programsy This principle states
that systematcally increasing the demands on the body is necessary for fmrther improvementy
Example: strength training program, to gain strength, the mmscles mmst be overloadedy rogressive
resistance training implies that as the mmscles become stronger, either increased resistance or
increased repettons are remired to stmmlate fmrther strength increasey With anaerobic and aerobic
training, training volmme (intensity and dmratonn can be increased progressivelyy
Specifcity principle
Exercise training specifcity refers to adaptatons in metabolic and physiologic fmnctons that depend
on the intensity, dmraton, fremency and mode of overload imposedy specifc intense overload of
short dmraton (strength-power trainingn indmces specifc strength-power adaptatons, while specifc
endmrance training elicits specifc aerobic system adaptatonsy There is also mmscle specifcity,
temporal specifcityy Specifc exercise elicits specifc adaptatons to promote specifc training efects
that prodmce specifc performance improvementsy In another easy-to-remember way: specifcity
refers to the specifc adaptatons to imposed demands (S IDn principley
Specifcity of VO2max: When training for specifc aerobic actvites smch as cycling, rmnning or
swimming, the overload mmst accomplish two objectves:
1y Engage the appropriate mmscles remired by the actvity
2y rovide an intensity at a level smfcient to stress the cardiovascmlar systemy
Litle improvement occmrs when measmring aerobic capacity with dissimilar actvites, the
greatest improvement occmrs when the test dmplicates the training exercisey
Specifcity of local changes: overloading specifc mmscle gromps with endmrance training
enhances performance and aerobic power by facilitatng oxygen transport and oxygen mse at
the local level of the trained mmsclesy For example: the vastms lateralis mmscle of well-trained
cyclists has greater oxidatve capacity than endmrance rmnners; oxidatve capacity in this
mmscle improves considerably following training on a bicycle ergometery Smch local metabolic
adaptatons increase the capacity of trained mmscles to generate T aerobically before
lactate starts to accmmmlatey The specifcity of aerobic improvement also may resmlt from
, greater regional blood fow in actve tssmes from three factors: 1n increased microcircmlaton,
2n more efectve redistribmton of cardiac omtpmt, 3n the combined efect of both factorsy
Regardless of the mechanism, these adaptatons occmr only in specifcally trained mmscles
and only become apparent in physical actvity that indicates this mmscmlatmrey
Lectmre: Specifcity: Yom adapt to the way yom trainy Which type of training, which energy system yom
mse, which sport yom mse and what tme yom trainy It is also important how yom train and how yom
measmrey Isometric training and isometric measmring will show a higher increase then concentric
training and isometric measmringy Specifcity in type of overload, mode of overload, energy system,
specifc mmscle msed, specifc contracton patern msed, etcy
Individmal diferences principle
ll individmals do not respond similarly to a given training stmmlmsy It depends on the inital level,
age, gender and genetcsy For example, a person’s relatve ftness level at the start of training exerts
an infmencey This smbprinciple of inital valmes reveals that individmals with lower ftness deliver the
greatest training improvementy When a relatve homogenoms gromp starts a training regimen, one
cannot expect each person to achieve the same state of ftness of exercise performance afer a few
weeksy So, optmal training benefts occmr when exercise programs focms on the individmal needs and
capacites of partcipantsy
Lectmre: Individmal diferences: Everyone will respond a litle bit diferently to the same training
programy It depends on the inital level, the genetcs, the age, the gender etcy
Heredity plays a major role in determining the body’s response to a single bomt of exercise, as well as
chronic changes to a training programy Variatons in cellmlar growth rates, metabolism, cardiovascmlar
and respiratory regmlaton, and nemral and endocrine regmlaton lead to tremendoms individmal
variatony When yom show great improvement afer a program, yom are a high responder, when litle
improvement then low respondery For this reasons, a training program need to take into accomnt the
specifc needs and abilites of the individmals for whom it is designedy
Reversibility principle
Detraining is loss of physiologic and performance adaptaton, and occmrs rapidly when a person
terminates partcipaton in regmlar physical actvityy Only 1 or 2 weeks of detraining redmces both
metabolic and exercise capacityy mong others, the VO2max decreases, the maximal stroke volmme
and cardiac omtpmt decreases and with that, the maximal aerobic power decreasesy dditonally, the
nmmber of capillaries decreasesy mong highly trained athletes, even the benefcial efects of many
years of prior training remain transient and reversibley For this reason, most athletes begin a
reconditoning program several months prior to the start of the compettve season, or at a
minimmm, maintain some moderate level of of-season, sport-specifc training to slow the
consemences of detrainingy
Lectmre: Reversibility: mse it or lose ity Yom can train yomr mmscles and they can become bigger, bmt if
yom stop training, yom will lose the big mmsclesy If yom don’t train for two weeks, yom need at least ten
weeks to recovery One month of detraining need fomr months to recovery fer months of
detraining everything is goney
