Chapter 13Resistance-Training Concepts

Objectives

• After this presentation, the participant will be able to:– Describe the stages of the general adaptation

syndrome.– Define and describe the principle of specificity

and adaptation.– Define stability, muscular endurance,

hypertrophy, strength, and power.

Introduction

• The final component of the workout template

• Generally seen as the most important component

• Without a proper assessment and flexibility protocol and attention to the client’s goal(s), can become more of a hindrance than help

Adaptation

• Adaptation is the most common driving force for most clients and training programs– Cosmetic, health, or performance related

• Benefits– Improve cardiovascular efficiency– Increase lean body mass– Decrease body fat– Increase metabolic efficiency– Increase tissue tensile strength– Increase bone density– Improve endocrine and serum lipid adaptations

General Adaptation Syndrome

• Human movement system (HMS) seeks to maintain physiologic balance (homeostasis).

The Principle of Adaptation

• Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID Principle) – HMS specifically adapts to the type of

demand placed on it.

The Principle of Overload

• The training principle that implies that there must be a training stimulus provided that exceeds the current capabilities of the kinetic chain to elicit optimum adaptations.*

Principle of Specificity

• Mechanical specificity refers to the weight and movements placed on the body .

– To develop muscular endurance of the legs requires light weights and high repetitions when performing leg-related exercises. To develop maximal strength in the chest, heavy weights must be used during chest-related exercises.

– Neuromuscular specificity refers to the speed of contraction and exercise selection

Principle of Specificity

– Metabolic specificity refers to the energy demand placed on the body.

• To develop endurance, training will require prolonged bouts of exercise, with minimal rest periods between sets.

• Endurance training primarily uses aerobic pathways to supply energy for the body.

• To develop maximal strength or power, training will require longer rest periods, so the intensity of each bout of exercise remains high.

• Energy will be supplied primarily via the anaerobic pathways

General Adaptation Syndrome

– The general adaptation syndrome (GAS) is a term used to describe how the body responds and adapts to stress. In this case the stress being placed on the body is the weight being lifted during resistance training.

– GAS is important in understanding the reasoning for periodizing fitness training. There is an optimum time to participate in a specific program which is about 3-6 weeks. If you continue doing the same type of exercise beyond this time period, moving into the exhaustion stage and incurring injury will be unavoidable.

– Three stages of response to stress:

• Alarm reaction

• Resistance development

• Exhaustion

Alarm Reaction Stage

• The alarm reaction is the initial reaction to a stressor. The alarm reaction activates a number of physiological and psychological protective processes within the body.

• 1-2 weeks• During the alarm stage of resistance training,

numerous physiologic responses occur, including an increase in oxygen and blood supply as well as neural recruitment to the working muscles.

Resistance Development Stage

– During the resistance development stage, the body increases its functional capacity to adapt to the stressor.

– 3-6 weeks – After repeated training sessions, the human

movement system will increase its capability to efficiently recruit muscle fibers and distribute oxygen and blood to the proper areas in the body.

Exhaustion Stage

• Prolonged stress or intolerable amounts of stress can lead to exhaustion or distress. When a stressor is too much for any one of the physiologic systems to handle, it causes a breakdown or injury such as:

– Stress fractures

– Muscle strains

– Joint pain

– Emotional fatigue

– Greater than 6 weeks will put you at risk for entering the exhaustion stage.

Progressive Strength Adaptations

• Definition of Strength– The ability of the neuromuscular system to

produce internal tension (in the muscles and connective tissue that pull on the bones) to overcome an external force

Strength Adaptations

• Five main categories – Stabilization– Muscular Endurance– Muscular Hypertrophy– Strength– Power– All occur in a progressive sequence:

• Stabilization before strength• Strength before power

Stabilization-

- Must be established before training for other adaptations because it specifically focuses on the recruitment of tissues in the body responsible for postural stability with the appropriate amounts of stress

-- Know progressions for stabilization can be important too. For instance when doing the two arm ball chest press, which is the stabilization exercise* shown below, a progression can be to alternate arms.*

Muscular Endurance

• The ability to maintain force production for prolonged periods

• Helps increase core and joint stabilization• Resistance training protocols using high repetitions are

the most effective way to improve muscular endurance• Muscular endurance is a goal of the Stabilization Phase*

Hypertrophy

• The enlargement of skeletal muscle fibers in response to increased volumes of tension

• Muscle fibers must be recruited to induce hypertrophy – Provides the necessary information as to why

clients should start and revisit the stabilization period of training before entering into the strength period

Strength

• Strength adaptations provide the necessary progression from the stabilization adaptations of training to increase the stress placed on the body, allowing for new adaptations to be achieved.

• Heavier weights and higher volumes of training are used to increase the recruitment, synchronization, and firing rate of motor units, while placing necessary mechanical stress on the muscles to force increase size and strength.

Power• The ability of the neuromuscular system to produce the

greatest possible force in the shortest possible time. • An increase in either force or velocity will produce an increase

in power. • Achieved by increasing the weight (force) or the speed with

which a weight is moved (velocity).

Resistance Training Systems

• Single-Set System• Multiple-Set System• Pyramid System• Superset System• Circuit-Training System• Peripheral Heart Action System• Split-Routine System• Vertical and Horizontal Loading

Single-Set System

• One set of each exercise

• Good for new, deconditioned clients* – Allows for proper adaptive responses of the

connective tissue and nervous system before engaging in more rigorous training systems.

– As beneficial as multiple-set training for beginning clients.

Multiple-Set System

• Multiple sets of each exercise – Superior to single-set training for the

advanced client.

Pyramid System

             

10-12 Repetitions

8

6

4

2

1Light to Heavy Heavy to Light

 

Superset System

• Two exercises performed in rapid succession

• Uses independent systems with similar principles– Tri-Set System

• Three exercises in rapid succession

– Giant-Set System• More than three exercises in rapid succession

Drop-set System

• Performing a set to failure, then removing a small percentage of the load (5–20%) and continuing with the set for a small number of repetitions.

• Advanced form of resistance training suitable for experienced lifters.

Circuit-Training System

• A series of exercises performed one after the other with minimal rest

• Ideal for those with limited time and those who want to alter body composition

Circuit-Training System

Peripheral Heart Action System

• Variation of circuit training

• Alternates upper and lower body exercises

• Distributes blood flow between the upper and lower extremities

• PHAS is great for clients over 55* or any special populations client and for altering body composition

Peripheral Heart Action System

• It is important to note that in designing PHAS strength circuits, be sure to include strength exercises which are typically done in a seated position on a stable surface.*

Vertical Loading

• Progresses a workout vertically down the OPT™ template

Horizontal Loading

• Perform all sets of an exercise or body part before moving on to the next exercise or body part.*

Split-Routine System

• Training different body parts on separate days

• More work can be performed for the allotted time per workout

Split-Routine System

Summary

• The OPT™ method follows a progressive, systematic approach that enables the fitness professional to make consistent gains with all clients through training manipulations to achieve various goals.

• It is critical to develop appropriate stabilization before performing exercises with heavy load (strength) or high velocity (power).

• There are many training systems that can be used to structure a resistance-training program for different effects including single-set, multiple-set, pyramid system, circuit training, peripheral heart action, split-routine, vertical loading, and horizontal loading.