Designing a Resistance Training Program
Athletes competing in different sports require various kinds of conditioning. For example, an offensive lineman in football needs more power and brute strength than a basketball player, who requires explosive power for cutting, sprinting, and jumping. A long distance runner needs high levels of muscle endurance to maintain stamina. The first step in creating an effective resistance training program is to evaluate the characteristics of the sport and determine what kind of strength is needed. The program should mimic the movement patterns of the sport as much as possible.
Determining an athlete’s health history and current level of fitness is the next step. Specific fitness and conditioning tests should be administered to measure strength, flexibility, power, speed, endurance, and body composition. The results will help in selecting strength objectives for the training program (Clover, 2001).
The third step in designing an efficient resistance program is choosing exercises that the athlete will perform. I suggest training with core exercises first. Core exercises incorporate one or more large muscle groups. With a strong core, an athlete is able to transfer energy and power from large to small body parts in a more efficient manner (“Functional Strength,” n.d.). Assistance exercises using smaller muscle groups (such as the biceps, triceps, abdominals, calves, etc.) can be added to the routine as well (Baechle & Earle, 2000). In order to prevent injuries among athletes, an effective program must utilize exercises that create balance throughout the body.
The fourth step in designing a program is determining training frequency. An individual’s experience and sport season influence the frequency of the program. While some athletes choose to lift three days a week, others benefit from a four to six day program. Each program must include at least one rest day before working the same muscle group again. An athlete’s sport season also affects the frequency of workouts. During the off-season, four to six sessions per week are recommended. In the pre-season, this drops to three to four sessions per week. In season, one to two workouts are suitable, as athletes are in a maintenance phase where they are retaining but not necessarily increasing strength. The final phase is post-season (active rest), where one to three sessions per week are recommended. It is important to note that the number of weight training sessions could be affected by other workouts, such as plyometric or speed sessions (Sport Fitness Advisor, 2006).
Step five in designing a resistance program is the exercise order. Although there are a number of techniques for arranging exercises (balancing the upper and lower body, performing push with pull exercises), I would suggest starting with power and core lifts and then performing assistance exercises. Core lifts (cleans, squats, bench press) require the highest level of skill and result in greater muscle fatigue. To avoid injury, these lifts should be performed while an athlete is fresh.
Step six involves determining the level of intensity (degree of effort) by assigning the proper load (amount of weight) to the exercises. An athlete’s personal goals, in addition to his or her physical abilities, determine the load. The number of repetitions is another key factor that must be considered. Many experts believe that sets of six repetitions should be performed for an athlete to experience maximal gains. Strength endurance, however, is developed through greater repetitions (twelve or more) with lighter loads. The load and repetition will once again depend on the athlete’s sport and strength objectives (Strength Training, 2006).
The last thing to consider with a resistance training program is the amount of rest. Rest is an integral part of the training program (Clover, 2001). Typically, the heavier the load, the longer the rest period the athlete will need. As athletes condition their bodies, they will be able to complete exercises with less rest. However, if they are performing with maximal effort and intensity, they will need longer rest periods to recover.
References
Baechle, T. & Earle, R. (2000). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Clover, J. (2001). Sports Medicine Essentials: Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Fitness Instruction. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Learning.
Functional Strength Training (n.d.)
Retrieved December 5, 2006 from http://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/content.cfm/functionalstrengthtraining_2
Sport Fitness Advisor (2006).
Retrieved December 7, 2006 from http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/content.cfm/resistance-training.htm
Strength Training (2006).
Retrieved December 11, 2006 from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/strengthtraining/page6em.htm