The SAID Principle & Aerobic/Anaerobic Training
There are many basic principles of physical training an athlete must utilize for optimal results within their training program. The SAID Principle, the principle of specific adaptations to imposed demands is the foundation for sport specific training. Specific adaptations are known to take place in the human body in response to specific types of stimuli. The SAID Principle is the bases for physiological changes due to the imposed demands of the specific training stimuli.
An athlete must design a training program in order to meet the needs of their specific sport. Specific adaptations observed in athletes are directly related to the quality and specificity of the aerobic & anaerobic stimulus within their training programs. Optimal adaptations reflect careful planning, implementing and performance of conditioning and strength programs. Other factors like the athletes’ age, sex, nutrition, motivation and prior fitness level prior to training can also have an impact on training adaptations.
Below is a list of specific adaptations that are acquired due to the imposed demands of aerobic & anaerobic training. Athletes should keep these in mind when creating a sports specific training program.
Performance
- Muscle endurance: Increases during anaerobic (high power output) and increases during aerobic (low power output).
- Muscle strength: No change during aerobic and increases during anaerobic.
- Vertical jump: No change during aerobic and increases during anaerobic.
- Aerobic power: Increases during aerobic and no change or slight increase during anaerobic.
- Sprint speed: No change or improvement slightly during aerobic and increases during anaerobic.
- Anaerobic power: No change during aerobic and increases during anaerobic.
Body Composition
- Fat free mass: No change during aerobic and increases during anaerobic.
- Percent body fat: Decreases during aerobic and anaerobic.
Muscle Fiber
- Capillary density: No change or decreases during anaerobic and increases during aerobic.
- Fiber size: Increases during anaerobic and no change or increases slightly during aerobic.
- Fast heavy chain myosin: Increases during anaerobic and no change or decreases during aerobic.
- Type II muscle fiber subtype conversion: Almost all convert to type II during anaerobic and majority convert to type II during aerobic.
- Mitochondrial density: Decreases during anaerobic and increases during aerobic.
Bone & Connective Tissue
- Bone density: No change or increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Collagen content: Varies during aerobic and may increase during anaerobic.
- Ligament strength: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Tendon strength: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
Metabolic Energy Stores
- Stored Creatine Phosphate: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Stored ATP: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Stored Triglycerides: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Stored Glycogen: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
Enzyme Activity
- Myokinase: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Creatine phosphokinase: Increases during both aerobic and anaerobic.
- Lactate dehydrogenase: Varies during aerobic and no change or varies during anaerobic.
- Phosphofructokinase: Varies during aerobic and no change or varies during anaerobic.
References
Baechle, T.R. & Earle, R.W. (2000). Editors, 2 nd Ed. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. NSCA-National Strength & Conditioning Association. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Foran, B. (2001). Editor. High-Performance Sports Conditioning. Modern Training for Ultimate Athletic Development. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Ward, R. & Ward, P. (1991). Encyclopedia of Weight Training. Understanding the Scientific, Theoretical and Practical Basis of Weight Training. Laguna Hills, CA: QPT Publications.