Reversibility is the fact that when training stops the adaptations made are lost. Adaptations are generally lost at a similar rate to which they were gained. So if an athlete has put on 10Kg of muscle in 1 month, then gets injured they will lose the muscle very quickly. However, if the athlete as developed that muscle slowly over 6 months or maintained their muscle gain for 6 months then the loss occurs at a slower rate. The more adaptations that have happened the more you have to lose. So elite level athletes tend to lose more than a recreational athlete because they have more to lose. Athletes need to avoid the reversibility that will occur if training ceases. Training can cease for multiple reasons, the two main reasons are: injury and the end of a season. Reversibility can be avoided by maintaining some level of training during the off-season or when injured. This is more problematic for an injured person, but can be achieved by training the uninjured parts of the body while recovering. Show For aerobic training the effects of reversibility can be seen 4-6 weeks after training stops. Reversibility can be avoided by maintaining 2 sessions of aerobic training each week. For resistance training reversibility can normally be seen in 2 weeks. The effects can be avoided by maintaining 1 session a week at the same intensity as previous training.
With 79% of adults participating in sport and recreation activities every week and 34.9% of adults currently signed up to a fitness club or center, it’s fair to say that physical activity plays a large role in peoples lives in New Zealand. Whether people take part in activity for enjoyment or because they’re aiming to achieve a specific goal, exercise will place stress on our bodies. Understanding exercise principles allows trainers to monitor the stress (exercise load) placed upon their client in order to make the training safe and effective, helping the client to achieve their goals. So let’s take a look at the principles, their definitions and what they actually mean in lay terms. IndividualisationExercise should be specific to the individual completing the training. People respond differently to exercise so in order to maximise the benefits, therefore training programmes should be built around the person’s needs and capabilities. SpecificityExercise should be specific to the client’s goals, needs and capabilities. Our bodies response to training is based on the specific stimulus (training) applied. So, to increase adaptation (results) exercise should be specific to an individual’s goals, tasks, movements and capabilities. OverloadExercise should overload the body in order for a positive adaptation to occur. For the body to adapt it needs to be overloaded. This means it needs to be placed under greater stress than it is accustomed to. This is accomplished by using the F.I.T.T principle to make the body do more than it has done before. F = Frequency of training I = Intensity of training T = Type of training T = Time of training (duration) Progressive OverloadExercise needs to continually overload the body if positive adaptations (change) are to continue to take place. For the body to keep adapting to exercise the stress it is placed under should progressively increase. Therefore, the intensity and loads should continually increase over time. Similar to overload, stress can be gradually increased using the F.I.T.T principle. VarietyExercise needs to be varied for optimal adaptation to occur, avoiding boredom, overuse, injury or hitting a plateau. For optimal change to occur and to decrease the risk of an individual getting bored, overtraining, getting injured or reaching a plateau, the training must constantly be varied. Rest and RecoveryRest and recovery are required to allow the body time to adapt to exercise. Optimal adaptation requires recovery time. It is only during the recovery phase (days between workouts) that the body is able to change and adapt to the stress of the workout. Recovery can be improved in a variety of ways, such as effective nutrition and hydration, light aerobic exercise and stretching sessions. It is believed that 90%+ of an individuals time is spent recovering from exercise. If we get this wrong positive adaptations will not occur as quickly. ReversibilityIf you don’t use it you lose it. Adaptations which occur through exercise are reversible, so when training is stopped for prolonged periods the adaptations from previous exercise will be lost. MaintenanceFitness can be maintained by altering the F.I.T.T principle. By maintaining the intensity of training and decreasing the volume or frequency of training by 1/3 – 2/3 the current fitness levels of an individual can be maintained. CeilingRoom for positive development decreases the fitter you become. As we get fitter, the amount of improvement possible decreases based on the client getting closer to their genetic potential (ceiling). InterferenceTraining contrasting fitness components at the same time can reduce adaptation (results) in both. Training certain components of fitness at the same time can lead to interference. For example, training to increase muscle size and increase aerobic endurance at the same time will lead to the client making slower progress to both goals, even though there will be increases in both of the components being trained. We Know the Exercise Principles… Now What?It’s imperative that every fitness professional understands the exercise principles and how to use them with clients. Abiding by the principles will help trainers create a safe, injury free, exciting and effective programme, allowing clients to achieve their goals.
In the study of exercise science, several universally accepted scientific exercise training principles should ideally be followed to get the most from exercise programs and improve physical fitness and sports performance. These rules are general fundamental principles of exercise science and apply to all athletes, from beginners to elite competitors. Of course, you don't need to follow every one of them all the time. Many people want to get in better shape, improve sports performance, get better at a particular fitness discipline, or avoid stalling and back-slides. In that case, these fundamental rules are the hidden force behind the ability to change your fitness level, according to exercise science. To design an optimal exercise program, workout, or training schedule, a coach or athlete should adhere to the six fundamental principles of exercise science. Below is more on each of the six principles. The principle of individual differences simply means that, because we all are unique individuals, we will all have a slightly different response to an exercise program. This is another way of saying that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to exercise. Well-designed exercise programs should be based on our individual differences and responses to exercise. Some of these differences have to do with body size and shape, genetics, past experience, chronic conditions, injuries, and even gender. For example, women generally need more recovery time than men, and older athletes generally need more recovery time than younger athletes. With this in mind, you may or may not want to follow an "off the shelf" exercise program or class and may find it helpful to work with a coach or personal trainer to develop a customized exercise program. Some things to consider when creating your own exercise program include the next batch of exercise science principles. The exercise science principle of overload states that a greater than normal stress or load on the body is required for training adaptation to take place. What this means is that in order to improve our fitness, strength, or endurance, we need to increase the workload accordingly.
In order for a muscle (including the heart) to increase strength, it must be gradually stressed by working against a load greater than it is accustomed to. To increase endurance, muscles must work for a longer period of time than they are accustomed to or at a higher intensity level. This could mean lifting more weight or doing high-intensity interval training workouts. The principle of progression implies that there is an optimal level of overload that should be achieved and an optimal time frame for this overload to occur. A gradual and systematic increase in the workload over a period of time will result in improvements in fitness without risk of injury. If overload occurs too slowly, improvement is unlikely, but overload that is increased too rapidly may result in injury or muscle damage. For example, the weekend athlete who exercises vigorously only on weekends violates the principle of progression and most likely will not see noticeable fitness gains. The Principle of Progression also stresses the need for proper rest and recovery. Continual stress on the body and constant overload will result in exhaustion and injury. You should not train hard all the time, as you'll risk overtraining and decreasing fitness. Adaptation refers to the body's ability to adjust to increased or decreased physical demands. It is also one way we learn to coordinate muscle movement and develop sports-specific skills, such as batting, swimming freestyle, or shooting free throws.
Repeatedly practicing a skill or activity makes it second-nature and easier to perform. Adaptation explains why beginning exercisers are often sore after starting a new routine, but after doing the same exercise for weeks and months, they have minor, if any, muscle soreness. Additionally, it makes an athlete very efficient and allows him to expend less energy doing the same movements. This reinforces the need to vary a workout routine to see continued improvement. The Principle of Use/Disuse implies that when it comes to fitness, you do actually "use it or lose it." This simply means that your muscles hypertrophy with use and atrophy with disuse. This also explains why we decondition or lose fitness when we stop exercising. We've all heard the phrase, "practice makes perfect." Well, this is the principle of specificity in action. This principle states that exercising a specific body part or component primarily develops that part. The principle of specificity implies that to become better at a particular exercise or skill, you must perform that exercise or skill. A runner should train by running, a swimmer by swimming, and a cyclist by cycling. While it's helpful to have a good base of fitness and do general conditioning routines, if you want to be better at your sport, you need to train specifically for that sport. These six basics are the cornerstones of all other effective training methods and cover all major aspects of a solid foundation of athletic training. Designing a program that adheres to all of these guidelines can be challenging, so it's not a surprise that many athletes turn to a coach or trainer for help. |