Principles of training

Adaptation principle

Subtle changes take place in the body as it adapts to the added demands imposed by training. These adaptations include;

- Improved heart function, circulation and respiration.

- Improved muscular endurance and strength.

- Tougher bones, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue.

It is important for coaches of young athletes not to treat them as ‘mini-adults’. It takes weeks and months of patient progress to achieve success. Anything on the contrary may result in injury, illness, etc.

Overload Principle

The training program must place a demand on the body’s systems for improvement to take place. As such for adaptation to increase load occurs more load occurs, more load should be added. This increase in load or rate of improvement in various fitness parameters is related to the following three factors;

- Frequency

- Intensity

- Time (duration)

Adding more weight to the barbell for strength training and adding more miles and hours of training are examples of the overload principle. The overload stimulates changes in the muscles and other systems. These changes are designed to help the body cope with future demands.

Progression Principle

To achieve adaptations using the overload Principle, the training must follow the progression principle. As such, when the training load is increased too quickly, the body might not be able to adapt and instead it breaks down.

Therefore, slow steady progression must be observed in terms of;

- Frequency

Sessions per week, per month, per year

- Intensity

Training load per week, per month, per year

- Time

Duration of training in hours per week, per month, per year

Impatient coaches who have athletes progress too quickly at best cause athletes to peak too early and at worst suffer injury or illness. This principle also implies progression from:

-The general………to the specific

-The parts………….to the whole

-Quantity………….to quality

Specificity Principle

The type of training undertaken must relate to the desired results. Specific training brings specific results. For example, heavy weight training is of little value for the best preparation for running, or vice versa. Performance improves most when the training is specific to the activity.

Variation Principle

A training program must be varied to avoid boredom and achieve results. The Variation Principle embraces two basics concepts:

- Work/Rest…and…Hard/Easy

Adaptation comes when work is followed by rest, when the hard is followed by the relatively easy. Failure to include variation leads to boredom, staleness, and poor performance.

Warm-up/Cool down Principle

A warm-up must always precede strenuous activity (a) to increase body temperature, (b) to increase respiration and heart rate, and (c) to guard against muscle and tendon strains and ligament sprains. A warm-up should consist of stretching, calisthenics, and gradually increasing exercise intensity.

The cool down is just as important as the warm-up. Stopping an activity abruptly leads to pooling of blood and slow removal of waste products.

Long-term Training Principle

Changes from the gradual overload of body systems lead to impressive improvements in performance. It takes years of effort to approach excellence, however, Long-term training allows for gradual progress, growth and development, acquisition of skills, learning of strategy, and a deeper understanding of the spot.

In time, as young athletes grow and develop, they will begin to spend more time on one or two sports. Those who want to reach the top must someday choose one sport and give it their undivided attention – for years. But don’t rush the process; too much training too soon may lead to both mental and physical burnout. Excellence comes to those who pursue it with a long-term, non-pressured training program.

Reversibility Principle

Most of the adaptations achieved from hours of hard training are reversible. It takes three times as long to gain endurance as it does to lose it. With complete bed rest, fitness declines at the rate of nearly 10% per week. Strength declines more slowly, but lack of use will cause atrophy of even the best-trained muscles. The smart coach recognizes the Reversibility Principle and provides the team with off-season maintenance programs.