Chronic Adaptations to Strength Training

Question 1

How are neural adaptations induced?

Answer 1

Training stimulus is Resistance strength training with high loads (85% 1RM), Low volume (<6reps) and long rest intervals (3-5mins).
This training causes mainly central fatigue.

Question 2

How are hypertrophic adaptations induced?

Answer 2

Resistance hypertrophy training. Moderate loads (67-85% 1RM). High volume (8-12reps) and shorter rest periods (<90seconds). This training induces mainly peripheral fatigue.

Question 3

Which training types are known to elicity strength gains?

Answer 3

Iso-inertial Training
Isometric Training
Isokinetic Training
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Question 4

Which Factors affect the type and magnitude of adaptations?

Answer 4

• Nutritional Status
• Training Programme Design
• Concurrent Activities
• Genotype
• Gender
• Training History
• Age

Question 5

What is the time course of strength adaptations?

Answer 5

• Neural adaptations during initial stages of training (<6-8weeks)
• Muscular adaptations during later stages (8-12weeks)

Question 6

Is there any evidence to refute the ‘Traditional Time Model’?

Answer 6

• Increases in muscle size after short training periods (4-6wks)
• Molecular paths activated after only a few sessions

Question 7

What are the different kinds of muscular adaptations?

Answer 7

Muscle Hypertrophy - increase in muscle size, increased CSA, Increased thickness and hypertrophy of both type I and type II fibres.
Muscle Hyperplasia - longitudinal splittig of fibres. Most likely to occur alongside hypertropy.

Question 8

What are the key stimuli for muscle hypertropy?

Answer 8

3 Primary stimuli are: Tension, muscle damage, metabolic stress
mTOR signalling
Metabolite accumulation
Endocrine Factors
Cell Swelling
Training Intensity
Muscle Activation

Question 9

What evidence is there to support non-hypertrophic adaptations?

Answer 9

• Disproportionate changes in muscle size and strength

- Variations in CSA accounts for only 50% of the strengh differences between individuals

Question 10

What the other Muscular adaptations to stregth training?

Answer 10

• fibre sub type transformations
• increase in proportion of type IIAB/IIA fibres
• decrease in IIx fibres
• increased fascicle length
• increased pennation angle
• tendon hypertrophy
• increased tendon stiffness

Question 11

What are the possible neural adaptations?

Answer 11

• Increased neural drive - shown via increased sEMG amplitude/voluntary activation.
• Improved musuclar co-ordination
• Reduced Co-activation of antagonists = increase net torque

Question 12

What may increased neural drive be a resut of?

Answer 12

• Increased MU recruitment
• Increased firing frequency = increased RFD
• Enhanced MU synchronisation refering to the timing of action potentials

Question 13

What did Olympic Lifting training cause in terms of muscle coactivation? Compared to Traditional weightlifting.

Answer 13

-OL showed better improvements in jump height
-OL resulted in a reduction or maintenance of co-activation index and increased leg stiffness during the push-off phase
-TW increased co-activation and leg stiffness
-TW enhanced joint stability
OL-* better for improving power performance through better coordination of antagonistic muscle groups.

Question 14

Why are neural adaptations difficult to quantify?

Answer 14

Firstly due to the possible sites of adaptation.
-Spinal and supraspinal chanes.
Large number of possible neural adaptations
-enhnaced supraspinal centre output
-reduced co-activation of antagonists
-changes in descending drive.

Question 15

Summary of Adaptations to Strength

Answer 15

-Contraction specificity is a factor to strength adaptations.
-Sarcopenia = loss of muscle mass with ageing
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