Principles of Exercise Training

Question 1

The 5 principles of training

Answer 1

Individuality
Specificity
Reversibility
Progressive overload
Variation

Question 2

Principle of individuality

Answer 2

Not all people/athletes are created equally
Genetics affect performance
There are variations in cell growth rates, metabolism, and cardiorespiratory and neuroendocrine regulation

Question 3

Principle of specificity

Answer 3

Exercise adaptations specific to mode and intensity of training
Training programme must stress most relevant physiological systems for given sport
Training adaptations highly specific to the type of activity, training volume and intensity

Question 4

How does the VO2max of a bodybuilder compare to the general population?

Answer 4

Bodybuilders have a lower VO2max because they don’t train for it

Question 5

The principle of reversibility

Answer 5

Use it or lose it - detraining reverses gains
Lose muscle mass if those muscles aren’t used. Can gain that muscle again but it takes longer than it took to lose it
Well-trained athletes have higher muscle glycogen stores. These stores reduce in periods of detraining

Question 6

The principle of overload

Answer 6

Need to increase demands on the body to make further improvements
Muscle overload: muscles must be loaded beyond ‘normal’ loading for improvement
Progressive training: as strength increases, resistance/repetitions must increase to further increase strength
Short term decrement is necessary to increase muscle fibre strength and to build more muscles

Question 7

Symptoms of Overtraining

Answer 7

General fatigue, loss of strength, coordination, exercise capacity
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Sleep and emotional disturbances
Increased/decreased resting heart rate
Hormonal disturbance

Question 8

The principle of variation

Answer 8

Also called the principle of periodisation
Systematically changes to one or more variables to keep training challenging

Question 9

Variables that can be changed to keep training challenging

Answer 9

Intensity
Volume
Technique - race pace but for short period of time
Tactics
Changing exercise modes - triathletes

Question 10

Goals of macrocycles, mesocycles, microcycles

Answer 10

Achieve acute overload
Promote over-reaching
Avoid over-training
Allow for taper

Question 11

Frequency, duration and intensity leading to a race

Answer 11

Intensity and volume are inversely related
If volume increases, intensity should decrease
If intensity increases, volume should decrease
Applies to resistance, anaerobic and aerobic training
Intensity increase + volume increase = potential negative effects

Question 12

Periodisation

Answer 12

Preparation phase - focus on volume
Pre-competition and competition phase: focus and intensity/technique

Question 13

What is tapering?

Answer 13

Reduction in training volume/intensity