Download Beyond 3 sets of 10 reps Strength and Conditioning Update

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HIGH PERFORMANCE THROUGH PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT
Beyond 3 sets of 10 reps
Strength and Conditioning Update
Wayne Rodgers
APA Sports Physiotherapist
Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre
Olympic Blvd, Melbourne
9427 0366
One Personal Health Studio
210 Bay St, Brighton
0412 123 584
1. PERIODISATION
Periodisation is the organised, systematic planning of training which allows an athlete to attain optimal
performance or ‘peak’ at a specified time of the year.
To attain optimal performance:
Divide the training program into separate phases.
Each phase having a different training emphasis (or goal)
Commonly a 3, 6 or 12 month period will be divided into 5 phases:
Phases 1 – 4 are considered to be preparatory phases
Phase 5 is the maintenance phase
Phase 1. Foundation Phase
general preparation – core and proximal stability, muscle endurance, technique correction
Phase 2. Hypertrophy Phase
hypertrophy – muscle growth
Phase 3. Maximum Strength Phase
specific preparation – maximise strength in sport / activity specific muscles
Phase 4. Power Phase
conversion of strength to explosive power, pre-competition preparation
Phase 5. Maintenance Phase
maintain strength and power, competition phase
Manipulate exercise program variables accordingly for specific phases
following principles of Specificity and Overload.
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2. TRAINING FOR MUSCLE ENDURANCE (Phase 1)
Adaptations To Endurance Training
Endurance training gives the athlete the ability to develop increases in muscle endurance
(ie. the muscles ability to sustain contraction or perform repeated contractions).
As a result of endurance training there are a number of physiological changes within muscle:
- increased capillarisation
- increased glycogen and intracellular lipids
- increases in oxidative enzymes
- increased density of mitochondria
Endurance Training Guidelines
Reps: greater than 15 -20 repetitions per set
Time Under Tension: greater than 90 seconds
Sets: multiple sets may be performed per training session
Load: less than 60% of 1RM
Rest Period: less than 30 seconds between sets (to commence next set before full recovery is achieved)
Frequency: depending on intensity, from several times in one day to several sessions per week.
- relative intensity is low, overall volume is high
- activity duration is 2 minutes - several hours
- primarily utilises aerobic / oxidative energy system
- primarily elicits adaptation in type 1 fibres
3. TRAINING FOR MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY (Phase 2)
Adaptations To Resistance Training
Resistance training gives the athlete the ability to develop increases in muscle size and strength.
As a result of resistance training there are a number of physiological changes within muscle:
- increases in various nutrients and metabolic substances such as
ATP, creatine phosphate, glycogen, protein and intracellular lipids.
- increased vascularisation
- increased number of myofibrils (primarily actin and myosin myofilaments)
→ increased diameter of individual muscle fibres
Muscle Hypertrophy
Hypertrophy can be defined as an increase in muscle fibre mass (not an increase in fibre number), which
results from moderate to high intensity resistance training.
Hypertrophy = increased cross sectional area → increased ability to develop force / strength
Hypertrophy does not occur uniformly between the two major muscle fibre types.
- it will occur more readily and at a faster rate in type 2 (fast twitch) fibres.
- the ultimate potential for hypertrophy may reside in the relative proportion of type 2 fibres
within a given person’s muscle.
Essentially no enlargement of the muscle fibres occurs unless the muscle contracts to at least 70% of its
maximal tension.
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Hypertrophy Training Guidelines
Reps: 6-12 repetitions per set
Time Under Tension: 30 – 60 seconds
Sets: 10-15 successive sets may be performed per training session per muscle group
Load: 70-85 % of 1RM
Rest Period: 30-60 seconds between sets (to commence next set before full recovery is achieved).
Frequency: 2-5 days rest between successive training sessions for the same muscle group
- relative intensity is moderately high, overall volume is moderate.
- activity duration is 30-60 seconds
- primarily utilises anaerobic glycolytic energy system
- primarily elicits adaptation in type 2a (and type 2b) fibres
4. TRAINING FOR STRENGTH (Phase 3)
Neural Adaptations
Neural Adaptations (such as ↑ frequency of activation, ↑recruitment of motor units, and ↓ inhibition) will
result from resistance training, and therefore influence changes in a muscles potential for force output.
These adaptations tend to occur early on in strength training.
During the early stages (the first 1-2 months) of resistance training, gains in strength are commonly noted
in the absence of any changes in muscle mass - neural adaptations are responsible for this early increased
force output.
After 1-2 months, muscle fibre hypertrophy becomes more obvious and increases in muscle cross-sectional
area contribute to increases in strength. In weight trained athletes, further gains in strength after longer
term resistance training may reflect greater neural adaptation with muscle fibre hypertrophy contributing
less to increasing strength gains as training age progresses
Conversely, it is the loss of neural adaptations to resistance training that is mainly responsible for
decreases in strength over 2-3 months of detraining. Therefore with an extended period of detraining,
decreases in strength occur at a greater rate than decreases in muscle fibre size.
Strength Training Guidelines
Reps: 1-4 repetitions per set
Time Under Tension: 5 – 20 seconds
Sets: 8 - 12 successive sets may be performed per training session
Load: 90 -100 % of 1RM
Rest Period: 3-5 minutes between sets (allowing sufficient recovery for maximal force efforts to be
repeated).
Frequency: 3-10 days rest between successive training sessions for the same muscle group.
- relative intensity is high, but overall volume is low.
- activity duration is 5-20 seconds
- primarily utilises ATP-CP energy system and Anaerobic Glycolysis
- primarily elicits adaptation in type 2a and type 2b fibres
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Strength Training for Structural Balance
Strength norms and ratios for structural balance have been based on data collected on athletes
performing efficiently with minimal injury. (Poliquin et al.)
Ideally when used in both screening and assessment, any testing of muscle strength and balance should
involve real strength training movements rather than subjective therapist based strength tests (eg.MMT).
Recognition of muscle imbalances and insufficient stabiliser strength is often a key component in end
stage rehabilitation. Any imbalances in relative strength (strength compared to body weight), agonist /
antagonist ratios or stabilisers / prime movers ratios needs to be addressed.
5. TRAINING FOR POWER (Phase 4)
Power Training
Muscle Power can be defined as the muscles rate of work.
Power is a direct mathematical product of force × velocity
(strength is the ability to exert force at a given speed)
Only after a solid strength base has been achieved can muscular power be effectively developed.
Therefore explosive power should only be emphasised in the later stages of the rehab program.
This may involve: - high speed free-weight training
- plyometric training
Neural adaptations play a major role in explosive power training. In neuromuscular terms the aim of
power training is to recruit maximum number of motor units and fire them at the maximum rate in order
to maximise power produced. (ie. maximise force at maximise velocity).
High Speed Free-Weight Training
Suggested technique:
first perform several heavy sets (90-95% maximum) at moderate speed
rest and reduce weight by 15-20%
perform each repetition in the subsequent set of 6-8 reps as rapidly as possible.
- allow 3-5 minutes rest between sets
(allow sufficient recovery for maximum force efforts to be repeated)
- 3-7 days rest between successive training sessions for the same muscle group.
Such a technique may be effective because neural inhibitions tend to be reduced following heavy sets.
The reduced weight feels relatively light, the exercise technique is well established, and consequently the
athlete is able to rapidly accelerate the weight safely.
Power training using free weights is limited in its specificity in that the load must achieve zero velocity at
the end of the movement whereas a normal sporting activity such as jumping or throwing, involves a
gradual increase in velocity throughout the range of motion, achieving peak velocity at the end of the
movement.
A more sport specific method of explosive training is plyometric training.
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© Wayne Rodgers 2008
Plyometric Training
Plyometric training allows for development of peak velocities at the end of movement whilst incorporating
a coupling of eccentric and concentric contractions (commonly termed “dynamic stretch-shortening cycle
movements”)
Eccentric muscle contraction (or dynamic stretching) immediately preceding concentric contraction
significantly increases the forces generated concentrically. This eccentric-concentric coupling in muscle
action is used in many sporting activities.
eg.- eccentric quads contraction prior to performing a standing jump.
- eccentric shoulder internal rotators at full cocking stage of a throw
The effectiveness of plyometric training may be limited due to:
- the high prevalence of injuries associated with the overuse of plyometric exercises
- the limited number of exercises that can be performed effectively plyometrically
- the lack of feedback associated with plyometric training
Limited benefits seen in upper body plyometric training may be simply due to insufficient loading.
Potentiation Effect
The enhancing effect that one training mode can have on another typically through effective ‘neural
priming’ is known as the ‘potentiation effect’.
Fast twitch muscle fibres hold the key to increased dynamic sports performance. Type 2b fibres can
develop significant explosive power, but these fibres are notoriously difficult to activate fully (there may
be as many as 1000 muscle fibres to every motor neuron in the motor unit).
A combination of heavy free weight training with plyometric activities (often known as ‘complex training’)
tends to maximise activation of type 2b fibres and therefore maximise performance during power training.
eg (i): 3 sets of 5 half squats @ 80% 1RM, followed by 3 sets 8 squat jumps @ 70% 1RM.
eg (ii): 10 half squats @ 90%1RM performed 5 minutes before a 100m sprint.
Training maturity should be taken into account as an important potential variable in the success of power
combination workouts. The potentiation effect is of less benefit to those athletes with little resistance
training experience.
6. PHYSIOLOGY REVIEW
Muscle Energy Systems
An energy system is a physiological process that produces ATP to sustain cellular energy demands
(eg. muscle fibre contraction). The chemical energy contained within the bonds of the ATP molecule is
utilised for all the energy requirements of muscle contraction.
Three important energy systems operate in contracting skeletal muscle.
All three systems operate to restore intracellular levels of ATP.
The intensity of an activity determines which source will provide the most energy.
1. Highest intensity - the phosphocreatine system
2. Moderate intensity - the glycolytic system
3. Lowest intensity - the oxidative system
The Phosphocreatine System (ATP-CP System)
- duration of activity: 1-10 seconds
- utilised when training for explosive power
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The Glycolytic System (Anaerobic Glycolysis)
- duration of activity: 10-30 seconds
- utilised when training for strength and muscle hypertrophy
- duration of activity: 30-60 seconds
- utilised when training for anaerobic muscle endurance and muscle hypertrophy
The Oxidative System (Aerobic Metabolism)
- duration of activity: 60 seconds- several hours
- utilised when training for aerobic muscle endurance and cardiovascular endurance
Muscle Fibre Type
Type 1 fibres
- slow twitch (slower actin-myosin cross-bridge cycling velocities)
- 80-100 ms to reach peak tension in a maximal isometric contraction
Type 2 fibres
- fast twitch (faster actin-myosin cross-bridge cycling velocities)
- approx. 40 ms to reach peak tension
Table 1: Characteristics of different muscle fibre types
Speed of Contraction
Endurance
Rate of Fatigue
Force Production
Type 1
slow
high
slow
low
Type 2a
fast
moderate
moderate
high
Type 2b
fast
low
rapid
high
Glycogen Content
Anaerobic Enzymes
Anaerobic Capacity
same
low
low
same
high
high
same
high
high
No. of Mitochondria
Capillary Density
Aerobic Enzymes
Oxidative Capacity
high
high
high
high
medium
medium
medium
medium
low
low
low
low
Muscular activity that is performed at submaximal level for long periods of time will be limited to fibres at
the Type 1 end of the spectrum - consequently ‘postural’ or ‘stabilising’ muscles tend to have
predominantly type 1 fibres (eg. soleus has 70% slow twitch fibres).
Muscular activity that is performed at high intensity for short bursts of time will be recruiting mainly type
2 fibres - consequently ‘phasic’ muscles contain on average more type 2 fibres.
Plasticity of Fibre Type
Slow twitch fibres (having inherently higher aerobic capacity) are preferentially recruited during
endurance activities. However, if the intensity is sufficient, type 2a fibres will gradually adapt by
becoming more oxidative than glycolytic.
Type 2 fibres don’t change to type 1, but there is a gradual shift down the spectrum of fibre types.
eg.- type 2b (fast twitch glycolytic fibres) transformed to type 2a (fast twitch oxidative / glycolytic fibres)
NB. the reverse does not tend to be true after high intensity resistance training (ie. type 1 fibres will not
take on type 2 characteristics).
It follows that intense endurance training performed concurrently with intense resistance training will
compromise gains in strength that would have occurred if only resistance training was performed.
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© Wayne Rodgers 2008