Trying Athlete Part 2: The Principles of Training - A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Athletes
Trying Athlete Part 2: The Principles of Training
If you are an aspiring athlete who wants to improve your performance and achieve your goals, you need to have a solid understanding of the principles of training. These are the guidelines that will help you design, implement, and evaluate your training plan in a scientific and effective way. In this article, we will explain what the principles of training are, why they are important, how to apply them, and what mistakes to avoid. We will also show you how to measure and monitor your progress and how to adjust your plan accordingly.
Trying Athlete Part 2: The Principles of Training.
What are the principles of training?
The principles of training are the basic rules that govern how your body responds to physical activity and how you can manipulate various factors to optimize your results. They are based on physiological, psychological, and biomechanical concepts that have been proven by research and practice. Some of the most common principles of training are:
Specificity: This means that your training should be specific to your sport, your goals, your abilities, and your needs. For example, if you want to improve your endurance, you should focus on aerobic exercises that challenge your cardiovascular system. If you want to improve your strength, you should focus on resistance exercises that target your muscles.
Overload: This means that you need to increase the intensity, duration, frequency, or complexity of your training over time to challenge your body and stimulate adaptations. For example, if you want to run faster, you need to run at a higher speed or for a longer distance than before.
Progression: This means that you need to gradually increase the overload as your body adapts and improves. For example, if you can run 5 km in 30 minutes, you can try to run 6 km in 35 minutes next time.
Adaptation: This means that your body will change in response to the overload and become more efficient and capable. For example, if you run regularly, your heart will pump more blood per beat, your lungs will take in more oxygen per breath, and your muscles will store more glycogen.
Reversibility: This means that if you stop or reduce your training, your body will lose some or all of the adaptations and return to its previous state. For example, if you stop running for a month, your endurance will decrease significantly.
Variation: This means that you need to change some aspects of your training periodically to prevent boredom, plateaus, injuries, and overtraining. For example, you can vary the type, intensity, duration, frequency, or order of your exercises.
Individualization: This means that you need to tailor your training to your personal characteristics, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, limitations, and potential. For example, you can modify your exercises according to your age, gender, fitness level, health status, injury history, motivation, etc.
Recovery: This means that you need to allow your body to rest and repair itself after each training session or cycle. For example, you can take a day off, sleep well, hydrate, eat well, stretch, massage, etc.
Why are the principles of training important?
The principles of training are important because they help you achieve the following benefits and goals:
Improve your performance: By applying the principles of training, you can enhance your physical and mental abilities and skills that are relevant to your sport. For example, you can increase your speed, power, agility, coordination, balance, accuracy, etc.
Prevent injuries and illnesses: By applying the principles of training, you can reduce the risk of getting injured or sick due to overuse, fatigue, poor technique, inadequate equipment, etc. For example, you can avoid muscle strains, joint sprains, fractures, infections, etc.
Maintain your health and well-being: By applying the principles of training, you can improve your overall health and well-being by enhancing your cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, skeletal, nervous, immune, endocrine, and digestive systems. For example, you can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, etc.
Enjoy your sport and life: By applying the principles of training, you can have more fun and satisfaction in your sport and life by increasing your confidence, self-esteem, motivation, mood, energy, etc. For example, you can feel happier, more relaxed, more accomplished, etc.
How to apply the principles of training?
To apply the principles of training effectively, you need to follow these steps:
Specificity
The first step is to define your specific goals and objectives for your sport and training. You need to answer questions such as:
What sport do you practice and what are its main requirements and demands?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in your sport?
What are your short-term and long-term goals in your sport?
What are the criteria and indicators to measure your progress and success?
Based on your answers, you can design a training plan that matches your sport and goals. You need to select the appropriate exercises, intensity levels, durations, frequencies, and sequences that will help you improve the specific aspects of your performance that you want to focus on. You also need to consider the factors that affect your specificity such as:
The type of muscle contraction (isometric, concentric, eccentric)
The range of motion (full or partial)
The speed of movement (slow or fast)
The angle of movement (horizontal or vertical)
The plane of movement (sagittal or frontal)
Overload
The second step is to apply an appropriate amount of overload to your body to stimulate adaptations and improvements. You need to answer questions such as:
How hard do you need to train to challenge your body?
How long do you need to train to achieve optimal results?
How often do you need to train to maintain or increase your fitness?
How complex do you need to train to enhance your skills?
Based on your answers, you can manipulate the variables of overload such as intensity (how hard), duration (how long), frequency (how often), and complexity (how complex) according to the FITT principle. The FITT principle stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. It is a simple way to remember how to adjust these variables depending on your goals and needs. For example:
FITT principleAerobic enduranceMuscular strength
Frequency3-5 times per week2-4 times per week
Intensity60-85% of maximum heart rate60-85% of one-repetition maximum
Time20-60 minutes per session1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions per exercise
TypeCycling, running, swimming, etc.Squats, bench press, deadlifts, etc.
Progression
The third step is to increase the overload gradually as your body adapts and improves. You need to answer questions such as:
How much do you need to increase the overload to keep challenging your body?
How often do you need to increase the overload to avoid plateaus and boredom?
How do you know when to increase the overload to prevent injuries and overtraining?
Based on your answers, you can use different methods of progression such as linear, nonlinear, or periodized. Linear progression means that you increase the overload by a constant amount or percentage every week or month. For example, you can add 5 kg to your bench press every week. Nonlinear progression means that you vary the overload by different amounts or percentages every session or week. For example, you can alternate between light, moderate, and heavy sessions. Periodized progression means that you divide your training into cycles or phases with different goals and overloads. For example, you can have a preparatory phase, a competitive phase, and a recovery phase.
Adaptation
The fourth step is to monitor and evaluate how your body changes in response to the overload and progression. You need to answer questions such as:
What are the physiological adaptations that occur in your body due to training?
What are the psychological adaptations that occur in your mind due to training?
What are the performance adaptations that occur in your sport due to training?
Based on your answers, you can measure and observe the different types of adaptations such as cardiovascular (heart rate, blood pressure, stroke volume, etc.), respiratory (breathing rate, oxygen uptake, lung capacity, etc.), muscular (muscle mass, strength, endurance, etc.), skeletal (bone density, joint range of motion, etc.), nervous (reaction time, coordination, balance, etc.), immune (white blood cells, antibodies, etc.), endocrine (hormones, metabolism, etc.), and digestive (appetite, digestion, absorption, etc.). You can also measure and observe the psychological adaptations such as motivation, confidence, self-esteem, mood, energy, etc. And you can measure and observe the performance adaptations such as speed, power, agility, accuracy, etc.
Reversibility
The fifth step is to prevent or minimize the loss of adaptations due to inactivity or reduced activity. You need to answer questions such as:
How long can you maintain your adaptations without training or with reduced training?
How fast do you lose your adaptations when you stop or reduce your training?
How can you prevent or slow down the loss of adaptations when you cannot train or have to train less?
Based on your answers, you can apply different strategies of reversibility such as maintenance, tapering, cross-training, or active rest. Maintenance means that you keep training at a lower intensity, duration, frequency, or complexity than before to maintain your fitness level. For example, you can run 3 km instead of 5 km three times a week. Tapering means that you gradually reduce your training load before a competition or a break to optimize your performance and recovery. For example, you can decrease your running distance by 10% every week for four weeks before a race. Cross-training means that you perform different activities or exercises than your usual ones to maintain or improve your fitness level and prevent boredom and injuries. For example, you can swim or cycle instead of running once a week. Active rest means that you perform low-intensity and low-impact activities or exercises to promote blood flow, healing, and relaxation. For example, you can walk or stretch after a hard session.
Variation
The sixth step is to change some aspects of your training periodically to enhance your adaptations and enjoyment. You need to answer questions such as:
What are the benefits of varying your training?
What are the factors that influence your variation?
How often and how much do you need to vary your training?
Based on your answers, you can apply different types of variation such as random, systematic, or strategic. Random variation means that you change your training randomly without following a specific pattern or plan. For example, you can choose a different exercise, intensity, duration, frequency, or sequence every session. Systematic variation means that you change your training systematically according to a predetermined pattern or plan. For example, you can follow a weekly, monthly, or seasonal cycle of variation. Strategic variation means that you change your training strategically according to your feedback and goals. For example, you can increase or decrease your training load depending on your performance and recovery.
Individualization
The seventh step is to customize your training to your personal characteristics, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, limitations, and potential. You need to answer questions such as:
What are your personal factors that affect your training?
How do you assess your personal factors and identify your needs?
How do you modify your training according to your personal factors and needs?
Based on your answers, you can use different methods of individualization such as testing, self-monitoring, feedback, coaching, or consultation. Testing means that you perform standardized or specific tests to measure your fitness level and performance. For example, you can do a VO2 max test, a 1RM test, or a sprint test. Self-monitoring means that you keep track of your training and results using tools such as a diary, a logbook, a watch, a heart rate monitor, etc. Feedback means that you receive information and advice from others such as a coach, a trainer, a teammate, a friend, etc. Coaching means that you work with a qualified and experienced coach who can design, implement, and evaluate your training plan and provide you with guidance and support. Consultation means that you consult with a professional such as a doctor, a physiotherapist, a nutritionist, a psychologist, etc. who can help you with specific issues or problems related to your health or performance.
Recovery
The eighth and final step is to allow your body to rest and repair itself after each training session or cycle. You need to answer questions such as:
Why is recovery important for your training?
What are the signs and symptoms of insufficient or excessive recovery?
How do you optimize your recovery after training?
Based on your answers, you can use different techniques of recovery such as sleep, hydration, nutrition, stretching, massage, ice, heat, compression, elevation, etc. Sleep means that you get enough quality and quantity of sleep every night to restore your energy and brain function. Hydration means that you drink enough fluids before, during, and after training to replenish your water and electrolytes loss. Nutrition means that you eat enough calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants before, during, and after training to fuel your muscles and repair your tissues. Stretching means that you perform gentle and static stretches after training to relax your muscles and improve your flexibility. Massage means that you apply pressure and friction to your muscles and tendons after training to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation, and relieve tension. Ice means that you apply cold packs or ice baths to your muscles and joints after training to reduce swelling, pain, and muscle damage. Heat means that you apply warm packs or hot baths to your muscles and joints after training to increase blood flow, relax muscles, and relieve stiffness. Compression means that you wear tight-fitting garments or bandages on your limbs after training to reduce swelling, improve circulation, and support muscles. Elevation means that you raise your limbs above your heart level after training to reduce swelling, improve venous return, and prevent blood pooling.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when applying the principles of training?
While applying the principles of training can help you improve your performance and achieve your goals, there are also some common mistakes that can hinder your progress or cause problems. Some of these mistakes are:
Overtraining: This means that you train too hard, too long, too often, or too complexly without enough recovery. This can lead to fatigue, injury, illness, burnout, decreased performance, etc.
Undertraining: This means that you train too easy, too short, too infrequently, or too simply without enough challenge. This can lead to boredom, lack of motivation, plateauing, wasted potential, etc.
Lack of consistency: This means that you do not follow a regular and structured training plan or schedule. This can lead to irregular progress, poor habits, missed opportunities, etc.
Lack of specificity: This means that you do not train specifically for your sport or goals. This can lead to irrelevant or ineffective exercises, wasted time and energy, poor transfer of skills, etc.
means that you do not change your training periodically to prevent boredom, plateaus, injuries, and overtraining. This can lead to loss of interest, motivation, adaptation, and enjoyment.
Lack of individualization: This means that you do not customize your training to your personal factors and needs. This can lead to inappropriate or unsafe exercises, poor results, frustration, etc.
Lack of recovery: This means that you do not allow your body to rest and repair itself after training. This can lead to fatigue, injury, illness, decreased performance, etc.
To avoid these mistakes, you need to apply the principles of training correctly and wisely. You need to balance the overload and recovery, the specificity and variation, the progression and reversibility, and the individualization and generalization. You also need to listen to your body and mind, monitor your progress and feedback, and adjust your plan accordingly.
How to measure and monitor your training progress?
To measure and monitor your training progress effectively, you need to use different tools and methods that can provide you with objective and subjective data and information. Some of these tools and methods are:
Tests: These are standardized or specific assessments that can measure your fitness level and performance in various aspects such as endurance, strength, speed, power, agility, etc. For example, you can do a VO2 max test, a 1RM test, a sprint test, etc.
Self-monitoring: These are tools that can help you keep track of your training and results such as a diary, a logbook, a watch, a heart rate monitor, a GPS device, etc. For example, you can record your exercises, intensity, duration, frequency, and sequence every session.
Feedback: These are sources of information and advice that can help you evaluate your training such as a coach, a trainer, a teammate, a friend, etc. For example, you can ask for feedback on your technique, performance, progress, etc.
Biofeedback: These are devices that can measure your physiological responses such as heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, brain waves, etc. For example, you can use a heart rate monitor to check your intensity level or a biofeedback machine to check your stress level.
Psychological measures: These are tools that can measure your psychological states such as motivation, confidence, self-esteem, mood, energy, etc. For example, you can use a questionnaire to assess your motivation level or a scale to rate your mood.
To use these tools and methods effectively, you need to follow these guidelines:
Select the appropriate tools and methods: You need to choose the tools and methods that are relevant to your sport and goals. For example, if you want to improve your endurance, you should use tests that measure your aerobic capacity such as the VO2 max tes