Designing a Resistance Training Program

Overview

• Why Resistance Train

• Myths and Misinformation

• General Adaptation Syndrome

• General Training Guidelines

• Resistance Training Program Design Variables

Why Resistance Train• Resistance training is the most important

exercise modality your client should do.

– Lose weight through elevated metabolism

– Increase strength and prevent injuries

– Personal appearance

– Improved health

• Combat osteoporosis

• Control blood lipid levels

• Decreased risk for diabetes

General Adaptation Syndrome

• The body’s ability to adapt to stresses placed on it

• Three stages:

–Alarm reaction

–Resistance

–Exhaustion

Alarm Reaction Stage• Initial reaction to a stressor

• For example, an individual who begins a resistance training program places increased stress on the bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, and nervous system.

• This creates a need for increased oxygen, blood supply, and neural recruitment to the muscles

Resistance Stage

• The body increases its functional capacity to adapt to the stressor

• After repeated training sessions, the body will recruit muscle fibers and distribute oxygen and blood to the body

• Once the body adapts, it will require increased stress to produce a new response

Exhaustion Stage

• Prolonged stress that the client cannot tolerate

• May cause:–Stress fractures

–Muscle strains

–Joint pain

–Emotional fatigue

The SAID Principle• Principle of specificity is often referred to

as SAID:

–Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands

• Training in a specific manner will produce a specific adaptation or training outcome.

• The type of demand placed on the body dictates the type of adaptation that will occur.

The SAID Principle• The degree of adaptation is related to the

mechanical, neuromuscular, and metabolic systems

• Mechanical– Refers to the weight and movements placed

on the body• Neuromuscular

– Refers to the speed of contraction and exercise selection

• Metabolic– Refers to the energy demand placed on the

body

Application of the SAID Principle• A client’s goal is to lose 30 pounds:

–Mechanically, the body burns more calories when exercises are performed standing versus seated or supine with moderate weight

–Neuromuscularly, the body burns more calories when more muscles are being used

–Metabolically, the body burns more calories when rest periods are shorter

Specificity• If you want to be a better golfer, you need

to incorporate golf specific exercises

–Yes: Core work, medicine ball tosses, flexibility, lunges

–No: Shrugs and Upright Rows

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Overload and Progression• Overload

–Assigning a workout of greater intensity than what the individual is accustomed to

• Progression

–Systematically and gradually changing the training intensity

• Increasing the load, frequency, reps, or changing the difficulty of the exercise

What is Program Design?• Creating a purposeful system or plan to achieve a

goal• The purpose of a resistance training program is to

provide a path for the client to achieve their goal• This involves understanding:

– The physiological adaptations that must take place– The necessary bio-motor abilities to address (i.e.

flexibility, core, balance, power, strength, etc.)– The acute variables necessary– The right exercise selection and how to specifically

manipulate all of these components over time to ensure a safe and effective progression.

• A trainer needs a system that they can follow and plug in the needed information

Program Design• A well designed program produces

optimum levels of:–Neuromuscular Efficiency

–Balance

–Stability

–Flexibility

–Endurance

–Strength

–Power

Neuromuscular Efficiency• “Ability of the nervous system to

properly recruit the correct muscles -agonists, antagonists, synergists, and stabilizers to produce force concentrically, reduce force eccentrically, and stabilize isometrically in all three planes of motion” (NASM)

Neuromuscular Efficiency• All human skilled movement is dependent on

muscle contractions or force production which is 100% dependent on messages from the brain and nervous system

• Train Movement Not Muscle!

• Brain and Nervous System recognize movement patterns and not muscle groups

• Your workouts need to be neurally challenging

Balance• Balance: maintaining your center of gravity

(center of mass) over your base of support while stationary or moving

• Balance Training. Static and dynamic exercises that are designed to improve proprioception

• Proprioception: ability to perceive or feel movement, weight shifts, resistance, and be aware of body symmetry/posture

• “You have to be out of balance to train balance” (Goldenberg & Twist, Strength Ball Training, 2001)

Stability• Stability is the ability of the stabilizing muscles to

provide optimal dynamic joint stabilization and maintain correct posture during all movements

• Most important adaptation because it allows the arms and legs to work more efficiently

Flexibility• Flexibility is the

normal extensibility (capability to be elongated or stretched) of all soft tissues that allow the full range of motion of a joint

Muscular Endurance• A muscle’s ability to contract for an

extended period of time• The ability to produce and maintain

relatively low levels of force for prolonged periods

• It involves lower intensities of force being used with higher repetitions and minimal rest between sets

• It promotes stabilization and better posture

Hypertrophy• Hypertrophy is the

enlargement of skeletal muscle fibers in response to overcoming force from high volumes of tension

• Characterized by the increase in the cross-sectional area of individual muscle fibers

Strength• Strength is the ability of the

neuromuscular system to produce tension (in the muscles and connective tissues that pull on the bones) to overcome an external force

• Maximal Strength: – Maximum force that a muscle can produce in

a single, voluntary effort, regardless of speed

– Can be improved through stabilization training

Power

• Power is the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce the greatest force in the shortest time

• The neuromuscular system must generate force as quickly as possible

• This can be achieved by increasing the speed with which the weight is moved

Program Design Variables1. Needs

Analysis/Initial Consultation and fitness evaluation

2. Training Frequency 3. Training Duration 4. Repetitions 5. Sets6. Intensity

7. Training Volume

8.Repetition

Tempo

9. Rest Interval

10. Exercise:

• Classification

• Selection

• Programs

Needs Analysis/Initial Consultation and Fitness Evaluation

Evaluation of the sport/lifestyle◦Movement Analysis What does your client do all day? What do they

want to be able to do easier? Do they play sports? Have kids? Sit at a desk all day?

◦Physiological Analysis Does your client want/need to get stronger, bigger,

more powerful, and/or have better endurance?◦Injury Analysis Do they have any injuries that will keep them from

performing any specific types of exercises?

Needs Analysis/Initial Consultation and Fitness Evaluation

• Determine client’s goals, current training status, and exercise technique experience

• Obtain specific information:– Are you currently following a resistance training

program?– How long have you been following a resistance

training program?– How many times per week do you resistance

train?– What types of resistance training exercises do

you perform?

Needs Analysis/Initial Consultation and Fitness Evaluation

◦Fitness Testing and Evaluation Resting Heart Rate and Resting Blood pressure Body Composition Posture/Movement Screens Flexibility Muscular Endurance Muscular Strength Cardiovascular EnduranceCompare results to norms for your clientTie all results back to the clients goals and

let them know how you can help them

Training Frequency

• The number of training sessions performed during a specified period (usually one week)

• Minimal Requirements:–At least twice per week–At least one day of rest between workouts

stressing the same muscle groups–No more than three days rest between

workouts stressing the same muscle groups

Training Frequency Guidelines• Beginner

– Two to three times per week

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday

• Monday/Thursday

• Intermediate

– Three to four sessions per week

• Advanced

– Four or more sessions per week

Training Duration• The timeframe of a workout including

warm-up and cool-down• The length of time spent training

(number of weeks)• Training programs that exceed 60-90

minutes causes alterations in hormonal and immune system responses that can have a negative effect on a training program

Repetition (Reps)• Repetition (or “rep”)

– One complete movement of an exercise– Involves isometric, concentric, and eccentric

muscle actions• 1RM

– One repetition maximum or the greatest amount of weight that can be lifted one time

• RM– Repetition maximum or the heaviest load

lifted for a certain amount of reps

Sets• A group of consecutive repetitions• Inverse relationship between

sets, reps, and intensity• A person usually performs fewer

sets when performing higher repetitions at a lower intensity

Training Intensity • An individual’s level of effort compared with their

maximum effort• The intensity level is dictated by:

– How long the client has been strength training– The goals of the client:

• Endurance, hypertrophy, strength, power…• The intensity level is monitored by:

– The set and repetition scheme you have developed- RM (repetition maximum)

– The percentage of the client’s 1RM

Load and Repetitions

• Load– Amount of weight being lifted

– Expressed as % of 1RM (one repetition maximum) or multiple RM (repetition maximum)

• Example: 75% of 1RM or 10RM

• To determine loads, you can test for 1RM, estimate 1RM, or test multiple RM based on the goal repetitions

1-Repetition Maximum Determination• Clients who are untrained, have little or no experience,

are currently or were injured, or are under medical supervision are not recommended to perform maximal strength testing

• For intermediate or advanced clients• Only multijoint (core) exercises qualify for safe and

effective 1RM testing (i.e., bench press)

• Not recommended for assistance exercises, single-leg or single-arm exercises, or any exercise that can not provide valid and reliable data

• Example: Bent Over Row, DB Biceps Curl

Estimating the 1-Repetition Maximum

• An indirect method to determine a client’s 1 RM is to first perform 10 RM testing:–The heaviest load that can be lifted 10

times with proper form

• The personal trainer should determine the 10 RM within three testing sets

Estimating the 1-Repetition Maximum

• After identifying the training goal and estimating a client’s 1RM, the personal trainer needs to decide the goal repetitions for each exercise

• Multiply the 1RM that is associated with the goal repetitions to yield the training load

Training Load and Repetitions

Goal % of 1RM Repetitions

Strength ≥80% ≤6 reps

Power (single effort) 80%-90% 1-2 reps

Power (multiple effort)

75%-85% 3-5 reps

Hypertrophy 67%-85% 6-12 reps

Endurance ≤67% ≥12 reps

Stabilization 40%-60% 12-20 reps

Assigning load and repetitions based on goal

Testing 1 RM• Testing 1RM

–5-10 reps (warm up)

• 1 min rest

–3-5 reps

• 2 min rest

–2-3 reps

• 2-4 min rest

–1 rep

• 2-4 min rest

How To Use the %1RM Chart

• Use this chart to estimate 1RM

• You may need to decrease the load for more than one set of a given exercise.

• Tempo of the exercise may also impact the number of reps that your client will be able to perform

• Most accurate for ≤10 reps

% 1RM Reps

100 1

95 2

93 3

90 4

87 5

85 6

83 7

80 8

77 9

75 10

70 11

67 12

65 15

Calculating %1RM• To estimate the client’s 1RM

take the weight performed for the maximum reps and divide by the % 1RM.

• Examples– 10RM bench press at 225

pounds. 1RM = 225/.75 = 300 pounds

– 8RM Lat Pull at 140 pounds. 1RM=140/.80=175

– 6 RM squat at 100 pounds. 1RM=100/.85=118

% 1RM Reps

100 1

95 2

93 3

90 4

87 5

85 6

83 7

80 8

77 9

75 10

70 11

67 12

65 15

Intensity Progressions• 2-for-2 rule

– If a client completes two or more additional reps in the final set of an exercise for two consecutive training sessions then the trainer should increase the load for the next training session.

Client level Body part Load increase

Beginner Upper body 2.5-5 lbs

Lower body 5-10 lbs

Intermediate and advanced

Upper body 5-10+ lbs

Lower body 10-15+ lbs

Training Volume• Total amount of weight lifted in a

training session

• Calculated by multiplying the number of sets by the number of repetitions by the weight lifted per repetition

• For example, the volume for two sets of 10 reps with 50 lb would be expressed as 2 x 10 x 50 or 1,000 lb

Repetition Tempo• The speed at which each repetition is performed

– 4/2/2– 4 seconds is the eccentric phase– 2 seconds is the isometric phase– 2 seconds is the concentric phase

Tempo Guidelines:• Muscular Stabilization: 4/2/2• Muscular Endurance: 3/2/1 • Muscular Hypertrophy: 4/2/2• Muscular Strength: 3/1/1

Rest Interval• The time taken to recuperate between sets• Depends on type of energy used (phosphagen,

glycogen, oxidative)• Rest Interval Guidelines:

– Muscular Stabilization• Between 0-90 seconds

– Muscular Endurance• Less than or equal to 30 seconds

– Muscular Hypertrophy• Between 30-90 seconds

– Muscular Strength• 2-5 minutes

– Muscular Power• 2-5 minutes

Rest IntervalsClients will be paying more than

$1/min., so be productive with rest periods

Circuit training, super sets, compound sets, and alternating upper body and lower body exercises will reduce down time

You can also cover nutrition related topics during rest periods

Exercise Selection• The process of choosing

appropriate exercises for a client’s program

• Based on:–Client’s goals–Client’s time availability–Equipment–Client’s training experience–Exercises the client will perform

Exercise Classification • An exercise is classified based on

the size and number of muscles involved and/or the speed of movement

• NSCA Exercise Classifications- Stabilization- Core– Assistance– Structural– Power

NSCA Stabilization Exercises• Crucial for all beginners• Emphasizes type I or endurance based muscle fibers

and joint stabilization• Improves overall cardiorespiratory and

neuromuscular systems• Corrects muscle imbalances• Improves stabilization of the core musculature• Establishes proper exercise technique• Examples:

– bridge, plank, standing one leg balance

NSCA Stabilization Exercises• High repetition schemes with low to moderate

volume and intensity to challenge the stabilizing muscles of the body which are predominantly type I or endurance based muscle fibers

Sets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest Interval

1-3 12-20 40-60%-low

4/2/1 0- 90 sec

NSCA Core Exercise • Complex movements involving two

or more large muscles areas–Chest, back, legs

• Multi-joint exercises– Hip, knee, ankle

• Examples–Bench press, lunge, step-up, push-up, pull-up…

NSCA Assistance Exercise• Simple movements involving small muscle

areas

–Biceps, triceps, abdominals

• Single joint exercises

–Elbow, wrist

• Examples

–Biceps curl, triceps push-down, wrist curl, calf raise, lateral DB raise…

NSCA Structural and Power Exercises• Structural

– A multi-joint whole-body exercise that places an axial stress or load either directly or indirectly on the spine

– Requires the torso muscles to maintain an erect or near erect posture

– Examples• Deadlift, squat

• Power or Explosive Exercises– Structural exercise that is performed very quickly– Examples

• Power clean, snatch, push press, medicine ball toss

Sport Specific/Functional Exercises

• Exercises selected based on the evaluation of the sport/lifestyle during the Needs Analysis– Exercises that mimic movements from the

sport or activities of daily living

• Exercises should be performed in similar planes of motion, at similar speeds, usually from your feet

–Sagital Plane, Frontal Plane, Transverse Plane

Exercise Selection Guidelines

• Beginner

–Choose one to two exercises for each commonly exercised body part

–Select 4 to 8 primarily core exercises

–Majority machine based

Exercise Selection Guidelines

• Intermediate

–Choose two exercise for each commonly exercised body part

–Select 8 to 10 core and assistance exercises

–Machine, cable and free weight based

Exercise Selection Guidelines• Advanced

–Two to four exercise for each commonly exercised body part

–Select 8 to 10 core, assistance, strength and power exercises

–Machine, cable and free weight based

Exercise Selection• Safe• Progressive:

– Simple to complex

– Known to unknown

– Stable to unstable

– Static to dynamic

– Slow to fast

• Systematic:–Balance–Stabilization–Flexibility–Endurance–Hypertrophy–Strength–Power

Exercise Selection• Proprioceptively

challenging:–Floor–Stability ball–BOSU–Dyna Disk

• Body Position:– Supine– Prone– Side-Lying– Kneeling– Half-Kneeling– Standing– Staggered stance– Two Legs/Stable– Single Leg/Stable– Two legs/Unstable– Single Leg/Unstable– Eyes open to eyes closed

Exercise Selection• Plane of motion:

– Sagital, Frontal, Transverse

• Type of Resistance:– Water -Dumbbells

– Stability Ball -Manual

– Cable

– Tubing

– Bands

– Medicine ball

Exercise Order• Rule of thumb

– Perform the neurally challenging, complex, more intense and more involved exercises first

• Power exercises

• Structural exercises

• Core exercises

• Assistance exercises

Exercise OrderPut these exercises in correct exercise

order

• Pull-up, BB front squat, DB triceps extension

• DB chest press, DB biceps curl, seated row, triceps extension

• Deadlift, calf raises, biceps curl, step-up

• MB throw, vertical jump, box jump, single-leg hop

Resistance Training Programs• Single Set

–Performing one set of each exercise

• Multiple Set–Performing a multiple number of sets for

each exercise

• Pyramid–Increasing or decreasing weight with

each set

Resistance Training Programs• Superset

–Two exercise that stress two opposing muscle groups (an agonist and its antagonist) with minimal or no rest• Biceps curl/triceps press down• Leg extension/leg curl

• Circuit Training–Performing a series of exercises,

one after the other, with minimal rest

Resistance Training Programs• Split-Routine

– A routine that trains different body parts on separate days

– Monday: chest, shoulders, triceps

– Thursday: back, biceps, legs

• Compound Set

– Two exercise that stress the same muscle groups with minimal or no rest

• Bench press/push up

• Squat/ lunge

Resistance Training Programs

• Push/Pull–Bench press/seated row

–Biceps curl/triceps press down

–Squat/leg curl

• Upper Body/Lower body–Bench press/squat

–Lat pull, leg extension

Recovery

• Very important both mentally and physically

• Allows both musculoskeletal and nervous systems to cover

• Shouldn’t still be sore when you start the next workout

Cognitive Symptoms of Overtraining

• Disturbed sleep• Irritability• Depression• Increased anxiety• Staleness• Increased susceptibility to illness• Decline in feelings of self-worth• Decreased appetite• Uncontrollable emotions

Physical Symptoms of Overtraining

• Increased muscle tenderness

• Decreased VO2 Max

• Increased blood lactate levels

• Decreased nerve impulse transmission

• Increased body fat

• Elevated resting HR

• Elevated BP

Stabilization Guidelines• Multi-joint; Single joint

Sets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest Interval

1-3 12-20 40-60%-low

4/2/1 0- 90 sec

Muscular Endurance Guidelines• Total body; Multi-joint

Sets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest Interval

2-3 12 or more

67%-low-to-moderate

3/2/1 0-30 seconds

Muscular Hypertrophy Guidelines

• Total body; Multi-joint; Single joint

Sets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest Interval

3-6 6-12 67-85%-moderate-to-high

4/2/2 60-90 seconds

Muscular Strength Guidelines• Total body; Multi-joint

Sets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest Interval

2-6 Less than or equal to

6

85% or higher

3/1/1 2-5 minutes

Muscular Power Guidelines

• Total body; Multi-jointSets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest

Interval

3-5 1-5 75-90%-moderate-

to-high

Explosive 2-5 minutes