Performance Enhancement

Strength Training

Muscle Fiber type & Performance Slow twitch

More efficient using oxygen to generate fuel for continuous extended muscle contractions

Contract slowly, but continue for long periods of time

Muscle Fiber type & Performance Fast twitch

Generates short bursts of strength or speed Fatigue quickly

Muscle Fiber type & Performance Fiber type may influence what type of sports

an athlete is naturally good at. Slow twitch

Cycling, jogging, swimming, running Fast twitch

Sprinting, jumping, other explosive activities Ratios of slow/fast twitch muscles vary by

person. General population – close to equal ration Elite athletes – definite concentration of one type

or another.

Types of strength training movements Isometric

No movement Performed against fixed resistance Least effective form Ex: wall sit, stationary press

Types of strength training movements Isotonic

Joint moved through full range of motion against fixed weight, speed is variable

Greatest gains in the initial movement, least at the mid point

Ex: bench press, bicep curls, etc.

Types of strength training movements Isokinetic

Variable resistance with fixed speed

Resistance accommodates to match the force applied

Machine is required

Types of strength training movements Eccentric

Negative work Muscle lengthened

while weight is lowered

Produce great strength gains, but more muscle soreness

Ex: down movement of bicep curl

Types of strength training movements Concentric

Positive work Muscle shortens

as weight is lifted Ex: up movement

of bicep curl

Types of strength training movements Closed chain exercises

Distal segment is fixed Allows strength gains of several muscle groups Ex: body squats, lunges, push ups

Types of strength training movements Open chain exercise

Distal segments are not fixed & freely moving in space

Good at targeting one set of muscles, but increases the forces transmitted to the involved joint

Ex: knee extensions, any throwing movement

Types of strength training movements Plyometrics

Muscles are repeatedly and rapidly stretched (loaded) and then contracted

The aim is to improve muscle power Maximize stretch reflex Rate is more important than the magnitude of the

stretch Ex: jumps, bounds, skips, hops, medicine ball

throws

Types of strength training movements Plyometrics cont.

Stretch reflex – stretch the muscle from its resting length immediately before the concentric contraction

The greater the stretch, the greater the load (power generated) the muscle can lift.

Methods of resistance training Free weights

Variety of exercise selection

Athlete in control of range of motion

Builds coordination Recruits stabilizing

muscles to control movement

Methods of resistance training Weight machines

Simple to use Relatively safe Don’t require lots of

coordination Limited to targeting

one muscle group Body may not

anatomically match the movement of the machine.

Methods of resistance training Exercise tubing

Similar advantages to free weights High variety of exercise selection May not be able to generate enough force to

increase strength gains as free weights

Methods of resistance training Body weight exercises

Does not require any equipment Exercises can be very functional and sport specific Difficult for experienced athletes to achieve high

level of intensity without high number of repetitions

Strength conditioning principles General guidelines

Safety first Allow proper rest between exercises Balance training program to prevent injury and

overuse Use a spotter

Strength conditioning principles Repetition: performing the particular exercise

one time Set: grouping of a specific exercise into a

number of repetitions Resistance: the opposing force to a muscle

contraction Strength & size: high resistance / low

repetitions Muscular endurance: low resistance / high

repetitions Power: rapid movements