NSCA Chapter 17

Resistance Training Program Design Variables

1. Needs Analysis 2. Exercise Selection 3. Training Frequency 4. Exercise Order 5. Training Load and Reps 6. Volume 7. Rest Periods

Estimating a 1RM

1RM Table Using Prediction Equations: Most accurate when based on low (<= 10) multiple RM testing. Multiple RM Testing Based on Goal Reps: Requires S&C professional to 1st decide the number of reps the athlete will perform in the actual program for exercise being tested.

Step 1: Needs Analysis

2 stage process that includes an evaluation of the requirements and characteristics of the sport and assessment of the athlete.

Exercise Selection: Muscle Balance

Agonist: Muscle or muscle group actively causing the movement. Antagonist: Sometimes passive muscle or muscle group located on the opposite side of the limb.

Training Frequency: Load and Exercise Type

Athletes who train with max or near-max loads require more recovery time prior to their next training session.

Progression of Training Load: 2-for-2 Rule

Conservative method that can be used to increase an athlete's training load. If the athlete can perform 2 or more reps over his or her assigned rep goal in the last set in 2 consecutive workouts for a given exercise, weight should be added to that exercise for the next training session.

Exercise Selection: Core and Assistance Exercises

Core exercises recruit one or more large muscle areas, involve 2 or more primary joints, and receive priority when selecting exercises because of direct application to sport. Assistance exercises usually recruit smaller muscle areas, involve only one primary joint, and are considered less important to improve sport performance.

Exercise Selection: Exercise Technique Experience

Do not assume that an athlete will perform an exercise correctly. If there is any doubt, have the athlete demonstrate the exercise and provide instruction as needed.

Exercise Selection: Recovery Exercise

Do not involve high muscular stress and high stress on the nervous system but promote movement and restoration. Assist in the removal of metabolic wastes and by-products and maintain some amount of blood flow to the exercised muscles so the repair processes can be optimized.

Step 4: Exercise Order

Exercise order is the sequence of resistance exercises performed during one training session.

Variation of Training Load

Heavy day loads are designed to be full rep max, the greatest resistance that can be successfully lifted for the goal number of reps. Loads for other days are reduced to provide recovery after heavy day while still maintaining frequency and volume.

Anaerobic Exercise Prescription: Progression

If a training program is to continue productive higher levels of performance, the intensity of the training must become progressively greater.

Step 2: Exercise Selection

Involves choosing exercises for a resistance training program. Exercise Type Availability of Equipment Available Training Time

Training Load and Reps: Mechanical Work

Mechanical Work = Force x Displacement Load-Volume = Weight Units x Reps -Practical measure for quantity of work performed in resistance training. Arrangement of reps and sets affects the intensity value, a measure of quality of work performed.

Exercise Order: Push and Pull (Alternated)

Method of improving recovery and recruitment between exercises. Alternate pushing exercises (e.g. bench press, shoulder press, and triceps extension) with pulling exercises (e.g. lat pull down, bent-over row, biceps curl).

Needs Analysis: Evaluation of the Sport

Movement Analysis: Body and limb movement patterns and muscular involvement. Physiological Analysis: Strength, power, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance priorities. Injury Analysis: Common sites for joint and muscle injury and causative factors.

Step 3: Training Frequency

Number of training sessions completed in a given time period. For a resistance training program, a common time period is one week.

Exercise Order: Upper and Lower Body (Alternated)

One method of providing the opportunity for athletes to recovery more fully between exercises is to alternate upper body with lower body. If exercises are performed with minimal rest periods, this method is also referred to as circuit training.

Exercise Order: Power, Other Core, Then Assistance Exercises

Power exercises such as snatch, hang clean, power clean, and push jerk should be performed first in a training session, followed by other non-power core exercises and assistance exercises.

Anaerobic Exercise Prescription: Specificity

Refers to aspects such as the muscles involved, the movement pattern, and the nature of the muscle action (speed of movement, force application), but does not always reflect the combination of all of these aspects.

Anaerobic Exercise Prescription: Overload

Refers to assigned a workout or training regiment of greater intensity than the athlete is accustomed to.

Load and Reps Based on Goal: Percentage of 1RM

Relationship between percentage of 1RM and estimated number of reps allows the assignment of a specific resistance to be used for an exercise. Training goal is attained when the athlete lifts a load of a certain percentage of the 1RM for the goal number of reps. -Strength: >= 85% -Single Effort Power: 80-90% -Multiple Effort Power: 75-85% -Hypertrophy: 67-85% -Muscular Endurance: <= 67% To promote program specificity, particular load and reps are indicated for athletes training for single effort power events (shot put, high jump, weightlifting) and for multiple effort power events (basketball, volleyball).

Training Frequency: Sport Season

Seasonal demands of the sport may limit the available time for resistance training. Off-Season: 4-6 sessions/week. Preseason: 3-4 sessions/week. In-Season: 1-3 sessions/week. Postseason: 0-3 sessions/week.

Multiple vs Single Sets

Single-set training may be appropriate for untrained individuals or during the first several months of training. -It is appropriate for an athlete to perform 1-2 sets as a beginner. Higher volumes are necessary to promote further gains in strength, especially for intermediate and advanced resistance-trained athletes.

In-Season

Sport Practice: High Resistance Training: Low Goal: Maintenance of preseason training goal.

Off-Season

Sport Practice: Low Resistance Training: High Goal: Hypertrophy and muscular endurance (initially), strength and power (later).

Preseason

Sport Practice: Medium Resistance Training: Medium Goal: Sport and movement specific (strength, power, or muscular endurance depending on the sport).

Postseason

Sport Practice: Variable Resistance Training: Variable Goal: Not specific (may include activities other than sport skill or resistance training.

Exercise Selection: Structural and Power Exercises

Structural exercise emphasize loading the spine directly or indirectly. Power exercises are structural exercises that are performed very quickly or explosively.

Exercise Order: Supersets and Compound Sets

Superset: Involves 2 sequentially performed exercises that stress 2 opposing muscles or muscle areas (i.e. agonist and antagonist). Compound Set: Involves sequentially performing 2 different exercises for the same muscle group.

Needs Analysis: Physical Testing and Evaluation

Tests should relate to the athlete's sport. Use the results of the movement analysis to select tests. After testing, compare results with normative and descriptive data to determine the athlete's strengths and weaknesses.

Relationship Between Load and Reps

The heavier the load, the lower the number of reps that can be performed. Load is commonly described as a percentage of 1RM or as a rep max (RM). Load: Amount of weight assigned to an exercise set; often characterized as the most critical aspect of a resistance training program. 1RM: Greatest amount of weight that can be listed with proper technique for only 1 rep. Rep Max (RM): Most weight lifted for a specified number of reps.

Exercise Selection: Sport Specific Exercises

The more similar the training activity is to the actual sport movement, the greater the likelihood that there will be a positive transfer to the sport. Concept is called training specificity or the specific adaptation to imposed demands (SAID).

Step 6: Volume

The total amount of weight lifted in a training session. Rep-Volume: The total number of reps performed during a workout session. Load-Volume: The total number of sets multiplied by the number of reps per set then multiplied by the weight lifted per rep.

Anaerobic Exercise Prescription: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand (SAID)

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

Step 7: Rest Period

Time dedicated to recovery between sets and exercises. Length of the rest period is high dependent on the goal of training, relative load lifted, and training status. -Strength: 2-5 Mins -Single Effort Power: 2-5 Mins -Multiple Effort Power: 2-5 Mins -Hypertrophy: 30-90 Sec -Muscular Endurance: <= 30 Sec

Progression of Training Load

Timing load increases. As the athlete adapts to the training stimulus, loads must be increased so that improvements will continue over time. Monitoring training and response helps know when and to what extent loads should be increased.

Training Frequency: Other Training

Training frequency is influenced by the overall amount of physical stress. Consider the effects of... -Other aerobic or anaerobic training. -Sport skill practice. -Physically demanding occupations.

Load and Reps Based on Goal

Training goal can be applied to determine specific load and rep assignments via the RM continuum, percentage of the 1RM, or results of multiple-RM testing.

Training Frequency: Training Status

Training status affects the number of rest days needed between sessions. 3 workouts per week are recommended for many athletes to allow sufficient recovery between sessions. General guideline is to schedule training sessions so there is at least 1 rest day (no more than 3) between sessions that stress the same muscle groups. -Beginner: 2-3 sessions/week. -Intermediate: 3-4 sessions/week. -Advanced: 4-7 sessions/week; more highly resistance-trained athletes can augment training by using a split routine.

Volume: Primary Resistance Training Goal

Training volume is directly based on the resistance training goal. Strength: <= 6 reps, 2-6 sets. -Typically higher than power. Power: -Single Effort: 1-2 reps, 3-5 sets. -Multiple Effort: 3-5 reps, 3-5 sets. -Typically lower than strength to maximize quality. Hypertrophy: 6-12 reps, 3-6 sets. -Increases in muscular size are associated with higher volumes and performing 3+ exercises per muscle group. Muscular Endurance: >= 12 reps, 2-3 sets. -Many reps, lighter loads, fewer sets.

Needs Analysis: Training Status

Type of training program. Length of recent regular participation in previous training program. Level of intensity involved in previous training program. Degree of exercise technique experience. -Beginner: Training <2 months, <1-2 x/week, none or low training stress, no or minimal experience/skill. -Intermediate: Training 2-6 months, 2-3 x/week, medium training stress, basic experience/skill. -Advanced: Training >1 year, 3-4 x/week, high training stress, high experience/skill.

Needs Analysis: Primary Goal

Typically improve strength, power, hypertrophy, or muscular endurance. Concentrate on one outcome per season.

Load and Reps Based on Goal: RM Continuum

Use relatively heavy loads for strength and power. Use moderate loads for hypertrophy. Use light loads for muscular endurance. A certain RM emphasizes a certain outcome but training benefits are balanced at any given RM. -Strength: <= 6 Reps -Single Effort Power: 1-2 Reps -Multiple Effort Power: 3-5 Reps -Hypertrophy: 6-12 Reps -Muscular Endurance: >= 12 Reps

Progression of Training Load: Quantity of Load Increases

Variations in training status, load volumes, and exercises greatly influence appropriate load increases. Relative load increases of 2.5-10% can be used in place of the absolute values. Smaller, Weaker, Less Trained Athlete: -Upper Body: 2-5 lb load increase. -Lower Body: 5-10 lb load increase. Larger, Stronger, More Trained Athlete: -Upper Body: 5-10+ lb load increase. -Lower Body: 10-15+ lb load increase.