Developing an Effective Strength Training Program
By
Dr. Raymond Tucker
The key for athletic success begins in the weight room. Studies have shown
that athletes who participate in a strength training program are faster,
quicker, and more explosive, and they have fewer injuries. Several guidelines
should be followed before any athlete is permitted to start a strength training
program. This article will discuss those guidelines as well as recommendations
for developing a successful strength training program for any sport.
The main goal of a successful strength training program is to improve the
movement patterns of a particular skill. This goal can be accomplished by
conducting a movement analysis to determine which muscles are being used to
perform that skill. For example, in football, a quarterback and an offensive
lineman use different muscles and movement patterns. Therefore, they shouldn’t
be doing the same generic strength training program. Each program should be
tailored to meet the demands of that skill to prevent any injuries. The
physiological demands of the sport must also be determined. For example, long
distance runners would benefit from developing their endurance because this is
the physiological demand for that sport.
It is very important to have a general knowledge of the body’s energy systems
and to know how these energy systems relate to athletic performance. If you
attend a track meet and watch athletes run the 400 meter, they run fast for the
first 200 meters and then slow down. This is because their energy systems aren’t
being trained properly, so the energy system for that event is depleted.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the major source of fuel stored in the body.
However, a limited amount is used by the muscles in a matter of seconds.
Therefore, the body must re-synthesize ATP during exercise. The four energy
substrates used for the production of ATP are creatine phosphate, fat,
carbohydrates, and protein. The three energy systems used to produce ATP are
ATP-PC, glycolytic, and oxidative.
All energy systems turn on at the same time. One system may be providing the
majority of ATP for that activity while the other two are still working to
produce ATP. For example, an athlete running the 400 meter will use the
phosphagen and anaerobic glycolysis energy systems to complete the race.
The strength training program should be divided up into your training goals
for your athletes. You must also determine how many days a week you plan to
lift.
Off-season: Improving hypertrophy and maximal strength
Pre-season: Improving sport-specific power and strength endurance
In-season: Maintaining power and strength endurance
Transition: Resting to give athletes time to recover before starting another
cycle
It’s also very important to determine what types of resistance exercises are
going to be used in your strength training program and whether or not these
exercises meet the demands of the sport you’re training. In other words, use
sports-specific training.
· Power lifts
· Multi-compound lifts
· Core lifts
· Assistant exercises
· Dumbbells
· Functional training
· Machines
· Static or dynamic stretching
· Plyometrics
In order to prevent injury and early fatigue in your athletes, I recommend
the following exercise order. The order of exercises should be power, core, and
assistance. The power clean or any other power movement should be the first lift
in your workout. The reason for this is that power lifts are very taxing on the
body and if an athlete is too tired to perform the lift with proper technique,
the athlete could be seriously injured. The workload and repetitions are
important components of your strength training program as well.
The volume of a strength training program is important. It’s defined as the
total amount of weight lifted in a weight training exercise. For example, if an
athlete does 3 sets of 5 repetitions using 225 lbs, the total weight (volume)
lifted is 3375 lbs.
Rest periods
Athletes should be given the proper rest period between sets to ensure that
there is adequate time to replenish the proper energy systems used for their
training goals. It is only when these systems are replenished that athletes will
be able to perform the required number of repetitions for successful gains in
strength. If athletes aren’t given adequate rest periods between sets, they
won’t be able to perform the repetitions required to achieve that level of
strength. The consequence of this could lead to serious injury, burn out, and
frustration on the athletes’ part because they don’t understand why they’re
missing repetitions.
Below are guidelines for proper rest between sets.
· Maximal strength training places enormous stress on the
neuromuscular system. This stress requires longer rest intervals between sets
and should last between 2–6 minutes.
· Resistance training for power training demands a high quality of
movement. Short rest intervals will compromise lifting technique. Rest periods
of 2–5 minutes are recommended for power lifts.
· Rest intervals of 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes are recommended for
hypertrophy.
· Rest intervals for improvements in strength endurance should be less
than 30 seconds.
Program errors
· Too many strength training programs are generic, which means that
everybody, regardless of sport or position, is doing the same program.
· Too many programs are borrowed from strength programs at other
colleges and universities. Their goals for their athletes are going to be
different from yours. In addition, the age and lifting maturity of the athletes
will be different.
· There isn’t enough emphasis placed on using proper form and
utilizing proper lifting technique.
· Athletes shouldn’t be lifting weights in the morning before school,
during school, or after school. This will only lead to overtraining and will
diminish maximal gains in strength.
· Athletes shouldn’t be pushed in any exercise program to the point
that they get sick. If this happens, you need to evaluate your training
programs. This isn’t a result of the athletes working too hard.
· Programs change from the off-season to the pre-season to in-season
to the transition phase.
Raymond Tucker, PhD holds a doctorate in sports management with honors
from the United States Sports Academy and is a certified strength and
conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
He has been a strength and conditioning coach at Coffeyville Community College,
and he interned at Texas Lutheran College. Dr. Tucker was a competitive
drug-free powerlifter in Texas and was a former state and regional record holder
in the 220-lb class from 1985–1993, a national champion in 1988, and a ranked
number 11 in the United States in the 220-lb weight class by the American Drug
Free Powerlifting Association. He can be contacted at
rtbills2001@yahoo.com.
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