Developing athletes and increasing athletic performance starts in the weight room. The purpose of a strength training program is to improve the movement patterns of a particular skill. This can be accomplished by first 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 should not be doing the same generic strength training program. Programs should be tailored to meet the demands of that particular skill and to prevent injuries. The physiological demands of the sport must also be determined. For example, long distance runners would benefit from a program that develops endurance because endurance is the physiological demand for that sport.

Energy systems

A general knowledge of the body’s energy systems and how these systems relate to athletic performance is also vital for the success of a strength training program. For example, you can go to a track meet and watch an athlete sprint 400 meters. He will run fast for the first 200 meters and then slow down. Spectators will make the comment, “The monkey jumped on his back” or you will hear a coach yell, “Push, run faster, get your knees up.” This is a waste of time. The result is that the energy systems needed for this race aren't properly developed and the consequence is fatigue.

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 resynthesize 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 because the race is 30 seconds to two minutes with heavy intensity.

Training goals

The strength training program should be divided up into training goals for your athletes. You must also determine how many days and what days of the 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

Exercise selection

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 are training. In other words, use sports-specific training. Some of the common exercises used in strength training programs are power lifts, multi-compound lifts, core lifts, assistant exercises, dumbbells, functional training, machines, static or dynamic stretching, and plyometrics. In order to prevent injury and early fatigue in your athletes, I recommend the following exercise order: power lifts, core lifts, and assistance exercises. 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. If an athlete is too tired to perform the lift with proper technique, the athlete could be seriously injured.

Repetitions

Understanding the number of repetitions needed to improve strength, power, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance will help organize training goals for your program. For example, if you were working on hypertrophy, your load percentage of your 1RM max would be between 67 and 85 percent for repetitions of six to twelve.

Volume

The volume of a strength training program is important. It is defined as the total amount of weight lifted in a weight training exercise. For example, if an athlete does three sets of five repetitions using 225 lbs, the total weight (volume) lifted is 3375 lbs. The athlete is in the power multi-effort phase of his training.

Rest periods

Athletes should be given the proper rest period between sets to ensure adequate recovery 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 are not given adequate rest periods between sets, they will not 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 do not understand why they are missing repetitions.

  • Maximal strength training places enormous stress on the neuromuscular system. This stress requires longer rest intervals between sets and should last between two and six minutes.
  • Resistance training for power training demands a high quality of movement. Short rest intervals will compromise lifting technique. Rest periods of two to five minutes are recommended for power lifts.
  • Rest intervals of 30 seconds to one and a half 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 everyone, regardless of sport or position, is doing the same program.
  • Strength training programs should not be borrowed from colleges, universities, and professional teams. The 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.
  • One workout a day should be adequate for the beginner and young athletes. Athletes shouldn't be lifting weights in the morning before school, during school, or after school. Failure to do this will lead to overtraining and will diminish maximal gains in strength.
  • Athletes should not be pushed in any exercise program to the point that they get sick. If this happens, you need to evaluate your training programs. This is not a result of the athletes working too hard. This is a result of a coach not understanding basic training principles.
  • Programs need to change from the off-season to the pre-season to the in-season to the transition phase.