Transcript Strength Training

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
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



Fast twitch



Aerobic exercise
Cycling, jogging, swimming, running
Anaerobic
Sprinting, jumping, weigh training, and 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
Examples





Quad sets
Wall push-ups
Glute squeezes
Ball squeezes
Negatives

Doesn’t strengthen full ROM
Types of strength training movements

Isotonic



Joint moved through full range of motion against fixed weight.
(velocity = variable)
Increases dynamic strength, muscle endurance and power
Ex:



Lowering weights
Releasing theraband
Bench press
Types of strength training movements

Isokinetic




Movement occurring at a
constant, controlled speed
(velocity=constant)
Resistance will vary
throughout ROM
Machine is required
Examples


Cybex
Kincom
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





Weight shifting
Standing activities
Wall push-ups
Lifting weights
Negatives

Difficult to see muscle compensation
Types of strength training movements

Open chain exercise



Distal end of the moving segment moves freely
Good at targeting one set of muscles, not good for functional
movement
Ex:





knee extensions
SAQ/LAQ
Ankle circles
Heel slides
Negatives

Doesn’t help proprioception
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 throw
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 a lot 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
Balanced training program to prevent injury and overuse
Use a spotter
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