My program will hopefully reduce my chances of getting injured, however I need to be safe and not injury myself whilst performing my program. That is why it is very important to warm up well before I actually start training. The benefits of a thorough warm-up are:
- Oxygenates the blood ready for exercise
- Loosens muscles, making them more flexible, thus preventing muscle tear or strain
- Gets you focused on the task ahead
- Gets your body ready for exercise
My warm up will consist of a light jog around the gym for about 3 minutes, to loosen my muscles and start to get blood pumping quicker around my body. I will then perform a series of stretches on my legs, working up my body systematically. When stretching I will hold the stretch for at least 10-15 seconds, it is also important not to ‘bounce’ when stretching as this can cause muscle tear.
The stretches are as follow:
I have chosen to do this particular warm-up as I feel that it will be sufficient, and it isn’t very time consuming. After I have performed my training, I will do the same routine as the warm-up for a cool-down. The benefits of a cool down are that it helps to remove any excess lactic acid present in the blood. Lactic acid is produced in anaerobic exercise, and causes your muscles to stiffen after you’ve finished exercising. A cool-down brings more oxygen into the blood, so that the lactic acid can be removed quicker.
Another safety issue is the equipment and how it is setup. I have been shown how to setup equipment properly. I have chosen to use simple equipment, so I can perform the program at home as well as at school. By using lighter weights, but heavy enough to be overloading, will reduce the chances of damaging my muscles or tendons. The only trouble with using lighter weights is that it works on muscular endurance rather than strength. Weight lifters lift weights so heavy that they can only do about 5 reps before having to stop. If I were to lift such a weight (in comparison to more body size) I would be very liable to injuring myself, because I’m not yet fully grown. I will lift weights so I can perform about 15 reps, this I think will be working both endurance and strength. Men are stronger than women and there build allows them to train harder, so a woman would use even lighter weights.
There are many ways in which people can train to improve their fitness. I will be using the principles of training- F.I.T.T and P.R.O.S to get the most out of my program.
Frequency
I will try to perform 2-3 sessions a week, I don’t have much time to spare but that is why I chose a circuit that I can perform at home without the need of any special equipment.
Intensity
How hard I should work when exercising. This is the most variable aspect of training. One session you can work really hard and get a lot out of it, but you can also do the exact same thing and not work as hard and get nothing from it. I will work at an intensity that I feel I will be able to last two laps, and feel as if I have worked hard.
Time
This relates to the amount of time you spend doing an activity. This is quite important because if I wanted to work on my anaerobic system, then time monitoring would be essential. This will be the variable I will be changing if I feel I need to overload more.
Type
I have already decided what type of training I will be doing- circuit training. I feel that this will be most beneficial to improving the type of fitness I aim to.
These are the main methods of training I could have used:
Continuous training
This method of training improves aerobic endurance, if the person involved keeps within their aerobic training zone. It involves exercising for at least 30 minutes with no stop. The nature of the training means that a lot of motivation is required, so mental endurance is also tested. To overload, it requires the person to increase; distance, time or speed. No skill is used or needed.
Fartlek
This method of training was developed in Sweden; the word fartlek means speed play. The training involves running around in a small area changing speed and direction frequently. It works on both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, also agility.
Interval training
Works specifically on the anaerobic energy system. Consists of a series of short 30 metre sprints, with short breaks between each set. It is a very good way of improving acceleration and speed.
Circuit training
Uses different stations, so many activities can be used. Manly used to develop; muscular strength, muscular endurance, speed and certain skills. Involves working intensely of a short time on a particular station, then having a short break, about 15 seconds, then moving on to the next station. Depending on the activity affects the way you can overload, but usually the time on each station and how many circuits you complete is increased.
To see if the program will work, I will have to test various areas of my fitness before and after the program to see if I have achieved my aims. I will take 6 fitness test, all nationally recognised.
These are the results of the tests before my training. I have compared them to national averages.
As you can see from the table I am already fairly fit, but there are areas to work on. My program will hopefully improve the recordings I get when I do the test again, after I have completed my program. I scored average in the; sit-ups, agility and pull-ups, these are mainly what I will be working on in my program; strength, endurance and agility.
After every session I will write an evaluation of that session, from this I will evaluate weather I need to change any aspects of my training.
