Type: This stands for the blatant obvious. Type refers to what TYPE of training you do. For most people this can vary quite a lot depending on what type of sport, or event you are training up to. As long as the type of training brings your heart rate up t the target rate and keep it there for twenty minutes you will get more fit.
What is specificity? : The effects of training are very specific. When training for sport you need to be specific about the muscles/muscle groups that you concentrate on, otherwise the training is just pointless for you. Example- sprinters include a large amount of speed work in their training; this ensures that the fast twitch fibers are fully developed. If a sprinter trained mainly on long distance running of course his or her cardiovascular system will be improved upon but the sprinter will not have improved upon speed in a great deal defying the point.
What is reversibility? : Your body can easily become unfit again as they became fit. Without constant exercise at the same level of stress or a higher level your body will quickly adapt to the low level of stress and become unfit. It is important that after this Personal Exercise Program is completed you keep a high level of fitness and continue to exercise in order for your body to maintain its fitness.
What is Overload? : Another training principal is called overload, this is often mistaken for meaning too much. This is not the case. Overload means to train at a high intensity above the minimum required amount to improve fitness, know as the MINIMUM THRESHOLD of training and below the MAXIMUM THRESHOLD of training. The area that is between these two is called the target range or target zone. See appendix C for working out target range for cardiovascular fitness.)
What is progression? : When we increase the amount of exercise we do, we place added stress on the body systems. We must add this stress in a progressive or gradual way. Too much progression can cause injury, Too little can lead to staleness or boredom. If the stress of a workout does not increase the body will see no point in become more fit.
What is tedium? Tedium must be avoided at all costs; this is when sessions exercises are repeated. Sessions must be varied to keep training an activity that feels worthwhile when it most certainly is.
Methods of Training
Continuous Training: Continuous training is a good way to improve your aerobic system. It is also a good way to burn body fat. You run, swim, walk or cycle for at least thirty minutes at the same place, without rest. You overload by increasing the time distance, speed or all three.
Build up the time slowly if you are unfit.
Work in your aerobic training zone. Start at around 60% of your maximum heart rate then work it up to 75%.
If you are training for competitions, work up to distances that are 2-5 times the competition distance.
Disadvantages:
It includes no skill work
It can get boring
If you are running in order to improve your football game for example you will need some sprint sessions.
Fartlek Training:
Fartlek training was developed in Sweden. The word means speed play and the method involves many changes of speed. You can use it to improve both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. You can adapt it for running, cycling, skiing and other activities.
Fartlek running sessions are very good for games players, since games have many changes of speed.
Change the mix of fast and slow work to suit your sport and the energy system you want to work on.
To overload, increase the time or speed for each activity or choose more difficult ground. For example run uphill or through sand
Fartlek has some disadvantages:
The athletes decide on the speed, coaches can’t decide whether the athlete is going to his full potential.
It needs a lot of motivation to work at maximum speed, so it is easy to drop the effort.
Interval Training:
In interval training you follow a fixed pattern of fast work followed by slow work or rest.
The jogging is to help remove lactic acid. The two minute rest is to allow full recovery. You can tell by your heart rate if you have recovered. As you get fitter you can overload by:
Increasing the number of reps or sets or both
Reducing the time for slow work
Reducing the rest time between sets.
There is no point increasing the distance, since you are practicing acceleration. By about 30 meters you are already at full running speed.
Note these things about interval training:
You can use it for either aerobic training or aerobic work, depending on the distance and the number and length of the intervals.
You can use it for other activities such as cycling or swimming.
It does cause pain so you need high motivation to keep going. Since there is a set pattern it is easy to tell is someone is giving up.
Circuit Training
This is a good way to organize your muscles or skill training. A circuit usually has 8 to 15 stations. You do a different exercise at each station, e.g. 1: step ups 2: sit ups 3: press ups 4: squats, 5: pull ups, 6: ski-jumps, 7: dorsal raises, 8: short sprints.
You normally spend a set amount of time on each activity (from 20- 30 seconds). You can overload by increasing the time spent on each exercise, try to do more repetitions in the time limit or by doing the circuit more times.
When designing a circuit make sure that you change muscle groups between each activity to delay fatigue.
Advantages
Can be adapted to use free weights or body weight.
Can be adapted to shorter or longer bursts of work (aerobic or anaerobic).
Can be adapted to concentrate on certain muscle groups.
Can be adapted to work on skills.
Aerobics
Aerobics classes are a popular way to improve fitness. You do exercises for every part of the body. You work at a pace that keeps your heart in the aerobic training zone.
You work in time to music, which makes it fun.
Jumping and stamping can jar your bones and damage your joints. To avoid this, work on a sprung hardwood floor or soft mat. Or else choose low impact aerobics.
Cross Training
This is where you use other forms of exercise to help you to get fitter for your sport, e.g. weight training to help rugby, or cycling to help running
Conclusion
Throughout the summer holidays I found it quite hard to find places in which I could run. This is due to the fact that I was up in cottage country in Canada with no road access and no decent clear space to run. Even though I was up at my cottage I was able to go down to the city to complete the pep training plan. It has brought my cardiovascular system past limits I never knew I could exceed. Now I will have to maintain my cardiovascular fitness here in Hong Kong. My strength particularly in my upper body has become overwhelming to me. I progressed through the weight lifting that I have planned.
Evaluation
I could have put more emphasis on the skill of tennis and the actual playing of the game. This would have definitely improved my skill fitness. Next time I am away from the country and plan to do some training I may want to be able to vary the different sessions, so instead of doing running for my cardiovascular system I can swim. This would definitely have made training up in cottage country in Canada easier to do.
