Program Design for Resistance Training and Cardiovascular Training
Resistance Training Program Design
(Exercise Techniques will be described on another page currently under construction. This is about how to design a program)
General Training principles that I will use when helping you to develop an effective resistance training program are Specificity, Overload (challenging the muscles), and Progression:
1. Specificity - refers to training a client in a specific way to produce a specific change or result. This will be driven by what your fitness goals are. For example if a client desires to strengthen the hip and thigh muscles, he or she must perform an exercise such as the back squat that recruits the muscles of the hips and thighs. Specificity may also apply to designing a resistance training program for a client's activity or sport. The movement patterns of selected exercises may be similar to the movements of the actual sport.
2. Overload - Overload is a training stress or intensity greater than what a client is used to performing with their muscles when lifting or performing movements. The most common way to apply this principle is by the amount of weight lifted in exercises. This can also be done by scheduling more workouts in a week as a client's strength and conditioning increases. Don't let this term scare you or make you afraid. Overload is a textbook term or technical way of simply saying that your muscles need to be "Challenged" beyond what they are normally used to in your regular daily activities. It is this new challenging of the muscles that causes them to adapt and become stronger.
3. Progression - Because a client's training status will improve over time, it is my job as a personal trainer to apply the principle of "progression" so the training intensity continues to be greater than what the client is accustomed to. Don't worry. I am very careful not to overload or increase the intensity before you are ready and have made sufficient progress with your program. I will advance your resistance training program at a level that is proportionate to your training status.
* The resistance training program that I design with you and for you will be based on these three training principles (Specificity, Overload, & Progression). A program that attends to only one or two of these three principles can result in unmet client goals, poor adherence, and possible injury. Your success and your safety is my number goal and priority and that is why I take careful measures to monitor and supervise your progress throughout your program.
Components of a Resistance Training Program:
* Initial consultation and fitness evaluation
(measure heart-rate, blood pressure, body composition, height, weight, girth,
muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility)
* Choice (Exercise Selection)
* Frequency
* Order (Exercise Arrangement)
* Load (Weight)
* Volume: repetitions (reps) and sets
Training for Muscular endurance = < 30 seconds rest between sets
Training for Hypertrophy (bigger muscles) = 30 - 90 seconds rest between sets
Training for Muscular Strength = 2 - 5 minutes rest between sets
Training for Muscular endurance = 12 or more repetitions (reps)
Training for Hypertrophy (bigger muscles) = 6-12 repetitions (reps)
Training for Muscular strength = < 6 repetitions (reps)
* Rest periods
* Variation
* Progression
Two very important factors that will have an affect on the design of the resistance training program will be the client's current training status and exercise technique experience. Information about this is usually revealed during my initial consultation with my clients.
* If a client has no previous training experience with resistance training programs then I will develop a safe and basic routine allowing for the client to learn and master some of the key and core exercises for all muscle groups. This may include beginning with machine weights and gradually progressing to free-weights and dumbbells once your body has made necessary neuromuscular adaptations and you have mastered some of the essential movements and exercise techniques. Due to the need for sufficient recovery time a new beginner would train 2 or 3 sessions per week that are evenly spaced out to allow for recuperation time and progress from there in terms of intensity and more advance exercises.
* If however on the other hand you do have some past experience with weight lifting or resistance training as is the case for people who may have played sports in school, then I would ask you some questions:
1. Are you currently following a resistance training program?
2. How long have you been following a regular resistance training program?
3. How many times per week do you resistance train?
4. How difficult or intense are your resistance training workouts?
5. What types and how many of the resistance training exercises can you perform with proper technique?
* Every client is unique is some regard to their fitness status. Sometimes it may be necessary to use some variation in the beginning and get feedback from your body in order to determine what may work best for you.
* Intermediate or Advanced Status clients can do what is referred to as a Split Routine which schedules four or more workouts evenly spread out in one week but with each workout including exercises that train only a part of the body (e.g., chest, back, or legs) or certain muscle areas (e.g., chest, back, or legs). The result is an increased training frequency with sufficient recovery between workouts that involve the same exercises.
* In regard to Order or arrangement, Resistance Training Design can be done
several ways such as:
1. Power, Other Core, Then Assistance Exercises
2. Alternate "Push" and "Pull" Exercises
3. Alternate Upper and Lower Body Exercises
EXAMPLES OF ORDERING RESISTANCE TRAINING EXERCISES:
Power, Other core, then assistance exercises
1. Power clean 5. Seated row
2. Push press 6. Triceps pushdown
3. Front Squat 7. Wrist curl
4. Bench Press 8. Seated heel raise
Multijoint exercises first and then single-joint exercises
1. Back squat 5. Biceps curl
2. Leg press 6. Lying triceps extension
3. Bench press 7. Lateral raise
4. Lat pull down 8. Wrist extension
Exercises that train large muscle groups first and then exercises that train small muscle groups
1. Front Squat 5. Seated row
2. Back Squat 6. Abdominal crunch
3. Bench Press 7. Biceps curl
4. Shoulder press 8. Triceps pushdown
Alternate "Push" and "Pull" exercises
1. Back Squat 5. Incline bench press
2. Leg curl 6. Dumbbell biceps curl
3. Standing heel raise 7. Shoulder press
4. Upright row 8. Lat pulldown
Alternate upper body exercises and lower body exercises
1. Hip sled 5. Leg (knee) extension
2. Bench press 6. Dumbbell shoulder press
3. Lunge 7. Leg (knee) curl
4. Shoulder shrug 8. Triceps extension
Core exercises and then assistance exercises combined with alternated "push" and "pull" exercises
1. Back Squat 5. Lat pulldown
2. Leg (knee curl) 6. Shoulder press
3. Standing heel raise 7. Hammer curl
4. Incline bench press 8. Overhead triceps extension.
* These are examples of different ways to arrange the order in which you do and select your exercises. They are not representative of a complete resistance training workout rather just an aspect of one.
VARIATION
There are different ways to challenge your muscles and using some variation in your approach can help with stimulating new gains in your muscle development.
This is done by periodically altering a client's frequency, load, volume, or rest period. Examples of this are Pyramid Training and Within-the-Week Variation.
In Pyramid Training the load or amount of weight is progressively increased while the number of repetitions in sequential sets of an exercise is progressively decreased. For example, a client may perform three sets of the back squat exercise with the first set consisting of a 75 % 1RM (1 Repetition Maximum lift or Max) for 10 repetitions, the second set consisting of 80 % IRM for 8 repetitions, and the third set consisting of 85 % 1RM for 6 repetitions. I have a table I can use to calculate percentages of the 1RM.
In Within-the-Week Variation training the client's personal trainer can vary the program across the sessions of a training week. For example, a four-day-a-week split routine (e.g., Lower body on Mondays and Thursdays; upper body on Tuesdays and Fridays) that focuses on muscular strength and toning. This can be done with having a "Heavy Training Day" and a "Light Training Day." For example on Monday and Tuesday you train lower body and upper body with high intensity and then on Wednesday and Thursday when you repeat your lower body and upper body workouts you train with lighter loads or weight.
* There are many ways to approach a resistance training program in terms of designing a good program that meets your needs. Often times this can be done with many types of exercises and different types of routines. Don't get flustered because it can be kept simple and effective at the same time. The information provided on this page is done so to give some general principles involved in resistance training and to get you thinking.
AEROBIC CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN
The same principle of Specificity that applies to resistance training also applies to aerobic endurance training.
The components of an Aerobic Endurance Training Program are:
1. Initial Consultation (determine current fitness level through history and
assessments)
2. Exercise Mode - refers simply to what exercise or activity will be performed. Cardiovascular exercise modes include machine and non-machine exercises. Athletes should choose the exercise mode that most closely mimics their sport or the movement that they perform during competition.
3. Exercise Intensity - duration and training frequency
4. Target Heart Rate (Age-predicted maximal heart rate). I can help you
with this number using proven scientifically determined equations. Training
however is mostly done at the Target Heart Range or "Training Zone" which
is a percentage of your maximal heart rate. I can help you with this number as
well.
5. Ratings of perceived exertion
6. Training Frequency
7. Exercise Intensity (percentage of maximal heart rate)
8. Exercise Duration - measure of how long an exercise session lasts.
9. Progression
10. Warm-Up and Cool-Down
Types of Aerobic Training Programs:
1. Long Slow Distance - LDS training, once intensity is achieved, the exercise can continue as long as the client is able to maintain his or her heart rate within the prescribed zone and energy is available. Long slow distance training sessions should be performed at an intensity less than that normally used so that the duration of the workout can be longer.
2. Pace/Tempo Training - For clients who wish to improve their cardiorespiratory endurance, and who are capable of working at the highest percentages of their heart rate range, pace/tempo training can help improve oxygen to blood volume ratio or VO2 MAX. Pace/tempo training sessions typically last between 20 and 30 minutes and require clients to exercise at their lactate threshold which on the Rate of Perceived Exertion scale would be 13-14 on the 5-20 scale, or 4-5 on the 1-10 scale, is considered an approximation of the lactate threshold.
3. Interval Training - These programs get their name from the alternating of periods of high and low intensity exercises they include. This can involve short periods of exercise at intensities at or above the lactate threshold and your VO2 max (ability to maintain sufficient oxygenated blood to peform movement at current intensity level). This is then alternated with long periods of lesser intensities. For example running at 75 % of your top sprinting speed for several minutes to the point of exertion/fatigue and then decreasing the intensity to running at 50 % of your top running speed for a longer sustained period like 15 or 20 minutes or even reducing intensity to a walking pace for as much as 45 minutes.
4. Circuit Training - combines resistance training with cardiovascular training; the client performs short intervals of cardiovascular training between the resistance training sets. The goal is to increase heart rate to the training zone and keep it there for the duration of the exercise session, thus inducing improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular endurance at the same time.
5. Cross-Training - is a method combining several exercise modes for aerobic endurance training. In order for cross training to be effective in improving cardiovascular endurance and aerobic capacity, the intensity and duration of each exercise must be of sufficient quantity with respect to the clients fitness level.
There are lots of fun way to get your heart rate up and get an aerobic workout. Being creative in this process can keep workouts interesting and keep you motivated. Variation is key to prevent stagnation of interest.
* For assistance with designing a safe and effective Resistance Training Program or Cardiovascular training program. Please feel free to contact me through this website.
