When training for an aerobic endurance event, it is important to add variety to your training. Not only does variety prevent training from getting stale, but it is also crucial to allow multiple energy systems to be trained and optimized to increase performance.
Long, Slow Distance Training (LSD)
Long, slow distance training is when an individual trains at 70% VO2 Max or 80% of max heart rate (MHR). The allotted time for LSD training should be anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours which can be the same distance or more distance than the event being trained for. This is also known as "conversation training" as the individual should be able to carry on a fairly easy conversation without feeling like they are gasping for air.
The benefits gained from LSD training are generally aerobic in nature. What this means is that an individual becomes more efficient at removing lactate, increases mitochondrial energy production and oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle, as well as become more efficient at using body fat stores as a fuel source. The increase in efficiency of using fat stores as a fuel source also spares muscle glycogen stores for more intense bouts of energy such as a hill sprint or end-of-race sprint.
Pace/Tempo Training
Pace/Tempo training is at or exceeds an intensity that will be used in a race competition. This type of training is also known as "threshold training" as it is intended to push an individual to their lactate threshold (LT) throughout their entire session. Pace/Tempo training can either be steady or intermittent. In other words, either an entire 20-30 minute session is geared towards pushing the LT or shorter bouts or intervals can be used to push the LT.
The goal with Pace/Tempo training is to increase the efficiency of both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems to improve overall stamina and performance.
Interval Training
Intervals involve intense exercise that is close to an individual's VO2 Max that can last anywhere from 30 secs/interval to 5 minutes. Any intervals that last in the 3-5min range should have equal rest periods (1:1), also known as a work to rest ratio. Interval training is intended to increase an athlete's VO2 Max as well as anaerobic metabolism.
Repetition Training
Similar to interval training, "REPS" are conducted at intensities greater than VO2 Max in work to rest ratios of 1:5. REPS work intervals should be in the 30-90 second time range, but due to their immense metabolic strain on the body, that is why longer rest periods need to be followed. The benefits here include faster speeds and enhanced exercise economy. This is the type of training an individual should use in order to improve their final leg of a race.
Fartlek Training
This is essentially a combination of all of the different types of training modes listed above. The idea here is to remove monotony associated with regular training, as well as creating race-like variables into a training session that would mimic the conditions found in a race such as hills, sprints, etc.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Designing an Aerobic Endurance Program
Designing an aerobic endurance training program is similar to designing other fitness programs for any individual. We can break down training criteria into different subcategories that can be focused on. For example, an aerobic training program should include the following variables: Exercise Mode, Training Frequency, Training Intensity, Exercise Duration, and Exercise Progression.
As with any training program, however, the program should be structured to the individual's needs. For example, one person may have a history of cycling, so their form or exercise economy does not need as much training. They may have been sedentary for months or years though, so more emphasis should be placed on aerobic conditioning.
On the other hand, an individual may be very active with a wide variety of exercises but does not have a lot of experience running, and they wish to run their first marathon. In this case, not as much attention would need to be placed on their conditioning like the example above, but more time and emphasis placed on their running form and efficiency.
Exercise Mode
Exercise mode refers to the specific activities an individual must train in to become better at their desired sport or event. Obviously, if one is to become a better runner, swimmer or cyclist, they would need to practice their desired event as that would be the ideal specificity training.
Having said that, there are numerous research studies that have been done showing the positive effect cross training can have on any athletic event. Cross training should try and involve as many of the desired body parts as possible though. For example, it would not be as effective for an athlete who is training for a cycling event to spend a lot of time on the bench press.
Training Frequency
Training frequency refers to the number of training sessions an individual would have in a set period of time (usually a week). Many different variables can factor into planning an individual's training frequency such as their current fitness level as the less trained an individual is, the more recovery days they would require.
Sport season also influences the training frequency. A seasoned cyclist for example who is participating in an upcoming event may taper their number of training sessions per week.
As with any training program, recovery days are just as important, if not more important than the working days. On recovery days, it is important for one to refuel their nutrient and hydration levels in order for their bodily systems and tissues to repair and recover. Studies have also shown an increase in performance after a rest or recovery period of a day or a few days, which is not all that surprising.
Training Intensity
For the most part, the longer a training session is, the less-intense it is and vice-versa. Our muscles consist of a combination of type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers. Type 1 fibers are more fatigue-resistant because their primary energy source is derived from aerobic metabolism, although they cannot create as much power as type 2 fibers can.
Type 2 muscle fibers are more intended for power and speed, although they do so by producing energy by means of anaerobic metabolism. As the intensity of any activity increases, the body begins to transition from mostly type 1 fiber recruitment to type 2, although this is never a black and white transition, there is always some time with overlap.
By training both of these muscle fibers and their subsequent energy systems by using aerobic exercise, you are able to increase the fatigue-resistance of the type 2 fibers by training them to be more aerobically efficient. By doing so, you improve your overall aerobic performance.
The trick to aerobic training is to not train too intensely because a training session would be cut too short, but to also not push the envelope too far, so to speak, as you would not be improving the efficiency of your energy systems.
To date, there are a few different techniques that an individual can use in order to monitor their level of effort that I have listed below.
Heart Rate
One of the most widely-used methods of monitoring exertion due to its close relation to oxygen consumption. Most individuals have used methods of calculating a heart rate zone based on their theoretical max heart rate (%MHR). This can be done by subtracting your age from 220 and then multiplying it by a certain percentage or percentages to get a range.
For example, for myself, since I am 26 years old, my %MHR would be:
220 - 26 = 194
85% x 194 = 165
Another heart rate calculation that is also widely-used due to its close proximity to %VO2Max is the Karvonen Method. This is done by first calculating your age-predicted max heart rate (220-age). You then subtract your resting heart rate from this number to get your heart rate reserve (HRR). You then take your HRR and multiply it by your desired exercise intensity and finally add your resting heart rate. Written out, for myself who wants to work at 85% intensity looks like this:
220 - 26 = 194
HRR = 194 - 52 (resting heart rate) = 142
85% intensity = (142 x 0.85) + 52 = 173 beats/minute
Exercise Duration
Exercise duration simply refers to the amount of time an exercise session lasts. As mentioned previously, the more intense an individual works, the shorter the duration will be.
For example, exercise that is conducted at an intensity above maximal lactate steady state (approx. 85% VO2 Max) will have a short duration of 20-30 mins. On the other hand, exercise that stays at a steady 70% of VO2 Max can last for an hour or more.
Exercise Progression
As with any type of physical training, aerobic exercise must also follow a progressive overload training style in order to continually challenge and therefore improve the body's performance.
Typically, exercise frequency, intensity, or duration or a combination of all three should be increased from week to week during a training block. Having said that, none of those three categories should be increased by more than 10% at any given time.
Once an individual has reached a sort of upper limit for a certain variable, you can then use the other 2 variables to continue progression. For example, if an individual only have 60 mins on any given day to train, they start at 30 mins of running, 4 days a week, with a 10% training increase each week, they will eventually reach their maximum of 60 mins sessions in a few weeks. You can then "cap" each session at 60 mins, but continue progression by increasing intensity.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
As with any training program, however, the program should be structured to the individual's needs. For example, one person may have a history of cycling, so their form or exercise economy does not need as much training. They may have been sedentary for months or years though, so more emphasis should be placed on aerobic conditioning.
On the other hand, an individual may be very active with a wide variety of exercises but does not have a lot of experience running, and they wish to run their first marathon. In this case, not as much attention would need to be placed on their conditioning like the example above, but more time and emphasis placed on their running form and efficiency.
Exercise Mode
Exercise mode refers to the specific activities an individual must train in to become better at their desired sport or event. Obviously, if one is to become a better runner, swimmer or cyclist, they would need to practice their desired event as that would be the ideal specificity training.
Having said that, there are numerous research studies that have been done showing the positive effect cross training can have on any athletic event. Cross training should try and involve as many of the desired body parts as possible though. For example, it would not be as effective for an athlete who is training for a cycling event to spend a lot of time on the bench press.
Training Frequency
Training frequency refers to the number of training sessions an individual would have in a set period of time (usually a week). Many different variables can factor into planning an individual's training frequency such as their current fitness level as the less trained an individual is, the more recovery days they would require.
Sport season also influences the training frequency. A seasoned cyclist for example who is participating in an upcoming event may taper their number of training sessions per week.
As with any training program, recovery days are just as important, if not more important than the working days. On recovery days, it is important for one to refuel their nutrient and hydration levels in order for their bodily systems and tissues to repair and recover. Studies have also shown an increase in performance after a rest or recovery period of a day or a few days, which is not all that surprising.
Training Intensity
For the most part, the longer a training session is, the less-intense it is and vice-versa. Our muscles consist of a combination of type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers. Type 1 fibers are more fatigue-resistant because their primary energy source is derived from aerobic metabolism, although they cannot create as much power as type 2 fibers can.
Type 2 muscle fibers are more intended for power and speed, although they do so by producing energy by means of anaerobic metabolism. As the intensity of any activity increases, the body begins to transition from mostly type 1 fiber recruitment to type 2, although this is never a black and white transition, there is always some time with overlap.
By training both of these muscle fibers and their subsequent energy systems by using aerobic exercise, you are able to increase the fatigue-resistance of the type 2 fibers by training them to be more aerobically efficient. By doing so, you improve your overall aerobic performance.
The trick to aerobic training is to not train too intensely because a training session would be cut too short, but to also not push the envelope too far, so to speak, as you would not be improving the efficiency of your energy systems.
To date, there are a few different techniques that an individual can use in order to monitor their level of effort that I have listed below.
Heart Rate
One of the most widely-used methods of monitoring exertion due to its close relation to oxygen consumption. Most individuals have used methods of calculating a heart rate zone based on their theoretical max heart rate (%MHR). This can be done by subtracting your age from 220 and then multiplying it by a certain percentage or percentages to get a range.
For example, for myself, since I am 26 years old, my %MHR would be:
220 - 26 = 194
85% x 194 = 165
Another heart rate calculation that is also widely-used due to its close proximity to %VO2Max is the Karvonen Method. This is done by first calculating your age-predicted max heart rate (220-age). You then subtract your resting heart rate from this number to get your heart rate reserve (HRR). You then take your HRR and multiply it by your desired exercise intensity and finally add your resting heart rate. Written out, for myself who wants to work at 85% intensity looks like this:
220 - 26 = 194
HRR = 194 - 52 (resting heart rate) = 142
85% intensity = (142 x 0.85) + 52 = 173 beats/minute
Exercise Duration
Exercise duration simply refers to the amount of time an exercise session lasts. As mentioned previously, the more intense an individual works, the shorter the duration will be.
For example, exercise that is conducted at an intensity above maximal lactate steady state (approx. 85% VO2 Max) will have a short duration of 20-30 mins. On the other hand, exercise that stays at a steady 70% of VO2 Max can last for an hour or more.
Exercise Progression
As with any type of physical training, aerobic exercise must also follow a progressive overload training style in order to continually challenge and therefore improve the body's performance.
Typically, exercise frequency, intensity, or duration or a combination of all three should be increased from week to week during a training block. Having said that, none of those three categories should be increased by more than 10% at any given time.
Once an individual has reached a sort of upper limit for a certain variable, you can then use the other 2 variables to continue progression. For example, if an individual only have 60 mins on any given day to train, they start at 30 mins of running, 4 days a week, with a 10% training increase each week, they will eventually reach their maximum of 60 mins sessions in a few weeks. You can then "cap" each session at 60 mins, but continue progression by increasing intensity.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Quality of Life
My wife recently saw an article online that she sent to me, which I found to be a pretty good read. It wasn't anything groundbreaking or monumental in its thinking, assuming you have a head on your shoulders, but its premise, delivered by a certain individual, may raise a few eyebrows.
Dr. Clyde Yancy from Northwestern University, who is a past president of the American Heart Association, recently gave a keynote address at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver. He detailed 7 key steps that everyone should follow in order to have, now get this, a 90% chance of living to 90 or even 100 years old!
Get active: Physical inactivity can cost you four years, while doubling your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Know and control your cholesterol levels: Almost 40 per cent of Canadians have high cholesterol, also a risk for heart disease and stroke.
Follow a healthy diet: Half of Canadians don’t meet the healthy eating standard.
Know your blood pressure: Preventative monitoring of this so-called “silent killer” can reduce your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and heart attack by as much as 25 per cent.
Maintain a healthy weight: As much as another four years are lost to the 60 per cent of Canadians who are obese or overweight.
Manage diabetes: Diabetes, expected to afflict 2.4 million Canadians by 2016, is a cause of stroke, heart disease and other potentially fatal illnesses.
Be tobacco free: Self-explanatory. Quitting smoking, to say nothing of never starting, immediately reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
For my international readers, yes, he was addressing a Canadian crowd, so many of these stats apply to Canadians, but I am sure they relate to many countries as well. The main points of this article I want to focus in on is the likelihood that you will reach a certain age.
Life expectancy in many countries continues to climb. This can be due to many factors such as medical breakthroughs and advancements, pharmaceuticals, as well as our understanding of the human body. There are certain factors that can lead to premature death that for the most case are out of our control such as accident or illness, but for the most part, human beings have a high likelihood of living very long lives now compared to previous generations.
I am by no means disagreeing with Dr. Yancy here on his list, but there are few things that I find surprising. First of all, he lists the fact that exercise, or rather a lack-of exercise, can reduce your life by only 4 years. I feel as though many people may read this and think, "Oh, 4 years isn't so bad, I would rather sit on my butt and watch tv than to exercise. Besides its only 4 years!" Secondly, and on a similar note, he claims that being obese or overweight can shave yet another 4 years off your life. Once again, there may be individuals reading this thinking that 4 years is well worth it as long as they can continue to eat their snack cakes and Mickey-D's.
The reason why I bring these 2 points up, is the fact that, sure, Dr. Yancy details how you can live longer, but he fails to mention the quality of life that can be lived by following these 7 steps. Relating back to the fact that medical advancements are continually extending our life-spans, I believe many people feel as though there will always be that magic pill or surgery that will "keep them going".
I, myself, as well as many of you out there may have experienced, or will experience in your lifetime the declining quality of life some people experience as they age. I currently work for a pharmacy that services long-term care facilities. I have been in these "homes" and have seen the lives that these individuals have to lead. Sure, you may think, "That's what happens when you get old", or "I don't have to worry about that for a while!" Let me just say that I have seen individuals aged anywhere from their 50's to their 100's in these facilities.
The point I am trying to make is that aging is mandatory, but "getting old" is (for the most part) optional. By trying to lead as healthy of a lifestyle as possible, and following Dr. Yancy's 7 steps here, you can not only lengthen your life, but you can improve the quality of life that you lead as well. Sure, you may live to be 100 years old, but if spending the last 40 years of that life in a wheel chair or struggling with aches and pains, what type of life are you actually living. Now is the time, while you still can, to lay the foundation of a healthy lifestyle by consistently exercising, and consuming a healthy diet so that you will see 100 with a smile on your face!
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Dr. Clyde Yancy from Northwestern University, who is a past president of the American Heart Association, recently gave a keynote address at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver. He detailed 7 key steps that everyone should follow in order to have, now get this, a 90% chance of living to 90 or even 100 years old!
Get active: Physical inactivity can cost you four years, while doubling your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Know and control your cholesterol levels: Almost 40 per cent of Canadians have high cholesterol, also a risk for heart disease and stroke.
Follow a healthy diet: Half of Canadians don’t meet the healthy eating standard.
Know your blood pressure: Preventative monitoring of this so-called “silent killer” can reduce your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and heart attack by as much as 25 per cent.
Maintain a healthy weight: As much as another four years are lost to the 60 per cent of Canadians who are obese or overweight.
Manage diabetes: Diabetes, expected to afflict 2.4 million Canadians by 2016, is a cause of stroke, heart disease and other potentially fatal illnesses.
Be tobacco free: Self-explanatory. Quitting smoking, to say nothing of never starting, immediately reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
For my international readers, yes, he was addressing a Canadian crowd, so many of these stats apply to Canadians, but I am sure they relate to many countries as well. The main points of this article I want to focus in on is the likelihood that you will reach a certain age.
Life expectancy in many countries continues to climb. This can be due to many factors such as medical breakthroughs and advancements, pharmaceuticals, as well as our understanding of the human body. There are certain factors that can lead to premature death that for the most case are out of our control such as accident or illness, but for the most part, human beings have a high likelihood of living very long lives now compared to previous generations.
I am by no means disagreeing with Dr. Yancy here on his list, but there are few things that I find surprising. First of all, he lists the fact that exercise, or rather a lack-of exercise, can reduce your life by only 4 years. I feel as though many people may read this and think, "Oh, 4 years isn't so bad, I would rather sit on my butt and watch tv than to exercise. Besides its only 4 years!" Secondly, and on a similar note, he claims that being obese or overweight can shave yet another 4 years off your life. Once again, there may be individuals reading this thinking that 4 years is well worth it as long as they can continue to eat their snack cakes and Mickey-D's.
The reason why I bring these 2 points up, is the fact that, sure, Dr. Yancy details how you can live longer, but he fails to mention the quality of life that can be lived by following these 7 steps. Relating back to the fact that medical advancements are continually extending our life-spans, I believe many people feel as though there will always be that magic pill or surgery that will "keep them going".
I, myself, as well as many of you out there may have experienced, or will experience in your lifetime the declining quality of life some people experience as they age. I currently work for a pharmacy that services long-term care facilities. I have been in these "homes" and have seen the lives that these individuals have to lead. Sure, you may think, "That's what happens when you get old", or "I don't have to worry about that for a while!" Let me just say that I have seen individuals aged anywhere from their 50's to their 100's in these facilities.
The point I am trying to make is that aging is mandatory, but "getting old" is (for the most part) optional. By trying to lead as healthy of a lifestyle as possible, and following Dr. Yancy's 7 steps here, you can not only lengthen your life, but you can improve the quality of life that you lead as well. Sure, you may live to be 100 years old, but if spending the last 40 years of that life in a wheel chair or struggling with aches and pains, what type of life are you actually living. Now is the time, while you still can, to lay the foundation of a healthy lifestyle by consistently exercising, and consuming a healthy diet so that you will see 100 with a smile on your face!
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Aerobic Endurance Performance Factors
There are three main categories that I will discuss below that should be factored into a successful aerobic endurance training program. Aerobic endurance events, whether they involve running, swimming, cycling or a combination of the three, have a fixed distance that the participants attempt to complete in as little time as possible. Training at any capacity can help better an endurance athlete's time, but a properly structured program can yield even better results and can prevent over-training and even injury!
Maximal Aerobic Power
Also known as VO2 Max, there is a strong correlation between an endurance athlete and their VO2 Max level. In basic terms, an individual who has high VO2 Max level can continue to meet the majority of their energy demands through aerobic metabolism. In other words, as the energy demands increase with time throughout an aerobic endurance event, a high VO2 can relate to increased performance for longer periods of time.
Athletes with a high VO2 Max generally have high endurance performance, although there are other factors that can be just as, if not more important such as a high lactate threshold, good exercise economy, and a high ability to use fat as a fuel source.
Lactate Threshold
As the body pushes into higher heart rate zones, and therefore transfers from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, the body must clear away lactate from its muscles. The body eventually reaches a point in which it cannot clear lactate away as fast or faster than it is being produced. This is when you get that burning sensation in your muscles and extreme fatigue which is known as the lactate threshold. Aerobic endurance athletes with similar VO2 Maxes can have differences in performance based on their lactate thresholds.
Lactate thresholds can be trained and therefore improved which can improve aerobic endurance athlete performance. Aerobic athletes should therefore train various energy systems of their bodies in order to increase overall performance.
Exercise Economy
Exercise economy can be defined as the amount of energy expended by an individual performing a specific task or action. Certain factors such as technique or body composition can effect exercise economy. A good example of how technique effects exercise economy would be high-level distance runners tend to have shorter strides with faster stride frequency compared to more amateur runners. An example of body composition factors would be high-level cyclists. Those that are lighter in weight and have low body fat percentages can maximize their muscular efficiency versus those that are carrying extra weight on their bikes and can therefore decrease performance.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Maximal Aerobic Power
Also known as VO2 Max, there is a strong correlation between an endurance athlete and their VO2 Max level. In basic terms, an individual who has high VO2 Max level can continue to meet the majority of their energy demands through aerobic metabolism. In other words, as the energy demands increase with time throughout an aerobic endurance event, a high VO2 can relate to increased performance for longer periods of time.
Athletes with a high VO2 Max generally have high endurance performance, although there are other factors that can be just as, if not more important such as a high lactate threshold, good exercise economy, and a high ability to use fat as a fuel source.
Lactate Threshold
As the body pushes into higher heart rate zones, and therefore transfers from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, the body must clear away lactate from its muscles. The body eventually reaches a point in which it cannot clear lactate away as fast or faster than it is being produced. This is when you get that burning sensation in your muscles and extreme fatigue which is known as the lactate threshold. Aerobic endurance athletes with similar VO2 Maxes can have differences in performance based on their lactate thresholds.
Lactate thresholds can be trained and therefore improved which can improve aerobic endurance athlete performance. Aerobic athletes should therefore train various energy systems of their bodies in order to increase overall performance.
Exercise Economy
Exercise economy can be defined as the amount of energy expended by an individual performing a specific task or action. Certain factors such as technique or body composition can effect exercise economy. A good example of how technique effects exercise economy would be high-level distance runners tend to have shorter strides with faster stride frequency compared to more amateur runners. An example of body composition factors would be high-level cyclists. Those that are lighter in weight and have low body fat percentages can maximize their muscular efficiency versus those that are carrying extra weight on their bikes and can therefore decrease performance.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Monday, October 24, 2011
Speed and Agility Program Design
In order to design and plan a speed and agility training program, many variables need to be addressed on many different levels. The variables are:
Exercise interval - duration (time) or distance
Exercise order - sequence in which a set of reps is executed
Exercise relief - work to rest ratio
Frequency - number of training sessions in a given time period
Intensity - effort at which each repetition is completed
Relief or recovery interval - rest period between reps and sets
Repetition - movement technique
Series - group of sets and recovery intervals
Set - group of reps and relief intervals
Volume - amount of work (reps x sets) completed during a specific training session
Short-Term Planning
Fatigue is a natural occurring process of the human body that can effect performance long before complete failure happens. Individuals should use speed-endurance training to help train multiple metabolic systems in order to improve fatigue-resistance. As the body becomes better at being fatigue-resistant, special speed and agility skills can therefore be performed with greater efficiency.
By using short, intense, exercise, an individual can target phosphagen energy systems and improve their recovery. Phophasgen systems are used in virtually all athletic movements as they are vital to explosive actions and movements. These types of short, intense efforts should be completed early on in a workout before other fatiguing exercises.
Medium-Term Planning
Proper planning and design needs to be implemented into medium-term exercise program design. Research has shown that recovery efforts or growth from one form of exercise can inhibit or hinder the recovery of another form of exercise.
Long-Term Planning
As an athlete progresses through their training program, the speed or effectiveness of their progression may alter the direction of their future training.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Exercise interval - duration (time) or distance
Exercise order - sequence in which a set of reps is executed
Exercise relief - work to rest ratio
Frequency - number of training sessions in a given time period
Intensity - effort at which each repetition is completed
Relief or recovery interval - rest period between reps and sets
Repetition - movement technique
Series - group of sets and recovery intervals
Set - group of reps and relief intervals
Volume - amount of work (reps x sets) completed during a specific training session
Short-Term Planning
Fatigue is a natural occurring process of the human body that can effect performance long before complete failure happens. Individuals should use speed-endurance training to help train multiple metabolic systems in order to improve fatigue-resistance. As the body becomes better at being fatigue-resistant, special speed and agility skills can therefore be performed with greater efficiency.
By using short, intense, exercise, an individual can target phosphagen energy systems and improve their recovery. Phophasgen systems are used in virtually all athletic movements as they are vital to explosive actions and movements. These types of short, intense efforts should be completed early on in a workout before other fatiguing exercises.
Medium-Term Planning
Proper planning and design needs to be implemented into medium-term exercise program design. Research has shown that recovery efforts or growth from one form of exercise can inhibit or hinder the recovery of another form of exercise.
Long-Term Planning
As an athlete progresses through their training program, the speed or effectiveness of their progression may alter the direction of their future training.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Methods of Developing Speed & Agility
Primary Method
Many skill-specific activities should be started slow so that proper mechanics can be learned. Once the proper mechanics begin to take hold, then an individual can increase speed to that, or exceeding that, of game speed.
Some mechanics we take for granted and may learn on our own throughout life, such as running or throwing a ball. Unfortunately, there may be flaws with the technique since some individuals may not have be given proper coaching on the specialized technique. In this case, proper technique can be introduced to the individual to help perfect form.
Secondary Methods
Secondary methods involve sprint resistance and sprint assistance:
Sprint Resistance - Also known as an overload effect, the idea is to use resistance in some form to improve explosive strength and stride length. Examples of resistance that can be applied in such a situation would be gravity (running up a grade like stairs or a slope) or such apparatus such as parachutes or weighted vests.
Sprint Assistance - By using assistance techniques such as running downhill or a high-speed towing apparatus, the aim is to maintain proper running form but increase stride frequency.
Tertiary Methods
Tertiary methods are broken down into mobility, strength and speed-endurance categories:
Mobility - Athletic tasks require specific ranges of motion (ROM). If an individual does not use their full mobility at a certain joint or limb, they can impact performance or even increase their likelihood of injury. For example, someone who is running, if there is not enough mobility at the hip joint, there could too much braking effect caused by the foot strike on the ground. Proper stretching and flexibility should be used by all to maintain proper range of motion.
Strength - In order for individuals to improve their speed and agility, their resistance training program should include explosive, quick movements. This does not necessarily mean that only light weights with high velocity should be used. Resistance training that targets a wide range of muscular fiber types should be employed.
Speed-Endurance - To train for speed-endurance events, athletes must use a wide variety of training styles including short-duration intense training as well as long-duration, less-intense exercises.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Many skill-specific activities should be started slow so that proper mechanics can be learned. Once the proper mechanics begin to take hold, then an individual can increase speed to that, or exceeding that, of game speed.
Some mechanics we take for granted and may learn on our own throughout life, such as running or throwing a ball. Unfortunately, there may be flaws with the technique since some individuals may not have be given proper coaching on the specialized technique. In this case, proper technique can be introduced to the individual to help perfect form.
Secondary Methods
Secondary methods involve sprint resistance and sprint assistance:
Sprint Resistance - Also known as an overload effect, the idea is to use resistance in some form to improve explosive strength and stride length. Examples of resistance that can be applied in such a situation would be gravity (running up a grade like stairs or a slope) or such apparatus such as parachutes or weighted vests.
Sprint Assistance - By using assistance techniques such as running downhill or a high-speed towing apparatus, the aim is to maintain proper running form but increase stride frequency.
Tertiary Methods
Tertiary methods are broken down into mobility, strength and speed-endurance categories:
Mobility - Athletic tasks require specific ranges of motion (ROM). If an individual does not use their full mobility at a certain joint or limb, they can impact performance or even increase their likelihood of injury. For example, someone who is running, if there is not enough mobility at the hip joint, there could too much braking effect caused by the foot strike on the ground. Proper stretching and flexibility should be used by all to maintain proper range of motion.
Strength - In order for individuals to improve their speed and agility, their resistance training program should include explosive, quick movements. This does not necessarily mean that only light weights with high velocity should be used. Resistance training that targets a wide range of muscular fiber types should be employed.
Speed-Endurance - To train for speed-endurance events, athletes must use a wide variety of training styles including short-duration intense training as well as long-duration, less-intense exercises.
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
Liquid Calories
Last Thursday's blog I discussed calories, and more importantly, how calories are digested and used in the body. When it comes down to it, all of us need calories to survive as they are the "energy currency" in our bodies to allow us to do stuff. Calories allow energy actions in our bodies to be performed such as thinking, breathing, pumping blood, digesting food, walking, etc.
The problem most people run into is that they ingest too many calories, which are then stored as body fat as an evolutionary "backup plan". You see, our ancestors didn't always have a KFC sitting on the nearby corner, so they actually had times of famine. Our bodies store adipose (fat) tissue for when we are in need of energy when those hunting and gathering times aren't so good.
People have to ingest calories in order to survive. Foods tend to contain other things in them such as nutrients that make them ideal for our calorie consumption. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats are all nutrient dense. What this means, is that healthy foods give you the most "bang for your buck". You want to aim to get as many nutrients and vitamins in your body through natural sources as possible, while keeping your calorie count low, in order to maximize your metabolism and keep your weight down, while maintaining good health.
Liquid calories can therefore be a major pitfall for a lot of the population. Virtually all sources of beverages that people consume (other than water) have high calorie counts, with very little nutrient payoff. Take sodas for example, most of these beverages can contain anywhere from 8-10 teaspoons of sugar....per can! Visually picture yourself scooping 10 teaspoons of sugar into a can, then filling the rest with water. There doesn't leave much room for water, let alone any vitamins or nutrients.
Believe it or not, sodas can actually play a part in a person's diet, that is if they are a highly active person. Take, for example, a marathon runner. If they were to drink a can of soda before a race, that sugar would be digested and burned off in no time from their high activity level. Most people, however, sit down and enjoy a can with a high-calorie meal while watching tv. Those calories coming from the sugar in the soda are either used right away for high-energy activity (which they aren't) or are packed away for future use (aka, body fat).
Alright, fine, let's give up soda. Many people have taken this pledge (including myself) to give up soft drinks, so now what? I find milk to be a good alternative, but watch your nutritional labels. Milk is high-calorie because it contains fat and protein as well as natural and added sugars. You may be surprised at how much sugar is in your glass of milk. Look at the sugar count per cup (250mL), in grams, of milk, and you may be surprised how much is actually in there. Not only that, as you get closer to skim milk, or in other words, less fat, companies add in even more sugar in order to make sure the taste stands up. I personally like to enjoy either 1 or 2% milk in moderation as milk can provide a lot of vitamins and nutrients such as calcium!
Alright, so milk is a nice substitute for soda, but keep it in moderation. How about fruit juices then? Many companies are jumping on this bandwagon so to speak as they are finding the need to produce what the public is asking for. I will just come out and say it, fruit juices can be just as bad, if not worse than sodas. They can be very high in sugar with potentially little to no nutrients left. The act of processing fruit juices to get the product to your grocery shelf can remove many of the nutritional benefits of the product, not to mention the removal of fiber, which is helpful in slowing the digestion of eating fruit whole. Try and stick to real fruit juices that have no added sugars, and often times, you can "cut" the juice by filling half a glass of juice with the other half water and still enjoy the flavor, minus all of those extra calories.
Coffee is actually zero-calorie. There are numerous health benefits to drinking coffee that have been reported in the recent past. Let's face it, coffee is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in human history, so it is no surprise that it is also one of the most widely-researched (pros and cons). I could write an entire blog on coffee consumption, which I can in the future, but for now, you can make your own conclusions on this. Chances are, if you are currently a coffee consumer, I may not change your mind either way, and vice versa. Just keep this in mind, coffee can suddenly become very high-calorie by adding too much cream, sugar, or flavored coffees to the mix. If you can handle black coffee, that is the best, but I understand some people like to add some sugar and (I recommend) milk to help the taste, so 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar in your coffee in the morning will not make or break your diet assuming you are ingesting a well-rounded diet throughout the day.
Alcohols, like soda, are nutritional bombs. Just to give you an idea of calorie breakdowns, and where our dietary energy comes from; fats are 9 calories/gram, proteins and carbohydrates are 4 calories/gram, and alcohol is 7 calories/gram. Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are generally packaged with nutrients and dietary benefits when they are consumed, whereas alcohol is essentially useless in the body and is just used as energy. Yes, like coffee, there have been many studies done on alcohol trying to prove or disprove its need in the human diet. I will say that there appears to be some health benefits to having a drink now and then to help relax, and lower blood pressure, but many people do not stick to their daily recommended intake. Not only is alcohol itself high-calorie, but most people do not drink alcohol on its own, they mix it with sodas or drink it as beer or wine, which can all heighten those calorie counts.
I find it so discouraging to see some people that are trying so hard to exercise and eat somewhat respectively, but then literally pour away their potential health benefits and gains by consuming large quantities of calories through needless liquid sources. The human body has evolved to feel "full" from eating solid foods. We do not get that same response from drinking our calories, which I think plays a part in the consumption of large numbers of calories being consumed. If people were to make a switch to drinking just water, milk (in moderation), and tea (zero-cal green teas, etc.), they could literally cut hundreds of calories out of their diets every day which that switch alone can account to pounds lost over months and years!
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
The problem most people run into is that they ingest too many calories, which are then stored as body fat as an evolutionary "backup plan". You see, our ancestors didn't always have a KFC sitting on the nearby corner, so they actually had times of famine. Our bodies store adipose (fat) tissue for when we are in need of energy when those hunting and gathering times aren't so good.
People have to ingest calories in order to survive. Foods tend to contain other things in them such as nutrients that make them ideal for our calorie consumption. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats are all nutrient dense. What this means, is that healthy foods give you the most "bang for your buck". You want to aim to get as many nutrients and vitamins in your body through natural sources as possible, while keeping your calorie count low, in order to maximize your metabolism and keep your weight down, while maintaining good health.
Liquid calories can therefore be a major pitfall for a lot of the population. Virtually all sources of beverages that people consume (other than water) have high calorie counts, with very little nutrient payoff. Take sodas for example, most of these beverages can contain anywhere from 8-10 teaspoons of sugar....per can! Visually picture yourself scooping 10 teaspoons of sugar into a can, then filling the rest with water. There doesn't leave much room for water, let alone any vitamins or nutrients.
Believe it or not, sodas can actually play a part in a person's diet, that is if they are a highly active person. Take, for example, a marathon runner. If they were to drink a can of soda before a race, that sugar would be digested and burned off in no time from their high activity level. Most people, however, sit down and enjoy a can with a high-calorie meal while watching tv. Those calories coming from the sugar in the soda are either used right away for high-energy activity (which they aren't) or are packed away for future use (aka, body fat).
Alright, fine, let's give up soda. Many people have taken this pledge (including myself) to give up soft drinks, so now what? I find milk to be a good alternative, but watch your nutritional labels. Milk is high-calorie because it contains fat and protein as well as natural and added sugars. You may be surprised at how much sugar is in your glass of milk. Look at the sugar count per cup (250mL), in grams, of milk, and you may be surprised how much is actually in there. Not only that, as you get closer to skim milk, or in other words, less fat, companies add in even more sugar in order to make sure the taste stands up. I personally like to enjoy either 1 or 2% milk in moderation as milk can provide a lot of vitamins and nutrients such as calcium!
Alright, so milk is a nice substitute for soda, but keep it in moderation. How about fruit juices then? Many companies are jumping on this bandwagon so to speak as they are finding the need to produce what the public is asking for. I will just come out and say it, fruit juices can be just as bad, if not worse than sodas. They can be very high in sugar with potentially little to no nutrients left. The act of processing fruit juices to get the product to your grocery shelf can remove many of the nutritional benefits of the product, not to mention the removal of fiber, which is helpful in slowing the digestion of eating fruit whole. Try and stick to real fruit juices that have no added sugars, and often times, you can "cut" the juice by filling half a glass of juice with the other half water and still enjoy the flavor, minus all of those extra calories.
Coffee is actually zero-calorie. There are numerous health benefits to drinking coffee that have been reported in the recent past. Let's face it, coffee is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in human history, so it is no surprise that it is also one of the most widely-researched (pros and cons). I could write an entire blog on coffee consumption, which I can in the future, but for now, you can make your own conclusions on this. Chances are, if you are currently a coffee consumer, I may not change your mind either way, and vice versa. Just keep this in mind, coffee can suddenly become very high-calorie by adding too much cream, sugar, or flavored coffees to the mix. If you can handle black coffee, that is the best, but I understand some people like to add some sugar and (I recommend) milk to help the taste, so 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar in your coffee in the morning will not make or break your diet assuming you are ingesting a well-rounded diet throughout the day.
Alcohols, like soda, are nutritional bombs. Just to give you an idea of calorie breakdowns, and where our dietary energy comes from; fats are 9 calories/gram, proteins and carbohydrates are 4 calories/gram, and alcohol is 7 calories/gram. Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are generally packaged with nutrients and dietary benefits when they are consumed, whereas alcohol is essentially useless in the body and is just used as energy. Yes, like coffee, there have been many studies done on alcohol trying to prove or disprove its need in the human diet. I will say that there appears to be some health benefits to having a drink now and then to help relax, and lower blood pressure, but many people do not stick to their daily recommended intake. Not only is alcohol itself high-calorie, but most people do not drink alcohol on its own, they mix it with sodas or drink it as beer or wine, which can all heighten those calorie counts.
I find it so discouraging to see some people that are trying so hard to exercise and eat somewhat respectively, but then literally pour away their potential health benefits and gains by consuming large quantities of calories through needless liquid sources. The human body has evolved to feel "full" from eating solid foods. We do not get that same response from drinking our calories, which I think plays a part in the consumption of large numbers of calories being consumed. If people were to make a switch to drinking just water, milk (in moderation), and tea (zero-cal green teas, etc.), they could literally cut hundreds of calories out of their diets every day which that switch alone can account to pounds lost over months and years!
-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS
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