Session 16 Programming for Advanced Conditioning

Session 16 Programming for Advanced Conditioning Australian Institute of Fitness 1 / 25

SETTING THE SCENE As a personal trainer your primary goal for all exercise and training is to enhance athletic performance or improve the physical status of an individual. This session has been developed to provide fitness professionals with a description of performance outcomes, knowledge and the skills required to develop, implement and evaluate strength training and conditioning programs. The session focuses on the skills needed to develop a strength training and conditioning program that meets the needs of individual athletes or groups of athletes according to their sportspecific needs as well as individuals aiming for specific fitness goals. The body of knowledge in the field of strength training and conditioning is growing rapidly. One aim of this session is to provide up-to-date information from this growing body of research. Previously held beliefs and philosophies will be challenged; some will stand the test of time and some will be superseded with new knowledge to increase the scope of the strength and conditioning coach s skill set and ultimately improve athletic performance. Australian Institute of Fitness 2 / 25

IDENTIFYING NEEDS Needs Analysis in Strength and Conditioning The fitness professional s initial task is to perform a needs analysis; a two-stage process that includes an evaluation of the requirements and characteristics of the sport and an assessment of the athlete. To ensure optimal performance, it is imperative that the strength and conditioning training program be individualised in accordance with the specific needs of the sport/activity and of the athlete. Additional factors that will influence the needs analysis of an athlete include the career phase or training experience of an individual and the training phase of the selected sport or activity to be addressed in the strength and conditioning program. Generally, a novice trainer will require program design that includes low technical demand that includes compound exercises while an intermediate trainer can be exposed to an increase in the demand of exercise techniques through the utilisation of a wider range of exercises and equipment. The advanced trainer will require exercise prescription of a higher technical demand and as such the strength and conditioning coach and / or fitness professional should consider all training techniques available to continue to progress the athlete in accordance with the fundamental principles of exercise prescription. Australian Institute of Fitness 3 / 25

Evaluation of the Sport or Event The following factors need to be considered in the assessment process: Biomechanical and movement analysis (upper limb, lower limb and full body patterns and muscular involvement) The physiological requirements of performance, i.e., strength, speed, power and/or endurance components of the sport or exercise Common injuries or mechanisms of injury Other characteristics of a sport: Aerobic / anaerobic endurance, speed, agility and flexibility requirements Predominant muscle actions (concentric/eccentric/isometric etc.) Coordination patterns and speed of motion of sport-specific activities What about the physical abilities? This needs analysis process needs to be specific to the desired outcomes of the training program. For the purposes of this unit, the dominant physical abilities include: Strength Endurance Speed Flexibility Additional physical abilities to be considered include: Power Agility / Reaction Coordination The contribution of these physical abilities to the attainment of high performance is determined by three factors: 1. The ratio between them 2. The development of each ability 3. The relevance of each ability to the sport or event Australian Institute of Fitness 4 / 25

Interdependence Among the Physical Abilities Adapted from Bompa, 1999 The information obtained during the needs analysis process is used to select the exercises, sets and repetitions that will give the greatest benefits to the client. Appropriate selection of training methods is crucial for creating the best composition of physical abilities and the phase of training. This process is particularly important in developing training programs for competitive athletes and is also valuable for recreational trainers and during the post-injury rehabilitation process. Factors that should be taken into consideration during the individual needs analysis process include the following: Goals of Training The goals of the athlete are fundamentally important in designing an effective training program within appropriate time frames. Age An athlete s chronological age versus training age will be a factor in designing and implementing a program. The chronological age is the age of the person in years while the training age refers to the number of years (or months) an athlete has been participating in a structured training program. It is therefore possible to be working with an 18-year-old advanced trainer or a 40-year-old complete novice in terms of training age. Chronological age will influence the training program in regard to physiological variables and the ability of an athlete to recover. Metabolic and endocrine (hormonal) adaptation that occurs as part of the ageing process will influence the recovery capacity of athletes and as such the older athlete may not recover at the same rate as a younger athlete when exposed to a similar workout. To avoid mal-adaptation and injury, an older athlete may therefore require a more conservative program than a younger athlete. Experience The type of training currently or previously undertaken by an athlete is a key Australian Institute of Fitness 5 / 25

consideration when developing a training program. Similarly, their recent exercise history will determine the choice of exercises and techniques to improve performance and minimise injury. Australian Institute of Fitness 6 / 25

Classification of Training Status Training status Current program Beginner / novice (untrained) Intermediate (moderately trained) Advanced (trained) Injury / Illness Not training or just began training Currently training Currently training Training age <2 months 2-6 months Frequency (per week) 1-2 2-3 Training Stress None or low Technique experience None or minimal Medium Basic 1+ year 3-4+ High High Adapted from Baechle and Earle, 2000 The fitness professional must always operate within their level of expertise, and communicate with medical or allied health professionals when necessary. This will assist in establishing indicated and contra-indicated exercise for an individual with a pre-existing acute or chronic injury or diagnosed condition. This is particularly important for clients who are part of a reconditioning or rehabilitation program. Current Fitness Level The current fitness level of an individual relates to the classification of training status. Deconditioned individuals will have a reduced ability to cope and recover from exercise compared to athletes with high levels of fitness. Also consider recent and longer term exercise history a person who has had time off from regular exercise is more likely to tolerate exercise at a higher level than a complete novice Pre-existing Health Conditions Pre-existing health conditions should be considered when preparing an exercise program for an individual. Examples include physical disability, nutritional status, workplace or personal life stress levels. General lifestyle habits should also be considered such as cooking skills, family life, smoking, alcohol consumption and even shift work. Australian Institute of Fitness 7 / 25

Coach Tip Australian Institute of Fitness 8 / 25

PROFILE DEVELOPMENT Profile development in strength and conditioning represents the systematic evaluation of a sport, the athlete or individual and their training or competition. The concept of profiling is nothing new in strength and conditioning, however the improvements in technology and assessment techniques continues to increase the scope of data collection and ongoing monitoring of athletes. Athlete profiling has been used with considerable success across all sporting codes and activities and all levels of athletes. In fact the development of physiological profiling represents a key factor in long-term athlete development. Profile development in strength and conditioning is not limited to physical characteristics of the athlete. From a broader whole-athlete perspective an individual s profile may be expanded to include factors such as: Psychological characteristics Tactical / information processing abilities Technical expertise and skill acquisition capabilities Leadership skills A profiling strategy may be used to: Collect normative data / baseline measures on an individual or group Provide feedback to the individual or group Predict performance potential Quantify specific strengths / weaknesses Measure improvement / adaptation to training programs Place the athlete in appropriate training group Motivate the athlete Screening athletes for potential health risks / injury prevention Break up and add variety to the training program Satisfy the athlete's competitive urge out of season. (McLellan, 2010) Australian Institute of Fitness 9 / 25

Systematic Approach A systematic approach to the process of athlete profile development may include the following: Step 1 Determine the Sport Profile Develop a clear understanding of the sport Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with the sport or positions within a sporting team Step 2 Design a Relevant Athlete Assessment Athlete assessment forms the basis of a systematic approach to athlete monitoring and development Choose valid and reliable tests to measure parameters KPIs determined in Step 1 will provide the basic information required to develop an appropriate and specific assessment strategy Assessment measures may include subjective and objective methods such as: Discussion with trainees regarding perception of training and performance Physical ability tests Performance trials Performances in a familiar environment Performances in an unfamiliar environment Field assessments of fitness components Performance history Step 3 Design and Implement the Training Program Use the specific sport requirements and KPIs to design an appropriate training program Sport specific movement patterns, speeds of movement and fundamental physical characteristics can be modified to individualise the training program Step 4 Analyse Athlete Responses to the Training Program Determine an individual s response to a particular training program with a view to progressive improvements in competitive performance By quantifying an athlete s response to a training program the fitness professional can use this information to better understand the athlete and modify the training stimulus to optimise performance. Australian Institute of Fitness 10 / 25

GOAL SETTING AND OBJECTIVES Goal setting and the development of objectives provide a systematic, directed and measurable path to achieve a desired outcome. The process formalises the goal and enables the athlete to identify when that goal has been achieved. Few sporting teams or athletes win without some form of performance planning and mapping process. The objectives of training programs will vary depending on the age, experience and level of performance of the athlete as well as non-competitive individuals participating in strength and conditioning based programs. Objectives might therefore include the following: General enjoyment of exercise participation A focus on successful performance in a particular competition or sporting performance Specific selection of a sports team Tapering prior to a specific event or game Peaking for an upcoming event or competition Maintaining general health and fitness Maintaining current capabilities during an off season Australian Institute of Fitness 11 / 25

Process, Outcome and Performance Goals There are three types of goals relevant to performance training: 1. Process Goals: These are the goals that the athlete has most control over. An example would be setting a specific goal around gym attendence: provided the athlete puts in the effort in and shows up when he/she needs to, this goal will be met. 2. Outcome Goals: The athlete has very little control over these goals. Even if an athlete does all the right things he may not achieve his goal if it is unrealistic or there are other obstacles preventing its successful fulfilment. An example of an outcome goal would be to squat 150kg in 3 months. 3. Performance Goals: These are things the athlete has control over such as trying to achieve their best 1RM or running time over a specific distance. Australian Institute of Fitness 12 / 25

Time Specific Goals Objectives and training goals can also be time specific: Short-term Goals: These goals are important because they provide a realistic stepping-stone to long-term goals. These goals have the ability to counteract the boredom and frustration that are the potential side-effects of long, arduous training programs. These short-term objectives may comprise daily training goals, individual training session goals and specific lift or exercise goals within a given session. Medium-term Goals: These objectives relate to a specific training phase or preparation period and generally relate to mesocycle training period objectives of several months. Long-term Goals: Although appearing a long time away these goals assist the athlete to remain focussed on what is most important. The perception that today s training is important for winning an upcoming athletic carnival is an example of how a long-term goal can help motivate an athlete in the present. One of the key elements of goal setting and objectives is having an athlete or team buy into the goals. This is achieved by having them participate in the formulation of the objectives. To facilitate the process of setting and evaluating goals, support personnel and members of the multi-disciplinary team should be involved in the determination of objectives. These support personnel may include: Team or organisation administrators, team management or individual managers Coaches, sports scientists / exercise physiologists Sports medicine and allied health professionals (sports physicians, general practitioners, physiotherapists, podiatrists, chiropractors) Parents, guardians, siblings, spouse or partner Team mates Australian Institute of Fitness 13 / 25

PERIODISATION AND PROGRAM PLANNING Periodisation of training may be described as a logical phasic method of manipulating training variables in order to increase the potential for achieving specific performance goals (Stone et al, 1999). In its simplest form periodisation is a systematic planned variation in acute program variables. The classic model of periodisation of exercise and training manipulates the volume and intensity of exercise over time to minimise monotony, reduce the risk of overtraining and injuries and optimise positive adaptation. Australian Institute of Fitness 14 / 25

The Three Phases of Periodisation Periodisation is divided into three main phases, namely: 1. Preparatory Phase or Pre-season Phase 2. Competitive Phase or In-season Phase 3. Transition Phase (Off Season or Scheduled Rest Phase) These general phases of training and competition are further divided as follows: 1. Preparatory phase: a. General preparation characterised by: i. High-volume and low to medium-intensity of training ii. An emphasis on the development of general physical condition such as strength, hypertrophy, base aerobic fitness levels (e.g., Long Slow Distance [LSD] training) or sprint technique training b. Specific preparation characterised by: i. Medium to high-intensity and moderate-volume training ii. An emphasis on competition specific requirements of performance and a transition toward the competitive in-season period iii. There is a general transition from high-volume, low-intensity during the general preparation phase to moderate-volume and moderate to high-intensity training with the introduction to sport specific skills and technical aspects of competition. 2. Competitive Phase: a. Pre-Competition characterised by: i. Medium to high volume with a progressive increase to high-intensity training ii. An emphasis on increase in intensity with volume maintained iii. Possibly hardest of all phases in terms of total work. b. Main Competition, in-season or peaking period characterised by: i. Low volume with high-intensity training ii. An emphasis on improving physical, motor and psychological abilities according to specifics of sport iii. Specific training, no extraneous work with a focus on recovery and a maintenance of physical capacities rather than improvements during a period of often weekly competition demands 3. Transitions 1 and 2 (Active Rest): Transition phase 1 generally separates the preparatory and competitive phases of training Transition phase 2 tends to take place following the main competition or in-season period and is often referred to as the post-season period Characterised by low volume and low intensity of exercise with an emphasis on eliminating fatigue and facilitating full recovery in preparation for the subsequent training or competitive phase During multi-cycle programs transition phase may be of 1-2 week duration with an extended 4-8 week transition period at the completion of the competition period (off season phase) It is important that athletes maintain an acceptable level of physical conditioning during the off-season period to avoid deconditioning Australian Institute of Fitness 15 / 25

Australian Institute of Fitness 16 / 25

Coach Tip Australian Institute of Fitness 17 / 25

Macrocycles, Mesocycles and Microcycles The training period refers to the total length of time of a training program or phase of training. Each phase can be divided into smaller training phases including a macrocycle which refers to a longer-term training period and may typically represent a six-month, annual or four-year Olympic training cycle. The macrocycle generally consists of 4-6 mesocycles of 2-3 month in duration. Mesocycles are generally directed toward one phase of an annual plan such as the general preparation, specific preparation or pre-season training period. Each mesocycle can consist of 3 to 12 weekly training microcycles that further define the aims and objectives of each training session within a 7-day period. Variation is accomplished in microcycles by day-to-day alterations in volume and intensity factors to allow adequate recovery from intense training and reduce the chance of accumulated fatigue and overtraining. Australian Institute of Fitness 18 / 25

Microcycle Example 800m jog 60-70% Workout LONG INTERVALS 2km work interval @ 80-90% 1km active recovery @ 60-80% Repeat x3 Warmup Cooldown Stretch 400m jog 60-70% 10 min holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds Stretch lower back, gluteuls, hamstring, hip flexor, quadriceps, calf, chest and shoulders Microcycles can be grouped together or summated into blocks so that each block presents a specific pattern of volume and intensity loading in accordance with the particular training phase. Each microcycle block can then be manipulated and repeated throughout a training mesocycle in a cyclical manner to provide progressive overload and facilitate ongoing adaptation. Summated microcycles are generally characterised by 4-week mesocycles with extensive to intensive workload progression followed by a brief recovery period. A typical summated microcycle block would include a 3:1 loading pattern of increased load/intensity followed by an unloading week. The unloading week in week 4 of the training block is included to provide scheduled recovery and provide additional time for adaptation to occur. The below graph represents a summated microcycle displaying a 3:1 cycle or 3 weeks of increasing volume load followed by 1 unload week. Australian Institute of Fitness 19 / 25

Periodisation Models Numerous models of periodisation have been proposed to manipulate the volume and intensity of training over time particularly in strength training. These include: Need to Know Linear Periodisation Linear Periodisation of training manipulates intensity and volume over time and represents the classic or traditional model of periodisation. This model is characterised by a large initial training volume (5x10RM) with progressive linear (microcycle) increments in intensity until a peaking of the loads occurs at the end of a cycle (1-3 x 1-3RM). The rationale for this type of training is to initially facilitate hypertrophic adaptation necessary for strength gains followed by low-volume, high-intensity training to optimise neural adaptation. Nice to Know Undulating (Non-Linear) Periodisation: This model presents a concept of alternating shorter periods (e.g., 2 weeks) of high volume (hypertrophy) training with periods of high intensity (neural) training and presents a rationale of periods of low volume, high intensity training inherent in the linear model results in less favourable hypertrophic adaptations and may induce neural fatigue (Baker, 1993). Resistance Training Example of Linear and Non Linear Models of Periodisation Linear Periodisation Weeks 1-4 5-8 9-12 Sets x reps 5x10 5x5 3x3,+1x10 Intensity 60-75% 80-90% 90-100%, +70-77% Undulating Periodisation Weeks 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 Sets x Reps 5x10 5x6 5x8 5x4 5x6 5x3 Intensity 60-75% 80-85% 75-80% 85-90% 82-87% 90-100% Adapted from Baker, 1993 Macrocycle Periodisation Example Australian Rules Football Mesocycle Example Australian Rules Football Australian Institute of Fitness 20 / 25

Physical Conditioning Principles Now that you have learnt, in some detail, the guidelines of developing programs for advanced conditioning, let s summarise some physical conditioning principles to get a clearer overview. Progressive Overload Overload involves providing an appropriate stimulus for attaining a desired level of physical, physiological or performance adaptation. The musculoskeletal system must be exposed to planned and progressive unaccustomed stress to stimulate adaptation. An exercise prescription for overload could include range of motion, absolute and relative intensity, frequency, volume load (sets and reps), tempo of exercise and duration of workouts. Specificity Functional specificity of exercise and training is a key consideration in selecting both methods and modes of strength and conditioning program development and delivery. Transfer-of-training effect is the degree to which a training exercise promotes adaptation in performance. To maximize the potential for transfer-of-training effect, a training exercise must use reasonable levels of movement-pattern specificity and overload (Chandler and Brown 2008). Individualisation The act of participating in training does not guarantee optimal results in adaptation or performance. When designing strength and conditioning programs the characteristics of the individual must be considered and may include training experience, gender, age, health status / screening and testing results and training objectives. Adaptation or Variation Variation involves appropriate manipulation in training intensity, speed of movement, volume and exercise selection. Training results will diminish if the same training stimulus is constantly delivered to an individual. Several different levels of variation are possible in a training program (e.g., long-term, short-term, day-to-day, etc.). The level of variation in the training program is directly related to the athlete s level of conditioning and can be manipulated via changes to volume, load, tempo, exercise selection, order of exercise and other acute training variables. Accommodation The law of diminishing returns tells us that if we deliver the same training programs to an athlete over time their adaptation and response to that program will decrease and the individual s progress will halt. Training programs should be variable to avoid accommodation to the program while being stable enough to satisfy the fundamental demands of specificity and individualisation. Reversibility or Detraining Athletes will often experience interruptions to training programs because of injury, illness, competitive demands, travel and other commitments which results in a decrease or complete cessation of their regular training regime. The detraining principle constitutes a partial or complete loss of previously gained adaptations which compromises athletic performance (McLellan, 2010). Australian Institute of Fitness 21 / 25

MONITORING TRAINING AND EVALUATION METHODS Fitness professionals have a wide range of methods available for monitoring training; the challenge is selecting methods which are reliable, valid and have practical application. The assessment of athletes provides a range of benefits for the fitness professional such as providing a method to develop physiological profiles and provide baseline measures. Regular testing also provides feedback to athletes, can predict specific strengths / weaknesses and measure improvement or adaptation to training programs. Pre-participation or pre-season screening athletes for potential health or injury risk will also benefit the overall program and testing can be useful at times as a training unit on its own. The selection of appropriate assessment techniques can be determined during the needs analysis process and should consider energy systems requirements, maximum muscle strength and endurance, anaerobic and aerobic power and capacity, speed, agility, flexibility and anthropometric determinants of optimal sports performance. Logistically, the delivery of assessment protocols will be influenced by budgetary constraints, staff, equipment and available time. Australian Institute of Fitness 22 / 25

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATIONS The following Strength and Conditioning Associations will be able to provide you with some additional information: Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) Exercise and Sport Sciences Association (ESSA) National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) USA United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) www.strengthandconditioning.org www.qwa.org/ www.essa.org.au www.nsca-lift.org www.uksca.org.uk/ Australian Institute of Fitness 23 / 25

ROUND UP Whether you have a group of athletes participating in a single sport, or a lone athlete focusing on an individual event, you now have the knowledge to be able to design an advanced training program for them to succeed! Remember, when designing training programs for the advanced athlete, no sport, event or athlete is the same, so take the time to research your athletes activity and conduct a thorough needs analysis to make sure that your athlete gets the most out of the training. Let s recap what we learnt in this session: Identifying needs Needs analysis in strength and conditioning Profile development Goal setting and objectives Periodisation and program planning The three phases of periodisation Macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles Periodisation models Implementation of programs Monitoring training and evaluation methods Strength and conditioning associations Australian Institute of Fitness 24 / 25

REFERENCES The following resources were used in the compilation of this material: Australian Institute of Sport. (2004). National protocols for the assessment of strength and power. Laboratory standards accreditation scheme. Baechle and Earle. (2000). Essentials of strength training and conditioning (2 nd Ed.). Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL. Baker, D. (1993). Periodisation of strength training for sports: a review. Strength and Conditioning Coach, Volume 1(3), 15 to 21. Bird, S., Tarpenning, K. and Marino, F. (2005). Designing resistance training programmes to enhance muscular fitness: a review of the acute program variables. Sport Med, Volume 35(10), 841. Bompa, T. (1999). Periodisation: Theory and Methodology of Training 4th Edition, Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL. Chandler, T.J. and Brown, L.E. (2008). Conditioning for strength and human performance. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins: Baltimore, MD. Davis, R., Chandler, B. and Chandler. (2008). Facility Administration and Design. In Conditioning for Strength and Human Performance. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins: Baltimore, MD. Fleck, S.J. (2002). Periodization of training. In Kraemer, W. and Hakkinen, K. (Eds.). Strength training for sport. Blackwell Science: London. Fleck, S.J. and Kraemer, W.J. (1997). Designing resistance training programs (2 nd Ed). Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL. Kraemer, W.J. (2002). Developing a strength training workout. In W. Kraemer and K. Hakkinen (Eds.). Strength training for sport. Blackwell Science: London. McLellan, C.P. (2007). Conditioning Exercise Manual for Rugby League and Rugby Union. McLellan, C. (2010). Strength and Conditioning Manual. Mac Sport Performance Series. Stone, M.H., O Bryant, H.S. Pierce, K.C. et al., Periodisation: Effects of manipulating volume and intensity, Part 1. Strength and Conditioning, Volume 21, 56 to 62. U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. (2004). Strength Profiling. Strength and Power Training Elite Performance Series. Australian Institute of Fitness 25 / 25