Resistance and Strength Training for Athletes
Resistance Training
Definition
Resistance is the ability to make an effort to a greater or lesser extent for as long as possible. Two types of resistance training develop aerobic endurance (low intensity and long duration) and high-intensity anaerobic work.
Types of Anaerobic Work
Depending on its duration, anaerobic work may be lactic anaerobic endurance (long-lasting) or alactic anaerobic (short-lasting).
Continuous Methods
- Exercise of long duration and low intensity.
- Allows a variety of routes and terrains.
- Enhances the metabolism of the muscles and VO2 max.
- Improves O2 uptake with increased cardiac output.
- Predominant in middle-distance (25-35%) and long-distance (70-80%) training.
- Mostly used in the preparatory period and as maintenance.
- Cardiovascular effects produced are the most stable and durable.
- Of great importance in the formative stages.
- Continuous methods most used are continuous running and fartlek.
Continuous Running
- Training is performed at a uniform and sustained pace over long distances.
- Used in the first months of preparation.
- When preparing for short distances or speed tests, it is used as general conditioning in the form of trotting or jogging.
- At long distances, it is necessary throughout the season.
- Throughout the season, it is used on a declining basis.
- It promotes the most economical running technique.
- Pulse ranges between 140 and 160 and in some cases up to 180.
- It usually develops preferentially on flat ground.
- You can increase the intensity on slightly hilly terrain. The ups and downs force a change of pace and change the frequency and stride length.
Fartlek
- Fartlek is a work of greater intensity than continuous running.
- Characterized by frequent changes of pace and terrain with slopes greater than in continuous running.
- Shorten the distance over the course of the season.
- You start with more aerobic work – heart rate between 150 and 180.
- It is common to establish a program based on distance and pace.
- Its duration usually ranges between 30 minutes for sprinters and 80 minutes for long-distance runners.
- Improves muscular endurance when working with high-intensity short distances and large unevenness.
Fractionated Method
- Consists of a workload or stimulus and a recovery period that is regenerative or incomplete.
- Repetitions can be subdivided into groups.
- Recovery time between sets or blocks of several repetitions is wider than between repetitions.
- There are two methods or systems of work: Interval (incomplete and constructive) and Repetitions (more complete and regenerative pause).
- Interval training is more appropriate for the development of resistance. Repetitions are more for speed.
- We can talk about extensive and intensive intervals.
- We must consider the terrain and the type of activity during pauses.
- The effort must break the balance between supply and O2 consumption to improve endurance.
- Produce physiological effects more rapidly or completely but with less durable results.
- Working resistance gives speed or resistance at a sustained pace.
- The methods employed are interval training, speed endurance, speed endurance race pace, hills, and dunes. Also using other methods that are specific to running such as gymnastics, drag, multi-hop circuits, and overloads or weights.
- All these methods are used to a greater or lesser extent depending on the type of resistance that we are improving and the epoch or period of the training season.
Strength Training
Definition
Strength can be defined as the ability to exert pressure against resistance. There are two basic approaches to the development of strength: increasing muscle mass (hypertrophy) and increasing the speed of execution of movement. In most sports, it is not necessary to develop maximum strength but rather the strength required for the sport.
Effects of Strength Work
- Increased blood irrigation in the muscle.
- Increased thickness of muscle fibers.
- Acceleration in the process of using energy reserves.
- The muscle becomes more sensitive to nervous discharge.
- There is a thickening and hardening of the fibrous connective tissue of the muscle.
Strength training improves the processes of neuromuscular coordination, allowing you to work with less effort.
Types of Strength
- Isometric: Muscle tension but no movement. Two types: concentric and eccentric.
- Isotonic Concentric: Muscle length decreases by contraction.
- Isotonic Eccentric: Muscle length increases.
- Absolute Strength: The maximum force an athlete can perform regardless of their weight.
- Relative Strength: Maximum power that can be performed for each kg of body weight.
Strength Development
Two fundamental rules: alternation and progression.
Methods
- Body weight.
- Overload with light resistance of external factors.
- Opposition from a colleague.
- Drag.
- Resistance of elastic bands.
- Special machines.
- Free weights.
Factors of Strength Training
Volume: Expressed in the number of exercises or sets or even by the number of kilograms displaced. It takes into account the muscle groups involved, the load path, and technical difficulty.
Intensity: The amount of weight lifted or the resistance used.
Volume and intensity are interrelated factors depending on the objectives and the methods used. Thus, the number of repetitions of an exercise can vary between 25 and 30 in exercises with body weight, 8 to 12 with average loads, and 1 to 3 with maximum or submaximal loads.
Special Systems to Develop Strength
To develop overall strength, other popular systems are used, such as circuit training, gym slopes, etc.