Resistance Training and
Program Design

Program Design   

n    Guiding Variables

n    Needs Analysis

n    Exercise Selection

n    Training Frequency

n    Exercise Order

n    Training Load and Repetitions

n    Volume

n    Rest Periods

Program Design

n     Step One – Needs Analysis

n    A. Evaluate the Sport

n    Consider the following questions:

n    What body or limb movement patterns and muscles are involved in the sport?
n    What factor has highest priority?
n    Strength
n    Power
n    Hypertrophy
n    Muscular endurance
n    What common joint and/or muscle sites might be susceptible to injury?

Program Design

n     Step One – Needs Analysis

n    B. Assessment of Athlete

n    What is current training status?

n    Determined by sportsmedicine professional

n    What is athlete’s training background or exercise history?

n    Focus on:
n    Type of previous training program
n    Length of previous program
n    Level of intensity in previous program
n    Degree of “exercise technique” experience

Program Design

n     Assessment Table

 

Program Design

n     Step One – Needs Analysis

n    B. Assessment of Athlete

n    Determine present physical condition

n    Incorporate appropriate tests that match sport of individual
n    Typical tests (in logical order)
   1. Non-fatiguing tests (height, weight, flexibility,
      skinfolds & girth measurements, vertical jump)
   2. Agility tests (T-test, Edgren side step,
       hexagon test, etc.)

Program Design

n     Step One – Needs Analysis

n    B. Assessment of Athlete (continued)

3. Maximum power & Strength Tests (3 RM power
    clean, 1 RM bench press, etc.)
4. Sprint tests (40 yd dash)
5. Local muscular endurance tests (1 min sit-up)
6. Fatiguing anaerobic capacity tests (400 m or 300 yd shuttle run)
7. Aerobic capacity tests (1.5 mile walk/run or 12 min run)*
  * should be performed on another day or allow one hour rest before performing aerobic test

Program Design

n     Step One – Needs Analysis

n    C. Determine “primary” resistance training

      goal

n    Improve Strength? Power? Hypertrophy? Muscular Endurance?

n    Focus on only 1 training outcome per season

Program Design

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    A. Exercise Type

n   Core & Assistive Exercises:

n   Core
n   Exercises that recruit one or more large muscle areas (i.e. chest, shoulder, back, hip, thigh)
n   Exercises that involve 2 or more primary joints
n   Exercises that have direct application to desired sport

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    A. Exercise Type

n   Assistive:
n   Exercises that recruit smaller muscle areas (i.e. biceps, triceps, abdominals, calves, neck, trapezius, forearm, lower back, anterior lower leg)
n   Exercises that involve one primary joint
n   Exercises that are considered to be less important to sport performance

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    A. Exercise Type

n   Core & Assistive Exercises:

n   Notes:
n   In resistance training, shoulder region is considered 1 primary joint region; spine is also consider 1 primary joint
n   Assistive exercises are generally used for injury rehabilitation and prevention

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    A. Exercise Type

n   Structure and Power Exercises:

n   Structural:
n   Involve muscular stabilization of posture while performing lift
n   Power:
n   A structural exercise performed quickly

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    B. Movement Analysis of Sport

n   Select Sport-specific Exercises:

n    Allow for greatest carryover value
n    (See next table for examples)

Program Design

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    B. Movement Analysis of Sport

n   Select exercises that account for muscle balance:

n    Design program that maintains appropriate strength in opposing muscle groups
n    Agonist vs Antagonist
      agonist – causes action
      antagonist – opposes action passively
       e.g. quadriceps vs hamstrings

Program Design

n     Step Two – Exercise Selection

n    C. Exercise Technique Experience

n   Have individual perform a “test” lift

n    If done improperly, demonstrate and give proper instructions to correct lift

n   Availability of equipment

n   Available training time per session

n    Less time spent on a particular exercise set-up may allow for more exercises

Program Design

n     Step Three – Training Frequency

n    How often individual trains per week is dependent upon:

n    A. Training status

n   For most individuals, 3 days/week is appropriate
n   Moderately conditioned, 4 days/week
n   Highly conditioned, 6-7 days/week

Program Design

n     Step Three – Training Frequency

n    General guidelines for scheduling training:

n    At least one rest or recovery day but no more than 3

n    Between resistance training sessions that stress same muscle group

n    For number of sessions per week

n    Beginners – 2-3 sessions per week
n    Intermediates – 3-4 sessions per week
n    Advanced – 4-7 sessions per week

n    Highly trained can augment conditioning by using a split routine (see example in following table)

n    Different muscle groups trained on different days

Program Design

Program Design

n     Step Three – Training Frequency

n    How often individual trains per week is dependent upon:

n    B. Sport Season

n   More practices during in-season usually necessitates
n    Decreased time in weight room
n    Decreased frequency of resistance training
 

Program Design

Program Design

n     Step Three – Training Frequency

n    How often individual trains per week is dependent upon:

n    C. Training load and Exercise Type

n   Athletes who train with max or near-max loads will require more recovery time prior to next lifting session
n    Option
   - Alternate light and heavy training days
     (some evidence suggests upper body
       muscles recover faster than lower body
       muscles)
 

Program Design

n     Step Three – Training Frequency

n    How often individual trains per week is dependent upon:

n    C. Training load and Exercise Type

n   Athletes who train with max or near-max loads will require more recovery time prior to next lifting session
n    Note:
   - recovery usually quicker from single joint
     compared to multi-joint exercises

Program Design

n     Step Three – Training Frequency

n    How often individual trains per week is dependent upon:

n    D. Additional Training (outside of wt lifting)

n   If having “heavy lifting” occupational tasks, should reduce frequency of training sessions
 

Program Design

n     Step Four – Exercise Order

n    How should exercises be performed during a session:

n    A. For Highly Trained Weight Lifters

n   Sequence of exercises:
n    Power  » Other Core » Assistive
e.g. snatch, hang clean, push press » squat, lunge, step-up » bicep curls, triceps extension, wrist curls
n    Or  Multi-joint » Single joint exercises
n    Or  Large muscles » Small muscle
           exercises
 

Program Design

n     Step Four – Exercise Order

n    How should exercises be performed during a session:

n    A. For Highly Trained Weight Lifters

n    An option:
n    Pre-exhaustion or “Reverse” training
  - purpose is to fatigue large muscle groups later, e.g. performing leg curl exercise before back squat
 

Program Design

n      Step Four – Exercise Order

n     How should exercises be performed during a session:

n    B. For Untrained or Beginning Weight Lifters

n    Sequence of exercises:
n    Upper Body  » Lower Body Exercises
   - good for recovery of muscles
   - good if training time is limited; upper
     body muscles have chance to recover
     while lower body muscles are working
   - circuit training is a good mode to
     accomplish the sequence of exercises
 
 

Program Design

n      Step Four – Exercise Order

n     How should exercises be performed during a session:

n    C. For Athletes Beginning or Returning to Resistance

       Training

n    Sequence of exercises:
n    Push  » Pull Exercises
   - insure that same muscle group will not be
     used for 2 exercises in succession
   - circuit training is a good mode to
     accomplish the sequence of exercises
 
 

Program Design

n      Step Four – Exercise Order

n     How should exercises be performed during a session:

n    D. For Moderate to Highly Trained Individuals in

       Resistance Training

n    Sequence of exercises:
n    Supersets  » Compound Sets
   - superset – involves 2 exercises in succession
     that stress 2 opposing muscles or muscle
     areas (i.e. agonist vs antagonist; bicep curl vs
     triceps extension
   - compound set – involves 2 exercises in
     succession that stress the same muscle
     group, e.g. bicep curl vs hammer curl with
     dumbbells
 
 

Program Design

n     Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n    A. Definitions

n   1RM – weight lifted once & only once

n   10RM – weight lifted 10 times & only 10 times

n    B. Use of %1RM tables to set workloads

   (see Table 18.7)

 

Program Design

Program Design

n      Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n    B. Use of %1RM tables to set workloads

n    Not the best idea to use these tables since:

n    There isn’t a linear relationship
n    Resistance trained athletes may exceed # of reps in table
n    Repetitions performed are based upon one set
n    Almost every study has used bench press, back squat, or power clean to set up table
n    Repetitions performed on machines may differ from free weights
n    Small muscle groups may not allow for as many repetitions as large muscle groups
n    Most accurate relationship between %1RM and max repetitions is for loads > 75%1RM & < 10 repetitions
 

Program Design

n     Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n    C. 1 RM and multiple RM Testing Options:

n   Directly test 1 RM or multiple RM

n   Estimate 1 RM from multiple RM test (e.g. 10 RM)

n   Multiple RM can be based on # of repetitions planned for that exercise (e.g. goal of 5 reps per set)

 

Program Design

n           Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n          D. 1 RM Testing Protocol

1.  Warm-up with light resistance (5-10 reps)
2.  Allow 1 min for rest
3.  Estimate load that will allow 3-5 reps when adding 10-20 lb for upper body exercise or adding 30-40 lb for lower body exercise
4.  Allow 2 min for rest
5.  Repeat step 3
6.  Allow 2- to 4-min rest
7.  Repeat step 3
8.  Attempt 1 RM
9.  If successful, allow 2-4 min rest; then retry step 3 to make sure that you have reached 1 RM
10. If unsuccessful, allow 2-4 rest; then decrease load 5-10
     lb for upper body ex or 15-20 lb for lower body exercise
i. Repeat step 8, and continue until successful
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         E. Considerations for Testing 1RM

1.  1 RM testing is for “core” muscles
2.  Avoid 1 RM testing for “assistive” muscles
3.  Avoid 1 RM testing for unilateral exercises
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         F. Other considerations for RM Testing

1. May use 10 RM as starting base; use protocol similar to 1 RM protocol to determine 10 RM
a. Each step would require 10 repetitions
b. On sequential steps, add ½ wt of 1 RM protocol
c.  Utilize prediction table 18.8
2.  Prediction equations are more accurate as loads get heavier (e.g. 8RM to 3RM)
 
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         F. Other considerations for RM Testing

3. Utilize goal repetitions
    - professional trainer decides goal rep #
    - should not assign assistive exercises to
      greater than 8 RM loads
 
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         G. Assigning Load & Repetitions Based on

         Training Goal

 
 
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         G. Variation of Training Load

n        Depending on training frequency, it would be a good idea to vary the loads when doing heavy lifts for power or other core exercises

n       Instead of heavy loads on Mon, Wed, Fri, reduce loads but keep repetitions the same
n       e.g.     Monday      Wednesday       Friday
              80%1 RM      70%1RM          85%1RM
Load          (heavy)          (light)           (medium)
Reps          5 reps          5 reps             5 reps
 
 
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         H. Training Load Increases

n        Based on the “2 for 2” Rule

n       If athlete can perform 2 or more repetitions over his/her assigned repetitions goal in the last set in 2 consecutive workouts for a certain exercise, weight should be added to that exercise for the next training session
n       E.g.  If 3 sets of 10 reps assigned in bench press, and athlete performs 10 reps in all sets, then individual should try 2 additional reps in 3rd set
 
 
 

Program Design

n          Step Five – Training Load and Repetitions

n         H. Training Load Increases

Guideline for Load Increases
 
 

Program Design

n     Step Six – Volume

n    C. Single Sets vs Multiple Sets

n   Both have shown to be effective in gaining strength

n    Single Set
n    Best used for untrained or 1st several months of training
n    Multiple Sets
n    Best used for intermediate & advanced resistance trained individuals
n    Increase strength faster than single sets

Program Design

n          Step Six – Volume

n         D. Assigning Volume Based on Training Goal

 
 
 

Program Design

n          Step Seven – Rest Periods

n         The lesser trained need more rest time