Strength
is a vary important component of physical fitness for high performance sport.
It exerts great influence on other physical fitness components such as;
balance, agility, power, and speed besides playing a significant role in the prevention
of injuries to a sportsman. The scope of strength training is broad with
various methods, systems and exercises to choose from. Regardless of which
methods system and exercises to choose from. Regardless of which method or
system that a coach chooses to adopt, understanding of the fundamentals will
assure the safety and effectiveness of the strength- training program. The
strength needed for a sprinter to explode from the blocks is different to the
strength needed by a weight lifter to lift a 200 kg barbell. This therefore
implies that there are different types of strength.
Objective
of strength training
- Prevention of injuries particularly to soft tissues
- Optimize performance potential.
- Specific Strength - The strength of muscles (prime mover) that are particular to movement involve in sport.
- Maximum Strength - The highest force the neuromuscular system can perform during a maximum voluntary contraction.
- Mascular Endurance - The muscle’s ability to sustain work for a prolonged time.
- Power - The combination of strength and speed, and the ability to perform maximum force regardless of body weight involuntarily.
- Absolute Strength (AS) - The ability of an athlete to exert maximum force regardless of body weight involuntarily.
- Relative Strength (RS) - The ratio between an athlete’s absolute strength and his/ her body weight (RS=AS/BW)
- Reserve Strength - The difference between maximal strength and the actual load or effort to perform a task.
Strength
training exercise classifications
- Core exercises
- Assistance exercise
- Structural
- Power
Biomechanical
principles in strength training
- Safe/effective range of motion (ROM)
- Natural path of movement
- To lock the working joints
- To contract (tense) the target muscle only.
- Lumbar stability factor
- Proper body alignment (subject to, line of resistance)
- Avoid locking out the hinge joints (elbow & knee)
- Observe the line of pull of muscle
Periodization
model for strength training
- Anatomical adaptation
- Hypertrophy
- Muscular endurance/ maximal strength
- Conversion to power / endurance / speed
Isotonic
contraction
Contraction
in which the muscle shortens with tension while lifting a constant load.
- Concentric contraction – tension in muscle while muscle is shortening
- Eccentric contraction – tension in muscle while muscle is lengthening.
Isokinetic
contraction – constant speed contraction in muscle while shortening or
lengthening
Delayed
Onset of Muscular Soreness (DOMS) – pain and stiffness that occur 1 to 2 days
after the performance of exercise that is of a type or intensity uncommon to
the performer
Momentary
Muscular Failure (MMF) – is characterized by the last repetition in a set
whereby the targeted muscle fibers and motor units achieve 100% recruitment