Strength Training

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.

What are the classifications of strength?

• 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

1. Hypertrophy
2. Muscular endurance/ maximal strength
3. Conversion to power / endurance / speed

Basic terminologies in strength training

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.

Isometric contraction – tension in muscle but muscle length remains unchanged

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