Been on the same program for a while? Maybe you experienced results in the beginning but now you've plateau' d? This is a very common scenario. One of the biggest mistakes exercisers make is sticking to the same program on an ongoing basis. As personal trainers, our job is to ensure that this doesn't happen. By using the following series of training principles, we help to ensure our clients are continually experiencing satisfying results. Once you understand, you too, can develop an effective training program.
Overload Principle
The body must be overloaded beyond what it is accustomed to in order for adaptations (results) to take place. This simply dictates constant change to an exercise program. For example, let's say you're a beginner and aren't doing any type of exercise right now. Twice a week will be enough for you to experience results. Eventually, you're going to have to change something. You might have to exercise a little harder or a little longer, or maybe start going 3x/week or perhaps introduce an entirely new activity into your program. Research indicates that change every 4-8 weeks is critical to ensuring constant progress.
FITT Principle
When designing an exercise program and trying to achieve overload, there are 4 factors that need to be manipulated: Frequency, intensity, time or duration and type of exercise. It's impossible to design a scientifically safe and effective program when overlooking any of these variables. For example, if we prescribe a hard intensity workout for a client, they need to know how long they are supposed to maintain the suggested intensity.
When prescribing an easy intensity workout, we will also suggest a longer duration. When determining frequency of training sessions, we will examine their available time, fitness level and goals. We may just start with suggesting 2 sessions a week for one person and for another, we may prescribe 6x/week. This is the beauty of personal training - each program is custom-designed for the person involved.
When measuring intensity, there are a number of techniques available:
a) Heart Rate Monitoring: As you increase the intensity of your workout, your heart rate will increase also allowing you to use it as a tool for measuring intensity. Your training or target heart rate zone is where your heart rate should be during exercise in order to produce a training effect. The actual training zone is dependent on your fitness and your goals.
Zone 1: General Health: A great deal of research indicates that being active at 50 to 60 per cent of your maximum heart rate, consistently and for a total of 30 minutes on most days, reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases. Low-intensity activities like walking, gardening, household chores or easy cycling will achieve this. If you don't need to lose body fat and you're not training for a sporting event, this might be all you need to do to stay healthy.
Zone 2: Weight Management: If your goal is to reduce body fat and you've been relatively inactive, you might need to train at a slightly higher level of 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate. This is still within your comfort zone and allows you to exercise at a steady pace for a long enough period to burn off a substantial number of calories.
Zone 3: Aerobic Conditioning: If your goal is to improve your cardiovascular conditioning for better stamina and endurance, you should train within a zone of 70 to 80 per cent. This is also the zone for fat burning if you're already relatively fit. This zone represents a more vigorous level of activity.
Zone 4: Advanced Conditioning: If you're in top shape and training for a sporting event like a 10-km race, triathlons or tennis, you might need to include some workouts that are 80 per cent and above your maximum heart rate. This level of training is both physically and mentally demanding so it's not something you'd do on a daily basis. And it's not for everyone. Only the extremely physically fit population should consider working in this range. Once you've determined what your goal is, you'll need to do some math with the following formula: Predicted Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) = 220 - your age Low end of training zone = MHR x lower percentage High end of training zone = MHR x upper percentage Let's take an example of a 40 year old inactive woman who wants to lose body fat. She should train in zone 2 (60-70% of MHR). In doing the math, we see she needs to train at a heart rate of 108-126 beats a minute at least three times a week for a minimum of 20 to 60 minutes each time to achieve her goals. However, don't fall into the trap of using heart rate monitoring as your only measure of intensity. Also listen to how your body feels because your heart rate can be affected by caffeine, food, medication, temperature, lack of sleep, emotional and psychological stress, fitness level and illness. .
b) Rating of Perceived Exertion: Manual heart rate monitoring (on your neck or wrist) means you have to stop and interrupt your workout to do the reading. And even more problematic, recent studies indicate that manual heart-rate testing can be inaccurate, with errors as high as 27 beats per minute, a significant disparity. That's why heart-rate monitors, which provide instant and accurate feedback, were developed. But a good quality monitor can be expensive, so there are other effective methods for monitoring the intensity of your workout.
One is called the Rating of Perceived Exertion or RPE, a scale that calls on your perception of the intensity of a workout to indicate whether you're training in the appropriate zone. A scale of zero to ten was developed with zero representing a resting level with no elevation in breathing and at the other extreme, a rating of ten would indicate all-out severe exhaustion. How you determine the intensity of your workouts using the scale depends on your goals: General Health: aim for level 3-4, the exertion achieved with a leisurely stroll Weight Management: aim for level 5-6, by picking up the pace to a fitness walk Aerobic Conditioning: aim for level 7, through something like race walking or jogging Advanced Conditioning: aim for levels 8-9 with even more intense activity like fast running with speed intervals.
c) Respiration Test, also referred to as the "Talk Test", is a great way to monitor intensity when you're first starting out. It simply means that if you can't get out 1 or 2 sentences without gasping for air, you might be exercising too intensely.
Specificity Principle
This principle simply states that your body will respond and adapt specifically to the overload of physical stress put on it. For example, if you train for an endurance event, the majority of your training should be endurance-focused. If your sport is an interval type sport, intervals must be included in your training program. If you are training for a triathlon, you must swim, bike and run.
Variability Principle
Although the specificity principle states that your training program must mimic the sport you're training for, you must also include cross training. For example, if your training for a marathon but you only run, your running muscles will get stronger and fitter but your non-running muscles will be neglected. A muscle imbalance will occur and you will be at a greater risk for an injury. Cross Training is a very important part of a balanced program. Incorporate a variety of exercises, activities and training intensities into your program to prevent boredom, increase enjoyment and compliance to a program, tax all energy systems, muscle groups, and fitness components, prevent injuries and develop overall fitness.
Individual Differences Principle
This principle states that people will respond differently to different training programs because each is starting with a different fitness level, body size, interest, and genetic make-up. This is the beauty of personal training - you can experiment with a lot of different programs until you find a few that really work for you.
Reversibility Principle
This unfortunate rule states that "if you don't use it, you lose it". Fitness is transient. The training benefits gained from an exercise program will be lost if the program is discontinued. Exercise must be a regular component of one's lifestyle to reap the benefits. It is however, important to take rest days. Schedule in 1-2 days during the week when you are not focused on getting into your training zone, sweating and having a hard workout. If you do find yourself having a tough time sticking to your workout program because of a busy schedule at work or other priorities, put yourself on a maintenance program. A maintenance program will allow you to reduce the frequency and duration of your program by 2/3's, if and only if you maintain the same level of intensity. This type of reduced program will retain any fitness benefits for up to 15 weeks. A maintenance resistance training program allows you to maintain your strength for up to 12 weeks if you just get in one hard resistance workout every 10-14 days. |
