Specific training methods

Continuous Training

• Is training without stopping for a rest. • The performer maintains the same speed and

intensity throughout• It should last at least 20 mins

What energy system will this develop?

AEROBIC ENERGY SYSTEM

Common examples of Continuous training

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages:- Keeps you fit and healthy- Good method to improve aerobic and all-round

fitness

Disadvantages:- If the activity is not high enough to raise the heart

rate of the performer then the method is ineffective- If the activity is too hard too soon then the

performer will most likely exhaust themselves due to the large demand for oxygen

Fartlek Training

• Fartlek is a Swedish word that means ‘speed play’

• It involves continuous training designed to exercise and stress the aerobic energy system

FARTLEK TRAINING SESSION:

30 MIN• Walk - 3 mins.• Jogging - 5 mins• Fast run 50m sprints every 200m - 4 mins.• Jogging for recovery - 3 minutes• Even run with 10 fast strides every 3rd. Lamp

Post - 5 mins.• Up hill jog 10 fast strides at markers - 5 mins• Jogging on the spot with high knee lifts - 5

mins

Fartlek Training

• Involves training using a variety of activities, such as running, walking, sprinting or cycling over varying distances, terrain and speeds without stopping

• The order in which we place the activities together will produce either an aerobic or anaerobic training effect

Q. Who would benefit from this type of training?

Sport performers who need to change pace during play and need to employ both aerobic and anaerobic systems

Interval Training

• Alternating between hard exercise and rest

• The rest period gives us time to recover

• Uses fixed patterns of fast and slow exercise.

• Longer periods of work and more repetitions develop ENDURANCE

• Shorter periods develop SPEED

Interval Training• Allows us to train for longer periods of time and

can be used to develop both anaerobic and aerobic fitness depending on how we organise our training sessions

• The following can be varied : Time or distance

Amount of effort exertedRest time

Activity during rest

An Interval Programme400m runner

Personal best = 1 minTarget time = 50 secSchedule: 6 x 100m: 3 min rest

6 x 100m: 2 min rest6 x 100m: 1 min rest3 x 200m: 3 min rest3 x 200m: 2 min rest3 x 200m: 1 min rest

N.B. This routine may take many weeks to complete and show any signs of progress

Advantages:

• It is physically beneficial because you are mixing both aerobic and anaerobic exercise together

• Good method to set personal targets and goals to enhance fitness, performance and motivation

Disadvantages:

• It can be repetitive and dull if new targets are not set

• It can be disheartening if the performer cannot reach the required goal. Must ensure that the targets set are achievable to the individual

Advantages & Disadvantages

Weight Training

• Improves Muscle Strength and Tone and can also be used to improve certain aspects of fitness

• We use either free weights or machine weights to develop muscles and we should always be supervised when using them

WEIGHT TRAINING

• Weights can be increased gradually. • We can OVERLOAD muscles in a safe

manner over a sensible period of time.• Our individual strength training

programme can be designed for a SPECIFIC sport.

• It can take into account our current state of fitness.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages:• Strengthens the muscle throughout the range of movement• Easily adaptable to suit most sports• Muscles gain strength evenly throughout the range of movement• Fastest way to increase muscle strength

Disadvantages:• Equipment is very expensive and can be difficult to use if

accessibility is low• Muscles can become sore because of the stress they’re under when

lengthening and there isn’t a sufficient cool down period• It is not a good method of training if you have heart problems. Blood

flow to the muscle is reduced during exercise, so the blood pressure rises, putting more strain on the heart for little improvement in fitness

Altitude training

This type of training occurs at places where the height above sea level is much greater than the athlete is used to.

What the training develops

At altitude there is less oxygen in the air so the body has to produce more red blood cells to carry enough oxygen around the body.

This helps athlete’s endurance levels as there is more oxygen in the body to use up.

Implications for athlete

• For athlete to perform they need sufficient oxygen transported to the working muscles

• Oxygen is carried within red blood cells• To compensate for the lack of oxygen the

body produces more red blood cells• This therefore increases amount of oxygen

getting to the muscles

Implications for athletes (cont)

• Athletes body adapts and has greater capacity for carrying oxygen

• When back at normal sea level, athlete still has the increased number of red blood cells to utilise aerobically

• Improves the athlete’s level of endurance / stamina

• Therefore improves performance for long-distance events, eg. Paula Radcliffe

• Blood cell level eventually returns to normal

Long-distance performers benefit from

this type of training.