Reps, Sets and Loads

1. Reps, Sets and Loads Certificate IV Fitness Strength and Conditioning Lecture

2. Types of Contractions • Concentric: Muscle shortens w/ contraction • Eccentric: Muscle lengthens while it is contracted. • Static (Isometric): No change in muscle length w/ contraction

3. Basic S&C Terminology • Maximum Strength: the peak force the neuromuscular system is capable of producing in a single maximal voluntary contraction. • Absolute Strength: The maximum amount of force your muscles can produce irrespective of body weight. Absolute Strength is important for sports which extra body weight helps performance • Relative Strength: The Force your muscles can produce in relation to your body weight. • Strength Endurance: The ability to produce muscular contractions over an extended period.

4. Basic Terminology Cont.. • Agonist: The Muscle acting as the Prime Mover – What are the agonists in a bench press? • Antagonist: The muscles acting in direct opposition to the prime movers – what are the antagonists in a bench press? • Stabilizers: Muscles stabilizing or supporting a body segment whilst other muscles carry out a movement – what are the stabilizers in a bench press? • Neutralizers: Muscles counteracting the unwanted actions of other muscles by tending to produce opposite movements – What muscles work as neutralizers during a bench press?

5. S&C Training terminology • Training Volume: Training Volume may be measured by either total reps performed or total weight lifted per unit of time, i.e set, session, week ect. It is important that total weight lifted be considered with total reps to appreciate the intensity/volume relationship. • Training Load: A measure of Kilograms/pounds lifted per unit of time. Training Load is an Intricate factor in determining training volume. • Training intensity: A measure of degree of one’s applied strength relative to their current level of maximum strength. Training intensity is probably the most important component of strength training. • Note: The term “Intensity” is frequently used erroneously in current exercise literature, comments such as “High Intensity Aerobic workouts” are misleading and unrelated to strength training workouts.

6. The Science of Reps • Total Reps = Volume • Volume is a major factor when balancing a program to prevent injury and has a direct effect on both hypertrophy and strength. • If you seek Muscle Mass; increased repetitions from the hypertrophy method (6-12RM) seem to produce the best results. If maximal Strength is a concern you should restrict yourself to the 1-8RM range. • Because sets of 1-3 reps put great stress on the neuromuscular & endocrine systems, they are best used for short periods (1-3weeks) and only by advanced athletes and lifters.

7. Reps at Maximal Fatigue Over Fatigue Optimal Level of Fatigue

8. The Science of Sets • There is an inverse relationship between sets and reps. As the number of reps increases, the number of sets decreases and visa versa. • During the first few weeks of training very little training volume (1-2sets) will bring about ample amounts of improvements as the adaptations are neural. It normally takes about 6-8 wks of training before 3 sets are needed for a beginner. • After 8 weeks of training, multiple sets (3-6 sets) with specific rest periods between sets is needed. • Smaller muscles react well to fewer (1-3 sets) sets. • No more than 30-36 total sets per workout should be performed. Most Experts suggest that a total of 20-25 sets per workout is optimal

9. The Science of Rest Periods • In general Strength Training requires 3-5 mins of rest between sets to avoid neural fatigue. • Hypertrophy Training and Programs directed at Fat Loss should use short rest periods 30-90secs coupled with high training volume. • WARNING! Inadequate rest periods will activate the aerobic energy system which is antagonistic to strength and hypertrophy development. Reducing optimal muscle tension is catastrophic!

10. Athlete/Client Classification • BEGINNER: - < 1 Year of consistent strength training experience. • INTERMEDIATE: 1-2 Years of Consistent strength training experience. • ADVANCED: 2 Years Consistent Strength Training Experience.

11. Gains in the Beginning of a Program Steroids 8-12 Weeks Strength Steroids Hypertrophy Progress Neural Adaptations Training Duration

12. Overload Principle • Work muscle above and beyond what it is accustomed to and it will adapt ! • Overload may be an increase: • Resistance • Repetitions • Contraction velocity

13. Types of Training • * Isotonic: Movement of a set resistance through a ROM • Isokinetic: Speed of contraction is controlled while subject exerts max effort • Isometric: Training using static contractions

14. Program design Preparatory period – Hypertrophy phase • Goals: • Increase the muscle mass • Utilize body building techniques • Increase in mass depends on sport requirements • Variations: • Assisted reps (lifting to failure) • Resisted reps (increased resistance on eccentric phase. • Supersets (20 – 30s. RI) • Pre-exhaustion sets (exhaust small muscles before working larger mass)

15. Program design Preparatory period – Hypertrophy Phase • Design • Intensity 65 - 80% 1RM • Number of X’s 6 – 9 • Number of reps/set 8 – 12 • Number of sets /session 4 – 6 • Frequency 2 – 4 /week • Pace: Usually slow on eccentric – 4 sec. • Rest Interval (RI): less than 2 minutes

16. Program design Preparatory period – maximum Strength phase • Goals: • Increase maximum strength • Avoid staleness, overreaching • Can be combined with other phases: eg power, hypertrophy • Variations: • Assisted reps (lifting to failure) • Resisted reps (increased resistance on eccentric phase. • Pyramids, reverse pyramid, double pyramid • Flat pyramid, skewed pyramid • Eccentrics • Isometrics

17. Program design Preparatory period – Maximum Strength phase – max loading method • Design • Intensity 85 - 125% 1RM • Number of X’s 3 - 5 • Number of reps/set 1 - 6 • Number of sets /session 6 - 10 • Frequency 2 – 3 /week • Pace: Usually 2 s up,2 s down. • Rest Interval (RI): 3 – 5 minutes

18. 100/1*1 95/3*1 90/4*1 Set #185% / 6 *1 Program design Preparatory period – Maximum Strength phase – variations • Pyramid

19. 100/1*1 95/3*1 90/4*1 Set # 4 85/6*1 Program design Preparatory period – Maximum Strength phase – variations • Reverse Pyramid

20. Program design Preparatory period – Maximum Strength phase – variations • Flat pyramid 85/5*4 75/8*1 75/8*1 60*10*1

21. Program design Preparatory period – Maximum Strength phase – variations • skewed pyramid 85/4*1 80/6*3 75/8*1 60*10*1

22. Program design Preparatory period – Conversion to Power • Goals: • Explosive application of acquired strength (force) • Increase rate of force development • Train for sport specificity

23. Program design Preparatory period – Conversion to Power • Types: • Isotonic methods • Load: cyclic: 30 – 50% 1RM acyclic: 50 – 80% 1RM • # of exercises 2 – 4 • # of reps / set 4 – 10 • # of sets 3 – 6 • R.I. 2 – 6 in. • Pace explosive

24. Program design Preparatory period – Conversion to Power • Types: • Isotonic methods • Ballistic methods • Load standard • # of exercises 2 – 5 • # of reps/set 10 – 20 • # of sets 3 – 5 • Pace ballistic

25. Program design Preparatory period – Conversion to Power - plyometrics

26. Recommendations • ALWAYS allow 48 hours for complete recovery ! • Start slow ! • NEVER overload a sore muscle !