Creating a fitness or training program should be approached with personalization. According to Olympic Team USA, there are seven key principles of exercise and sports training. These are all important and should be part of a plan created for any patient or athlete. Here’s a look at these principles in detail.
Individuality
Fitness plans must be tailored to individual needs. A thirteen-year-old girl and a forty-year-old man will not have the same needs, nor will a high school and a professional athlete. All plans should be created accordingly.
Specificity
Workouts should also address specific concerns. Pitchers need arm strength. Linebackers need the leg, back, and overall strength. Runners need to improve speed and accuracy of footfall. Exercise should meet specific needs.
Progression
Improvement takes time. Experienced coaches understand this, and will help their athletes or fitness clients improve over time, with gradual gains. Any program boasting instant change should be approached with caution.
Overload
Adding more to the load on an athlete’s shoulders builds strength and ability over time. Resistance and increased time or sets should be added slowly to allow for this.
Adaptation
As you progress, your body will adapt to new requirements. Whether it’s more blood flow to the muscles or increased strength in them, the body rises to the challenges we put on it, if those challenges are tackled correctly.
Recovery
While bodies do adapt to increased use, it is important to provide them with time to recover. Whether it’s seconds of rest between sets, hours or days between sessions or weeks between seasons, all athletes need recovery time.
Reversibility
This is the proverbial “use it or lose it” principle. If you discontinue your workouts or omit parts of your routine, your body’s adaptations will reverse, slowly undoing the progress you’ve made. This is why frequent practice is key to success.
Putting It All Together
Finding a knowledgeable staff to assist you in designing a training or fitness plan for your individual needs is incredibly important. Athletes around the Jacksonville, FL area can seek sports training and fitness advice from local experts such as SAS Sports Performance. Experienced coaches, trainers, nutritionists, and advisors should be part of any workout and wellness plan, and those near Jacksonville can count on SAS to provide these services and more.
