Individuality: 7 Principles of Exercise and Sport Training

7 Principles of Exercise and Sport Training
When you approach your multisport training, the best way to answer your questions is
to better understand the principles behind the work you are putting in to improve.
These are seven basic principles of exercise or sport training you will want to keep in
mind:
Individuality
Everyone is different and responds differently to training. Some people are able to
handle higher volumes of training while others may respond better to higher
intensities. This is based on a combination of factors like genetic ability, predominance
of muscle fiber types, other factors in your life, chronological or athletic age, and
mental state.
Specificity
Improving your ability in a sport is very specific. If you want to be a great pitcher,
running laps will help your overall conditioning but won’t develop your skills at
throwing or the power and muscular endurance required to throw a fastball fifty times
in a game. Swimming will help improve your aerobic endurance but won’t develop
tissue resiliency and muscular endurance for your running legs.
Progression
To reach the roof of your ability, you have to climb the first flight of stairs before you
can exit the 20th floor and stare out over the landscape. You can view this from both
a technical skills standpoint as well as from an effort/distance standpoint. In order to
swim the 500 freestyle, you need to be able to maintain your body position and
breathing pattern well enough to complete the distance. In order to swim the 500
freestyle, you also need to build your muscular endurance well enough to repeat the
necessary motions enough times to finish.
Overload
To increase strength and endurance, you need to add new resistance or time/intensity
to your efforts. This principle works in concert with progression. To run a 10-kilometer
race, athletes need to build up distance over repeated sessions in a reasonable
manner in order to improve muscle adaptation as well as improve soft tissue
strength/resiliency. Any demanding exercise attempted too soon risks injury. The
same principle holds true for strength and power exercises.
Adaptation
Over time the body becomes accustomed to exercising at a given level. This
adaptation results in improved efficiency, less effort and less muscle breakdown at
that level. That is why the first time you ran two miles you were sore after, but now
it’s just a warm up for your main workout. This is why you need to change the
stimulus via higher intensity or longer duration in order to continue improvements.
The same holds true for adapting to lesser amounts of exercise.
Recovery
The body cannot repair itself without rest and time to recover. Both short periods like
hours between multiple sessions in a day and longer periods like days or weeks to
recover from a long season are necessary to ensure your body does not suffer from
exhaustion or overuse injuries. Motivated athletes often neglect this. At the basic
level, the more you train the more sleep your body needs, despite the adaptations
you have made to said training.
Reversibility
If you discontinue application of a particular exercise like running five miles or bench
pressing 150 pounds 10 times, you will lose the ability to successfully complete that
exercise. Your muscles will atrophy and the cellular adaptations like increased
capillaries (blood flow to the muscles) and mitochondria density will reverse. You can
slow this rate of loss substantially by conducting a maintenance/reduced program of
training during periods where life gets in the way, and is why just about all sports
coaches ask their athletes to stay active in the offseason.
The principles of specificity, progression, overload, adaptation, and reversibility are

why practicing frequently and consistently are so important if you want to improve
your performance. Missed sessions cannot really be made up within the context of a
single season. They are lost opportunities for improvement. Skipping your long ride on
weekend A means you can’t or shouldn’t go as far as originally planned on weekend B
(progression & overload). Skipping your Monday swim means your swimming skills
and muscles won’t be honed or stressed that day (specificity). Missing a week due to
a vacation sets you back more than one week (adaptation and reversibility). Apply
these principles to your training to get a better understanding of your body and how
to achieve success.
Marty Gaal, CSCS, is a triathlon and swim coach in Cary, N.C. You can read about One Step Beyond and
his services at www.osbmultisport.com.
Source: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Triathlon/News/Blogs/Multisport-Lab/2012/August/28/7-Principles-of-
Exercise-and-Sport-Training
Physical Activity Prescription
Adolescents to Young Adults 13 - 20 years old
Filipino adolescents and young adults should engage in at least 60 minutes of daily
physical activity consisting of any one or a combination of the following physical
activities:
ACTIVE DAILY TASKS. Active travel (walking, cycling, stair climbing) and active
daily tasks (household and school chores such as scrubbing/mopping floors, fetching
water in a pail, raking leaves, bathing dog, cleaning the car, rearranging household
furniture, etc.)
EXERCISE, DANCE OR SPORTS. At least 40 minutes of programmed physical

activities such as fitness related, rhythmic or sports activities. For fitness goals, you
should have continuous 20-30 minutes minimum for at least 3-5 times a week.
HIGH IMPACT PLAY (UNSTRUCTURED SPONTANEOUS PLAY). At least 20

minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous physical activities resulting in rapid
breathing such as brisk walking, jogging, indigenous games (tumbang preso, agawang
base, taguan, etc.) and dancing.
MUSCLE STRENGTHENING AND FLEXIBILITY ACTIVITIES. At least 2-3 times a

week of activities that build muscle and bone strength and flexibility such as weight
bearing calisthenics and other load bearing exercises involving major muscle groups.
Adults 21 - 45 years old

Filipino adults should accumulate 30 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity consisting
of any one or a combination of the following physical activities:
ACTIVITIES FOR DAILY LIVING. Active travel (walking, cycling, stair climbing)
and active daily tasks (household chores such as scrubbing/mopping floors, cleaning
rooms, general carpentry, fetching water in a pail, raking leaves, bathing dog,
cleaning the car, rearranging household furniture, etc.)
EXERCISE, DANCE AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. Moderate intensity aerobic

physical activity resulting in a noticeable increase in heart rate and breathing (still
able to carry on normal conversation). Examples are brisk walking, dancing, cycling,
swimming done continuously for a minimum of 30 minutes OR accumulated bouts of
10 minutes or longer. For more active people with no risk factors, vigorous intensity
aerobic activity resulting in fast breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate
(beyond normal conversation pace; talking becomes more challenging). Examples are
jogging, vigorous dancing, ballgames done continuously and done at least thrice a
week with a future goal of being able to do it 5-6 times. For fitness purposes, adults
should work towards 20-30 minutes continuous physical activity for a minimum of
three days per week.
MUSCLE STRENGTHENING AND FLEXIBILITY ACTIVITIES. Performing activities

using ALL major muscles of the body that maintain or increase muscular strength and
endurance. Examples are weight bearing calisthenics, stair climbing, weight training
done at least twice a week, on non-consecutive days. A light load allowing for a set of
10-15 repetitions resulting in momentary muscle fatigue. Perform gentle stretches to
the point of tension after aerobic exercises OR at cooldown. At least 20 seconds per
position per muscle group. Minimum four times per week.
ACTIVITIES IN THE WORKPLACE. Employees should have opportunities to be

active at work and through activities organized, with provision of the necessary
facilities and/or equipment, by their workplace. Two-minute physical activities
(walking, stair climbing, stretching) for every hour of sitting is highly encouraged.
https://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/HBEAT58a.pdf

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7 Principles of Exercise and Sport Training

The principles of specificity, progression, overload, adaptation, and reversibility are

Physical Activity Prescription

Adolescents to Young Adults 13 - 20 years old

EXERCISE, DANCE OR SPORTS. At least 40 minutes of programmed physical

HIGH IMPACT PLAY (UNSTRUCTURED SPONTANEOUS PLAY). At least 20

MUSCLE STRENGTHENING AND FLEXIBILITY ACTIVITIES. At least 2-3 times a

Adults 21 - 45 years old

EXERCISE, DANCE AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. Moderate intensity aerobic

MUSCLE STRENGTHENING AND FLEXIBILITY ACTIVITIES. Performing activities

ACTIVITIES IN THE WORKPLACE. Employees should have opportunities to be

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