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Wm A. Sands, Ph.D.
University of Utah
Salt Lake, Utah
DEC-95
Notes by Steve Whitlock - These notes were taken during the lecture and do not represent a verbatim transcript.
I want to give you a model of how to implement a change in a training program and then be able to measure it.
You can keep track of hits and misses... You need to look at the things that you can control... why worry about the things that you can't control?
In strength training, coaches tend to expect changes too quickly. You have to stick with them.
You cannot realistically affect performance unless it is stabilized.
How long do you need to wait to recognize a change in a strength training program? You can use this model as an easy way to determine of sport science changes actually result in change.
Watch baseline performance for a few days... Record performances over time... implement the change... then evaluate again!
What are the kinds of things that you might do with a gymnast?... expecting an increase of performance... and how well do they predict performance? What training things actually result in enhanced performance. We need to think about these ad begin to study and measure.
We often tend to use the shotgun approach.... we end up doing a lot of things.
Note: that what works with a novice kid is NOT the same that works with an intermediate or elite kid. You have to pick the things that will have an effect.
Another model...
What are the characteristics of an athlete?... from a book by Mel Siff...
What is important for a male athlete? flexibility, strength flexibility, strength speed, speed-strength, endurance, speed, neuromuscular control, etc.?
We need to establish what the athlete needs before establishing a training program. Why waste time developing areas that are not needed?... or that might be deleterious to other factors.
Most of our data is from elite boys... these are the ones who are available at training camp.
How do we get strength and mold it into what we want?
You have to work particular resistance's...
You need to work at 60% or above of someone's 1 rm. (This is fairly high)
We have to know what type of strength that we are interested in? Some things that seem like the would help are deceiving.
How long do you have to wait?
Refer to the book Strength and Power in Sport by Komi
Strength improves linearly at first, but the primary reason is due to neural changes. The muscular changes occur much later. First inter-muscular and then intra-muscular changes occur.
A gymnast doesn't want BIGGER muscles, they want STRONGER muscles. Gymnasts have rather restricted times in which to apply force. Therefore gymnasts need some emphasis on speed.
It is OK to abandon something that is not working! It is not OK to abandon something that you didn't have enough time to measure or evaluate.
As your strength improves, your force time curve improves (you are able to generate peak force quicker and your peak force is higher). In gymnastics, we want to achieve peak force NOW! This requires special approaches to training.
You have to train specific strength methods for specific strength facilitation.
BUT, you must have a good power foundation. You develop the curve first, and then attempt to shift the curve. Therefore, the nature of the training changes. The exercises don't change that much... but the time that you perform them will change.
Interestingly, just having the intent to go fast will shift the curve! You still will be the fast fiber quicker!
You have to think about what you want:
In some cases, we want to change the slope. In some cases you have to be able to produce the force FAST!
How many reps are we talking about to do this kind of work?
Many coaches think that you need to be tired, sweating, etc.... Actually, the OPPOSITE is true!
To do good powerful activities requires a fresh, non-fatigued athlete!
Bill showed a set of graphs for Olympic Power lifters. They tend to do TWO snatches to a set! This is all that they can request of their CNS!
How long of a rest period are you talking about? In extremely powerful activities, you might rest up to 10 minutes for the body to fully replenish.
Our typical training has been interval training - which is the OPPOSITE of power training. You use circuit training for strength-endurance.
For work-bouts of less than two minutes, the major determiner of endurance is peak-strength!
The point is to increase max strength and peak power.
For men's FX you seem to do 4 or 5 explosive passes. You seem to stand
around a lot! This has nothing to
do with endurance, it has everything to
do with strength.
Phase I - Build-up phase
Phase II - Max. strength
Phase III - Conversion
Phase IV - Maintenance
These training periods do not need to be long... the emphasis is on intensity.
These are sessions that are supervised, controlled, monitored.
There are about five levels:
Doing a little supplemental plyometrics is OK for gymnasts. A good thing is you can be very controlled. Be carefully of the age, strength development, etc. You must be strong to do plyometric training.
These would be done in the conversion phase.
You need about two years of work at 1-2-3 before beginning to do 4-5. It is not so much their age... as their training age.
An easy thing...
Wearing a weight vest had some great benefits in jumping in highly trained athletes. This might be worth an investigation.
There is a conflict here. ..
If you are doing aerobic training for gymnastics, you will become weaker!
To increase strength, do not do aerobic work!
For women... aerobics is really not that effective. The trick is the total calories that you expend. You can do this through interval training. The key to weight loss through fat loss. For gymnasts, this is best done through high intensity interval training.
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URL: http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/men/workshop/1995/strength.html