Principles of training GapFill

When planning a training programme the key principles of training and overload should be considered to maximise the positive effects of training. There are two acronyms that you should remember: SPORT and FITT.

SPORT refers to the key principles of training:

•  SportSpecificsSupplySpecificity suggests that the training should be relevant to the sporting event that is being trained for. For example, a 100 m sprinter wouldn’t find long-distance running beneficial to their sport.
•  Progressive OvertimeProgress OtherwiseProgressive OverloadProgress Ordinarily means that the training should gradually progress in difficulty by applying the FITT principles of overload (see below). This helps to prevent the performer plateauing in their progress. For example, a tennis player may increase the intensity of their training sessions to ensure they are applying enough stress to their body to gain the necessary long-term adaptations from training.
•  ResourcefulnessRunawayReversingReversibility suggests that regular training is required to ensure positive long-term adaptations from training. If training stops, these gains may be lost. For example, a long-distance runner’s muscular endurance will decrease if they cease to train due to an injury.
•  TrampolineTrumpTediumTraining means that training should be varied with different activities to prevent boredom and loss of motivation of the athlete. For example, a golfer should not practise just putting for hours every day. They should vary activities to include different shots, different locations, different clubs, etc.

The principle of overload in training is that training should constantly push the body further than last time. To do this efficiently, the following principles of overload should be followed:

•  FrequentnessFrequencyFructoseFifteen - the number of times an individual participates in training (i.e. how often). This can vary depending on the training type, but involves how often they train, e.g. three times a week.
•  InitiationIntervalIntensityIndignation - how hard the performer is working during the training regime (i.e. how hard). This can vary according to training type, but could include increasing the weight they are lifting or increasing the aerobic/anaerobic training zone they are working in.
•  TimeTuneTediumTibia - the duration of the training session (i.e. how long). For example, one hour for continuous low-intensity training may be fine, but 20 minutes is sufficient for high-intensity interval training.
•  TypeTrainingTinyTedium - refers to the type of exercise being completed. Activities should be specific to the sport the performer participates in. For example, whether it’s aerobic or anaerobic and the type, e.g. continuous training for marathon runners.