Stretch Yourself

Practical Application of Principles of Training, Part II

by Thomas Kurz, author of Stretching Scientifically, Secrets of Stretching, Science of Sports Training, and co-author of Basic Instincts of Self-Defense.

This is the forty-fourth installment of my column on training.

To read the previous installment click here.

In previous columns I wrote about principles of individualization and accessibility of training and about the principle of gradual increase of loads. In the most recent column I gave an example of applying these principles in endurance training. In this column I show how those principles apply to strength training—again in the form of answers to athletes' questions.

The first three questions are from someone badly out of shape, but who knows enough to get in overall good shape before he can practice martial arts. He plans to improve his aerobic endurance mainly by running and his strength and muscular endurance initially by calisthenics and eventually by lifting weights.

First off, thank you so much for the work you do. I have read every one of your columns, as well as the Science of Sports Training and am extremely grateful for the information you provide.

I am in terrible shape. With much grunting and groaning, I can push out about 15 push-ups (20 on a really good day), maybe 50 Hindu squats, 30 back extensions, and 30 crunches. I would be surprised if I could make it jogging 3 miles, and my flexibility is little more than that of a solid block of iron. All of this comes from testing myself recently, as I'm determined to get into shape. My specific goal is to be strong enough to engage in a martial arts school one year from now. By strong enough I mean able to deadlift my body weight on a bar and squat my body weight on a bar. I don't know if these are realistic goals and would appreciate any criticism you have. However, that's just background. Here are my questions for you:

Question:  Since I am in such bad shape and will not be engaging in a specific sport for about a year (possibly more), my training during this year will consist of general preparation. What I'm not sure of is how to structure a workout around general preparation. Running is easy: I start with the various ways of walking and flexing my arms, wrists, and hands to warm up my joints; run lightly in various forms (backward, forward, sidestepping, high stepping, high kicking); do dynamic stretches (leg raises, arm swings); run lightly for a lap or two; then move into my running for the next few miles, followed by a cool-down—running lightly, walking, static active stretches to improve flexibility and balance, static passive stretches to improve static flexibility. However, what about general strength and muscular endurance workouts like just doing push-ups, squats, back extensions, and crunches as the main part of the workout?

Answer: Your approach is right—first get overall fit so sport-specific martial arts practice won't tear you down. The way you structured your running workout is correct too.

So, what about general strength and muscle endurance training workouts with push-ups, squats, back extensions, and crunches?

You can try doing such workouts on the days between your running days. Observe yourself and adjust your training load to your fatigue. (In running, training load is determined by distances, pace, repeats of the distances, and rest between them; for strength exercises or muscular-endurance exercises, load is determined by reps and resistance.) If needed, skip a workout. Go by the signs and the adjustments given in the chapter “Control of the Training Process” in Science of Sports Training (http://www.stretching.info/science.html).

Begin your strength training program with forms of exercises that are easy for you. Pick the most comfortable way of doing push-ups, squats, etc. Then, as you become more fit and have more control of the movements, gradually progress to more difficult forms—to, for example, push-ups with a much wider or much narrower hand position, or with shorter distance between feet and hands; do them faster or much slower, etc.

Progress gradually, doing only as many reps as you can do with the perfect form (principle of gradual increase of loads), at your own pace (principle of individualization). In good time the exercises that once seemed too difficult will become easy for you (principle of accessibility). Do not do any exercise if it causes pain or a feeling of instability in any joint.

Question:  How do I warm up for this beyond some light cardio work, or do I need to do more than that? How do I cool down?

Answer: Warm up with light aerobic exercise, such as moving your arms and trunk when marching, or jump rope, or do lightened-up versions of the same exercises you plan to do as the main task of your workout. You can begin your cool-down with similar exercises and then do stretches and breathing exercises.

Question:  Many other experts strongly suggest working on the same ability, even with the same exercises, on subsequent days. For example, the common running 30/30 plan suggests running every day, the Armstrong pull-up plan emphasizes working out on pull-ups EVERY day, doing push-ups every day, etc. I know you mention that one should work out the neuromuscular system and the vegetative system alternately, but with regard to my development should I be working out the same system every day? Is it a healthy and rational way to work out?

Thank you once again. Your work is getting me off my pathetic rear and motivated to train for life.

Answer: With those plans of working out the same system on subsequent days you have to look at the whole picture—what is the total training load and how does it relate to the assumed fitness of the performer? Up to a certain magnitude of effort (relative to one's fitness), one can do the same exercises every day or even several times a day. So, if you begin with an easy exercise and a low number of reps you could do the same exercise, for example, push-ups, several times per day. After a while you will reach a number of reps that will fatigue you too much to do it more than once per day.

Eventually, you will reach a number of reps that will require at least a day of rest from that exercise before you can do it again. If your muscles feel sore it means that you did too much (you forgot the principle of gradual increase of loads). If you hit a plateau and can't increase either the number of reps or the level of difficulty, then it means that you did too much, or too often, or for too long.

By trial and error, while observing your body's signs (principle of individualization), you will find the right progression and schedule. (If you do too much, the load exceeds your capacity for rebuilding. If you do it too often, you do not give your body the time to rebuild itself with enough extra capacity to improve. If you stay on the same training program too long, you get stale—you exhaust your capacity to adapt to the load.)

The essence of controlling your martial arts or sports training so as to reach your best and to avoid overtraining is to ADJUST the training to MATCH your response to it. Rules, such as not putting high stress on the same body systems in consecutive workouts, were arrived at by observing thousands of elite athletes. The same goes for training schedules that are in Science of Sports Training to illustrate how coaches read athletes' behavior and body signs and how they adjust training schedules and with what effect.

Question: I have been told that the `behind the head lat pull-down' exercise has been banned from the fitness industry. Is this true?

Answer: Every exercise can be bad for somebody at some time (principles of individualization and accessibility).
If you have a predisposition for shoulder impingement, the behind the neck pull-down will likely cause it (and so will the behind the neck press).

Here I repeat something I wrote already elsewhere: Pain, feeling of joint instability, or other abnormal sensations during or after exercise are signs that either you do it wrong or you do too much (you violate principles of accessibility and of gradual increase of loads). Whether an exercise is good for you or not depends on your preparations and in some cases on peculiarities of your body (again, principles of individualization and accessibility). If you feel good during and after the exercise, then it is most likely good for you and won't hurt you. Make sure you do not do more than your body can tolerate.

If you have any questions on training you can post them at Stadion's Sports and Martial Arts Training Discussion Forum at http://www.stadion.com/phpBB2.

To read the next installment of this column click here.

This article is based on the Stadion book Science of Sports Training: How to Plan and Control Training for Peak Performance. Get it now and have all of the info—not just the crumbs! Order now!

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