|
The aim and purpose of a well-guided training
program lies in the improvement of performance, whereby the
term performance should not be equated with record
performance. Great progress has been made in the last few
years in the science which examines to what extent the human
organism can be trained. The human body with its
biomechanical leverage conditions is explored in detail as
are the biomechanical metabolism processes during physical
strain.
Fitness Check :
For each sector of your fitness program
(strength, endurance, mobility, speed, coordination) you
need to define your position. All the elements, which
contribute towards and effective training program, must be
taken into account and coordinated. The breaking up of a
training session into different sessions with specified
aims, such as endurance training, strength, etc.
The perfect training session should comprise of :
(1) Warm up
(2) Endurance Training
(3) Mobility training
(4) Cool down
(5) Regenerative measures.
WARM UP
The frequently neglected but nevertheless
extremely important warm-up prepares the body for the
exercise to come and helps it to perform without the danger
of injury. The following advantages are attributed mainly to
warm up. The following advantages are attributed mainly to
warm up.
*
General improvement of performance potential.
*
Improved physiological performance potential.
*
Improvement of physical coordination
*
Reduction of injury danger.
The general warm up should improve the
circulation, increase the body temperature and stimulate the
sweat production. Due to the increased body temperature, the
blood and lymph fluid in the muscles thin and becomes fluid,
elasticity of the muscles is increased and the danger of
injury reduced. The increased circulation improves the
supply of oxygen and energy to the muscles, which results in
an improvement in performance. The general warm up should
last between 8 -12 minutes. Do not stretch out the general
warm up phase longer than 12 minutes, because then general
fatigue and energy loss can start to take place which can
impede the training to follow.
ENDURANCE
TRAINING
Of all the motor skills to be trained -
power, endurance, mobility, speed and coordination -
endurance appears at first glance to be the least
spectacular. However, in terms of its contribution to health
it actually comes first. Regular endurance training tailored
to the needs of individual performance has a wide ranging
positive impact on the cardio-vascular system :
*
Greater heart efficiency
*
reduced heartbeat through increased beat volume
*
increased oxygen intake capacity
*
reduced oxygen consumption of heart musculature
*
reduced blood pressure
*
improved blood circulation and coagulation
*
improved breaths per minute volume under exertion
*
enhanced aerobic enzyme capacity
*
enhanced coronary vascular system
*
improved capillarization of body muscles
*
enhanced glycogen content in body and heart musculature
*
enhanced mitochondrion volume.
*
reduced levels of the stress hormones adrenalin and
noradrenalin.
*
reduced LDL cholesterol level
*
increased HDL cholesterol level.
As your training experience and endurance
capacity increase, you will be able to reduce the number of
breaks step by step and steadily increase the duration of a
training period. Anyone who has started a planned and
regular program to improve their cardiovascular performance
generally feels unbounded enthusiasm.
Golden rules of ENDURANCE
*
Always warm up at the start of training and never forget to
cool down at the end.
*
Keep to the times necessary for recovery between training
days tailored to your own needs.
*
Train at least twice and preferably three times a week.
*
Observe the optimum training pulse rate for your age group
and performance.
*
Always take care to secure sufficient intake of liquid or
prompt fluid replacement at the right time.
*
Do not forget the fun and enjoyment of movement.
MOBILITY
TRAINING
Developing mobility is an essential part of
comprehensive fitness program. Mobility is defined as the
capacity to carry out movements in one or more joints with
great rotational breadth, either voluntarily or under the
influence of external forces. The mobility involved is made
up, in equal measure, of the ability of musculature, sinews,
ligaments and joint capsule system to stretch and the
suppleness that comes from the structure of the joint
itself.
Correctly applied, stretching can offer the following
benefits :
*
Tenseness is eased enormously, thus enhancing greatly the
sense of general well-being.
*
Limitation on mobility because of age can be prevented in
the long term.
*
Improved mobility and suppleness improve our body awareness.
*
Stretch stimuli promote blood circulation and metabolism of
the musculature and connective tissue.
*
The danger of injury is lessened due to the fact that
musculature, sinews and other structures of the mobility
system acquire increase elasticity.
*
Due to greater scope of movement in the joints, muscle can
be trained for strength over a greater period of time
*
Stretch exercises after training promote regeneration by
normalizing muscle tone and improving circulation.
COOL
DOWN - THE PERFECT ENDING
You should finish a training session by
cooling down, by slowing down the pace of the exercise and
preparing the body for rest and relaxation after the
workout. By slowing down the pace, we mean that the aerobic
activity increases again but you are no longer demanding a
competitive pace. Cooling down has more to do with
forestalling the period of exhaustion and results in super
compensation, where increased energy storage provides a
basis for improved training performances.
REGENERATIVE MEASURES : REST AND RECOVERY
The cooling down is when the regeneration of physical
resources starts again. This is the phase when the heartbeat
and breathing return to normal, the lactic acid is broken
down completely and the empty energy stores are replenished.
It is precisely this regeneration of energy producing
processes which makes cooling down an important part of the
training cycle that should not be neglected. If fresh
training activity is initiated at too early a stage, before
sufficient energy reserves are available, performance may
not meet expectations.
The recovery process is working if you are
able to improve your performance in the long term. There are
various ways of helping you own recovery. A diet rich in
carbohydrates, for example will speed up the reconstitution
of energy supplies. You should drink of plentifully to
maintain water and mineral levels at a constant level.
Minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium will, among
other things, ensure that muscles are able to contract and
remain ready for work - a lack of minerals can lead to
weak muscles and cramp, forcing you to cut short your
training.
Therapeutic treatments like massage, showers
and saunas improve the blood supply so that the body's waste
products are carried away and eliminated more quickly.
Techniques such as relaxation through breathing techniques
and progressive relaxation of the muscles also increase the
recovery rate.
RELAXATION THROUGH BREATHING TECHNIQUES
The diaphragm is the most important human
muscle for breathing. Its up and down movement when we
breathe in and out has the effect of an internal massage of
the heart, lung and stomach / intestinal area. This
stimulates the circulation, and thus the vital functions of
all the organs are stimulated by the improved circulation
and increased resources.
|
