Chapter 13- Resistance Training Concepts

Question 1

General adaptation syndrome

Answer 1

A term used to describe how the body responds and adapts to stress

In this case the stress being placed on the body is the weight being lifted during resistance training.

For adaptation to occur, the body must be confronted with a stressor or some form of stress that creates the need for a response. The three stages of response to stress are:

• Alarm reaction
• Resistance development
• Exhaustion

Question 2

Alarm reaction stage

Answer 2

Initial reaction to stressor such as increased oxygen and blood supply to the necessary areas of the body.

Question 3

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

Answer 3

Pain or discomfort often felt 24 to 72 hours after intense exercise or unaccustomed physical activity.

During this period of DOMS, any attempt at replicating or advancing the soreness-inducing exercise will be limited by the factors contributing to the soreness. This could be con- sidered an “alarm reaction.” Most experts agree minimizing DOMS involves starting a progressive training program at a low intensity and introducing overload gradually

Question 4

Resistance development

Answer 4

The body increases its functional capacity to adapt to the stressor.

After repeated training sessions, the human movement system will increase its capability to efficiently recruit muscle fibers and distribute oxygen and blood to the proper areas in the body.

Question 5

Exhaustion stage

Answer 5

Prolonged stress or intolerable amounts of stress can lead to exhaustion or distress. When a stressor is too much for any one of the physiologic systems to handle, it causes a breakdown or injury such as (6):

• Stress fractures
• Muscle strains
• Joint pain
• Emotional fatigue

Question 6

Periodization

Answer 6

Division of a training program into smaller, progressive stages.

Question 7

Principle of specificity or specific adaptation to imposed demands (SAID principle)

Answer 7

Principle that states the body will adapt to the specific demands that are placed on it.

Question 8

Type 1 muscle fibers

Answer 8

slow-twitch muscle fibers are smaller in diameter, slower to produce maximal tension, and more resistant to fatigue.

Type I fibers are important for muscles that need to produce long-term contractions necessary for stabilization, endurance, and postural control.

Question 9

Type ll muscle fibers

Answer 9

Type II or fast-twitch muscle fibers are larger in size, quick to produce maximal tension, and fatigue more quickly than type I fibers. These fibers are important for mus- cles producing movements requiring force and power such as performing a sprint.

Question 10

Mechanical specificity

Answer 10

Refers to the weight and movements placed on the body.

I. E. To develop maximal strength in the chest, heavy weights must be used during chest-related exercises.

Question 11

Neuromuscular efficiency

Answer 11

refers to the speed of contraction and exercise selection

Question 12

Metabolic specificity

Answer 12

It refers to the energy demand placed on the body. To develop endurance, training will require prolonged bouts of exercise, with minimal rest periods between sets.

Question 13

Stabilization

Answer 13

Stabilization is the human movement system’s ability to provide optimal dynamic joint support to maintain correct posture during all movements.

Repeatedly training with controlled, unstable exercises increases the body’s ability to stabilize and balance itself.

Question 14

Muscular endurance

Answer 14

The ability to produce and maintain force production for prolonged periods
of time.

Question 15

Muscular hypertrophy

Answer 15

the enlargement of skeletal muscle fibers in response to being recruited to develop increased levels of tension, as seen in resistance training (30). Mus- cle hypertrophy is characterized by an increase in the cross-sectional area of individual muscle fibers resulting from an increase in myofibril proteins (myofilaments)

Kraemer et al. (4) demonstrated that 24 weeks of training 3 days per week with 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions per exercise improved muscle hypertrophy and body composition.

Question 16

Strength

Answer 16

is the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce internal tension (in the muscles and connective tissues that pull on the bones) to overcome an external force.

Strength training is designed to match the characteristics of type II muscle fibers (quick-contracting, high tension output, prone to fatigue).

Question 17

Power

Answer 17

the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce the greatest possible force in the shortest possible time.

Question 18

The single set system

Answer 18

the single-set system uses 1 set per exercise. It is usually recom- mended that single-set workouts be performed two times per week to promote sufficient development and maintenance of muscle mass

most beginning clients could follow a single-set program to allow for proper adaptive responses of the connective tissue and nervous system before engaging in more rigorous training systems. By encouraging clients to avoid lifting more than they can handle, synergistic dominance (synergists overcompensating for weak prime movers) and injury can be avoided.

Question 19

Multiple set system

Answer 19

consists of performing multiple numbers of sets for each exercise. 
The resistance (load), sets, and repetitions performed are selected according to the goals and needs of the client.

Question 20

The pyramid system

Answer 20

The pyramid system involves a progressive or regressive step approach that either increases weight with each set or decreases weight with each set.

Question 21

The superset system

Answer 21

The superset system uses two exercises performed in rapid succession of one another.

The first variation includes performing two exercises for the same muscle group back to back. This style of supersets can use two, three (a tri-set), or more exercises (a giant set) for the target muscle group.

The second variation consists of performing two exercises back to back that involve antagonist muscle groups (e.g., chest and back or quadriceps and hamstring complex). Performing supersets in this manner allows a significant load to be placed on the target muscle during each set. This is possible because while the agonist is working, the antag- onist is recovering, and vice versa.

Question 22

Drop sets

Answer 22

A drop-set is a resistance training system that is popular among bodybuilders. It is a technique that allows a client to continue a set past the point at which it would usually terminate. Drop-sets involve performing a set to failure, then removing a small per- centage of the load (5–20%) and continuing with the set, completing a small number of repetitions (usually 2–4).

Question 23

The circuit training system

Answer 23

The circuit-training system consists of a series of exercises that an individual performs one after the other, with minimal rest between each exercise Figure 13.7. The typical acute variables for a circuit-training program include low to moderate number of sets (1–3), with moderate to high repetitions (8–20) and short rest periods (15–60 seconds) between exercises.

Question 24

The peripheral heart action system

Answer 24

The peripheral heart action system is another variation of circuit training that alternates upper body and lower body exercises throughout the circuit. This system of training distributes blood flow between the upper and lower extremities potentially improving circulation.

Question 25

Split routine system

Answer 25

A split-routine system involves breaking the body up into parts to be trained on separate days. Bodybuilders typically perform numerous exercises on the same day for the same body part to bring about optimal muscular hypertrophy.

Question 26

Vertical loading

Answer 26

Alternating body parts trained from set to set, starting from the upper extremity and moving to the lower extremity.

In a vertically loaded workout, the client would perform the first exercise (total
body) for the required repetitions and then move to the chest exercise for the next set of repetitions. After the chest exercise, the client would move on to the back exercise and so forth, until all exercises have been completed. Once completed, the client would then start back at the first exercise (total body) and run through the exercises again for the desired amount of sets. This can also be done in a circuit style, by minimizing the rest periods between exercises.

Question 27

Horizontal loading

Answer 27

Horizontal loading

Performing all sets of an exercise or body part before moving on to the next exercise or body part.