Training Concepts

Foundations of Effective Exercise

Training Concepts: Foundations for Effective Fitness Programs

Training concepts provide the framework for designing and implementing successful fitness programs. This section defines essential principles such as progression, specificity, and recovery, alongside advanced methodologies. Whether you're building a program or optimizing an existing routine, these entries serve as a guide to the principles of effective training.

AbductionA joint action where a limb moves away from the midline body.Accessory or Auxiliary ExerciseThe term "Accessory/Auxiliary Exercise" involves exercises performed to support main lifts, increase work capacity, train antagonist muscles, and for hypertrophy, prehab, and rehab purposes.Active RecoveryLight, easy movement performed on non-exercise days or between/after training sessions to stimulate circulation, relieve soreness, and enhance recovery.AdductionJoint action where the limb moves toward the body.AerobicRequiring oxygen; exercise that overloads the cardiovascular system to stimulate increases in cardiac output.AgilityThe ability to change directions quickly under control.All or None Muscle PrincipleThe "All or None Muscle Principle" refers to the idea that a muscle fiber either contracts fully or not at all.AnabolismThe phase of metabolism where simple substances are synthesized into the complex materials of living tissue; the building of body tissue during recovery.AnaerobicWithout oxygen; describes cell metabolism for brief, high intensity activity (e. G. Weight lifting, sprinting).Anatomic PositionReference point for all joint motions; standing erect with the palm facing forward.AntagonistA muscle that acts in opposition, or counterbalances, the action of another muscle.CalisthenicsRepetitive exercises involving bodyweight only. Examples include push-ups, squats, jumping jacks, and sit-ups.CardiorespiratoryRelating to the heart and lungs.CardiovascularRelating to the heart and blood vessels.CatabolismMetabolism involving the release of energy and resulting in the breakdown of complex materials within the body.Center Of GravityThe approximate point at which all parts of the the body are equally distributed.Closed SkillsSkills that are executed in stable conditions (e. G., shooting a free throw, performing a forward roll).Cluster SetBreaking down a set into several mini-sets, separated by short rest periods, typically consisting of one to two reps each.Conditioningperforming exercises and activities to prepare the body for more intensive exercise or sports.Continuous Skillstasks with no defined beginning or end (e.g., running, swimming).Coordinationthe ability to use the senses and body parts to perform tasks smoothly, efficiently, and accurately.Core Exercisesa variety of exercises that strengthen the muscles of the trunk. These include abdominal and lower back exercises.Density TrainingA training style focused on completing as many reps, sets, and/or exercises as possible in a given period of time. Discrete SkillsBrief tasks with a defined beginning and end (e. G., discus throw, golf swing).DorsiflexionAnkle action where the toes move toward the shin.Drop SetA set of a strength training exercise performed immediately after one or more medium to heavy sets in which you drastically reduce the weight used in order to further exhaust a muscle.Duration Of ExerciseThe time it takes to perform a primary workout.Dynamic StabilityThe ability to maintain balance while moving.Fine Motor SkillsSmall muscle movements, such as those of the fingers.FrequencyHow often one trains.Functional AnatomyThe study of body components needed to achieve or perform a human movement or function; provides a basis for analysis of weight training exercises.Functional TrainingTerm used in physical therapy to describe therapeutic activities to prepare patients to perform daily activities. Recently has been applied to training for fitness and sports.General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)Describes the body's short-term and long-term reactions to stress.Glycolytic EfficiencyThe term "Glycolytic Efficiency" relates to the body's ability to convert glucose into energy and manage lactate/hydrogen waste during high-intensity exercise.Grip StrengthThe capacity to grasp, hold, pinch, carry, and hang from objects of various shapes, sizes, and weights using primarily the strength of your fingers and hands.Gross Motor SkillsSkills involving the large muscles of the body.Hand Eye CoordinationThe ability to coordinate visual cues with motor skills involving the hands.Horizontal AbductionMoving the upper arms away from the chest in the transverse plane (e. G., bent rowing).Horizontal AdductionMoving the upper arms toward the chest in the transverse plane (e. G., bench press).HyperextensionExtending it beyond its neutral anatomic position (e. G., back hyperextensions).HyperplasiaAn increase in muscle cell number - as opposed to Hypertrophy, which refers to an increase in muscle cell size. Individual DifferencesUnique qualities of people based on many factors (e. G., gender, race, intelligence, fiber types) for which training programs can be personalized.IntensityHow hard training is for an individual; for weight training, how heavy the weight load is.Intensive TrainingA phase of training that is intended to produce greater strength gains using heavier weight loads follow a conditioning period.JointThe place at which two bones interact; an articulation.Joint LaxityLack of stability in a joint; for women, can be induced by pregnancy.KilocalorieCommonly known as a calorie. The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a kilogram of water 1 degree C.KinematicsMovement analysis technique that examines motion without consideration of force; describes movement.KinesiologyThe study of human movement.KineticsMovement analysis technique that examines forces acting on a system (the human body or an object); defines forces causing a movement.Lean Body MassTotal body mass minus fat mass; includes muscle, bone, organs, and water.MacrocycleUsed in periodization training to describe an annual training cycle.MedialToward the midline of the body.MesocycleUsed in periodization training that approximates a monthly training phase.MetabolismThe sum of all biochemical processes underway within the human body at a given moment; includes anabolism and catabolism.MicrocycleUsed in periodization training to describe a weekly training cycle.Mind-Muscle ConnectionThe mental awareness of muscle actions during lengthening and contracting, which can improve the effectiveness of a strength-training program. Motor BehaviorAn area of study that stresses the principles of human skilled movements generated at a behavioral level of analysis.Motor ControlAn area of study dealing with the understanding of neural, physical, and behavioral aspects of movement.Motor LearningA set of internal processes associated with practice or experience leading to relatively permanent changes in the capability for motor skill.Motor MemoryThe memory for movement or motor information.Motor ProgramAn abstract representation that results in a coordinated movement sequence.Motor SkillsSkills involving movement.Motor UnitAll of the muscle cells controlled by a single motor neuron.Movement Time (MT)The interval between the beginning and end of a movement.Muscle ImbalanceA difference in the relative strength of muscles on two sides of the body or two sides of a joint, which can affect posture and increase the risk of injury.Muscular StrengthThe ability of a muscle to generate force.Olympic LiftingA competitive sport; lifts include the clean and jerk, and snatch.Open SkillsTasks performed in an environment that is generally unpredictable or changing, requiring the athlete to adjust movements according to the demands.OverlearningPracticing a skill beyond what is necessary to learn the skill; used to overcome existing undesirable movement patterns or for rehabilitation.OvertrainingFailure to get enough rest between training sessions resulting in chronic fatigue or injuries.Performance v AestheticsThe concept of "Performance vs Aesthetics" contrasts two primary goals of training: improving specific fitness domains versus sculpting the body for appearance.Personal RecordAn individual's performance in a lift or other exercise that represents their best effort to date. Phases Of TrainingPeriods of training intended to accomplish a specific purpose toward improving sport performance.PhysiologyThe study of function; considers ways living organisms perform vital functions.PlantarflexionJoint action where the foot moves away from the shin, raising the body onto the balls of the feet.PosteriorThe back of the bodyPowerliftingA weightlifting sport. Lifts include the squat, dead lift, and bench press.Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)Combines stretching with alternating contracting and relaxing muscles to improve flexibility.PyramidingProgressively increasing the amount of weight lifted for each set while concurrently decreasing the number of repetitions, then doing the reverse. Often performed during an intensive training period.Q AngleThe angle at which the femur (upper leg bone) meets the tibia (lower leg bone). The Q-angle in women (caused by a wider pelvis than in men) is linked to a greater incidence of sports injuries.Range Of Motion (ROM)Flexibility at a joint; measured in degrees by a goniometer.Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)A subjective scale, expressed as a number from six to 20 or one to 10, of how hard a person is working relative to their maximal capacity.RecompositionChanging the relative proportion of body fat and muscle tissue in the body with minimal change in total body mass.Recovery PeriodThe time taken between sets or workouts to allow the body to prepare for the next set or session.Relative StrengthThe amount of weight you can lift compared to your body weight.ReversibilityThe loss of training effect as a result of not training or taking too much time between training sessions.R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)An acronym representing a treatment protocol for exercise-related injuries.Roman Chair Sit UpAbdominal exercise where the trunk hyperextends and flexes not usually through a range of more than 90 degrees.RotationTwisting movement around a central axis (e. G., trunk rotations)Sagittal PlanePlane that divides the body into left and right portions.Schema TheorySummarizes what is known about varying practice conditions and predicts improvements in skill learning using variations in training, usually within classes of skills.Serial SkillsA group of discrete skill performed in a specific sequence.SetThe number of consecutive repetitions of an exercise performed without resting.Set Point TheoryA theory of weight regulation; asserts that body weight is controlled at a set point by a weight-regulating control center within the brain.Sit And Reach TestA test of low back and hamstring flexibility.Speed Accuracy TradeoffThe tendency to substitute accuracy for speed in sport skills.Split TrainingAs opposed to full-body training a split program focuses on different muscle groups or movements on different days of the week, or days within a cycle of workouts.Sport PsychologyA broad field of study that examines factors affecting participation and performance in sports, and applying psychological principles to enhancing athletic performance.SpottingA safety technique whereby a lifter is monitored by another through vigilance, guidance, or assistance to complete an exercise using a heavy weight load.StabilizersMuscles that act in one segment so that a specific movement in an adjacent joint can occur.Starter ProgramA beginning strength fitness program that prepares one for a more intensive strength program.Stress-Recovery-Adaptation CycleThe stress-recovery-adaptation cycle, based on Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, describes how the body responds to stress, recovers, and adapts to better handle future stressors.Super SettingAlternating sets of at least two exercises, back to back, usually to save time, or to increase the workload on a given muscle group.SupineA body position lying down facing up.Tactical SkillsSkills that give athletes an advantage (e. G., making decisions about technical skills, capitalizing on weaknesses of opponents).Technical SkillsFundamental movements in sports, including speed of contraction of movements.Ten Percent RuleStates that the training intensity or duration should not be increased by more than 10% per week.TendonConnective tissue that connects a muscle to a bone tendonitis: inflammation of a tendon; a common exercise-related injury.Tetanic ContractionSustained contraction of a muscle due to repeated stimulation at a frequency that prevents relaxation.Time under tension (TUT)The time taken to complete all phases of a strength-training exercise, sometimes expressed as a four-digit number, with each digit referring to the time taken to complete a specific portion of the movement.TonnageThe total amount of weight lifting during a workout.Transfer Of LearningThe influence of previously learned skills on the learning and performance of other skills with common elements.Undulating PeriodizationA variation of the standard periodization model in which you vary the focus of the workouts within the same training block in order to reduce stress, and create a stimulus for broader adaptation.Use And DisuseBiological principle that relates to the reversibility principle in weight training.Vertical JumpA task used as a test representative of power or explosiveness.VisualizationMental imagery used to reduce stress or improve sport performance.Warm UpA brief period of exercise that precedes a workout; intended to elevate muscle temperature, and increase blood flow and range of motion.

Last Updated: 13 Aug 24