Training Principles to Look for in a Successful Fitness Program

There is a lot of noise in the world of training and fitness. Trends and fads come and go. It can be difficult to decide where and how to start a structured training program. Which do you choose? Should you start doing CrossFit or marathon training? Dust off the old Jane Fonda videos or start that “bootcamp” program that you’ve heard folks talking about?

Of course it depends on several factors and the most important is “why” you want to train. For what do you want to be in great shape? If you have an answer for this great. If you can not answer this it’s important to pause and put some thought into it. Knowing why you’re motivated to do something sheds greater light on how you’re going to it.

Once you’ve decided to begin training and figured out what you want out of your future fitness you’ll need to develop a plan. In most cases this requires the knowledge of a coach or trainer. No matter who your coach is or what program you plan on starting there are certain “laws” that any successful program must adhere to. I’ve outlined a few of these “training principles” for you to consider when looking for a coach or training program.

Principle of Individual Differences

No two bodies are the same and there is no getting around that. Although humans generally have similar adaptations and responses to the stimulus of exercises, the magnitude and rate of the changes are limited by differing genetics. Genetics aren’t the only “Individual Differences” in the training world. One’s lifestyle, training history, home life, and friend group are all differences that any great coach considers when working with an athlete.

Overcompensation Principle

This is a simple term used to describe the idea that our bodies adapt to increased stress by overcompensating. If the right training load and stresses are applied calluses build up, muscle fibers grow, our work capacity increases, we get fitter.

Overload Principle

This principle states that in order to gain fitness (strength, speed, endurance, etc.) one must exercise against a greater resistance than normally encountered. This means that any good program is progressive in it’s training load.

SAID Principle

SAID stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. This training principle speaks to long understood fact that one should train the energy systems most relied upon by their sport. Endurance athletes need a huge aerobic base. Olympic weight lifters need explosive power. The “strong-man” needs superior starting strength. Each of these athletes would have much different looking training programs.

Use/Disuse Principle

In short, use it or lose it. If you stop training you can maintain neuromuscular adaptations (muscle memory) for quite a while. However, other gains in size, strength, speed, and endurance will diminish more quickly. It takes much less time to become “detrained” than it does to become trained. With this in mind a good program should be consistent and shouldn’t allow for unnecessary and prolonged breaks.

Specificity Principle

This principle states that your training must change from general to specific for the sport or event you’re training for. I believe that any good program is periodized in order to prioritize sport specific training. Cross training is valuable but shouldn’t overshadow specific training especially as an athletic season approaches. This is generally good news for anyone who loves their sport. Cyclist can train more effectively by spending time on the bike. Runners would be wise to spend most of their training volume running. Ski mountaineers will see great returns from trail running and ski touring. You see where we’re going with this. A good coach or program incorporates training methods that mimic, as closely as possible, the actual skills and movements of the sport or event that the athlete is training for.

Recovery

Recovery is vital and should be part of a good training plan. Effective recovery involves rest and recovery activities. Good nutrition and sleep are the cornerstones of the best recovery plans. Recovery activities can include things like stretching after an easy walk, yoga, zone 1 cardio. Keep in mind that it should serve to allow your body to adapt to your training. Make sure the program you’re considering respects the recovery process. This is when we actually gain fitness.

Variability Principle

The training load within a program should fluctuate at times. High volume/lower volume, heavy lifting/light lifting, high intensity/low intensity, etc. The old thought that you’ve got to put more weight on the bar each workout can be a misguided one. It’s a pretty egocentric approach that leads to early plateaus, injuries, and burnout. Among the reasons for utilizing this principle are allowing connective tissues and energy systems to recover. But, It’s not completely understood why variations in volume and intensity are so productive in a training plan. Many exercise scientists believe it’s got something to do with the bodies metabolic responses to exercise. Different types of workouts and loading trigger different metabolic responses, some known and some unknown. It’s quite possible that variations in a program ensure that no single metabolic response is overtaxed. Humans achieve maximum fitness gains when we are afforded the chance to recover from one workout before throwing ourselves at another. Adding variable loads and intensities to a program helps achieve this on a deeper level.

These are some of the principles I rely on when designing training programs for Casaval Personal Training. If I can look at an athlete’s training plan and see that it was designed with these principles in mind I can trust that the plan will be effective. If these laws are overlooked, disregarded, or treated as an afterthought I’d question the plan. There’s nothing new here. The most successful athletes in any sport throughout history have used these or similar principles or training laws. I truly believe this.

Hopefully this article helps you to better understand the components of a great training plan. Remember, no training plan is above the “Laws of Training”. Thank you for reading.