Hypertrophy
Synonymous with most people's perception of strength training,
hypertrophy
refers to increased muscle bulk and size. This is only one aspect of a
sport-specific strength training program and one that should be
included for only a select group of athletes. Football and rugby
players require significant bulk to withstand very aggressive body
contact. For most athletes however, too much muscle bulk is a
hindrance. And remember that a larger muscle is not necessarily a
stronger muscle.
Maximal Strength
Maximal strength is the highest level of force an athlete can possibly
generate. Its importance will vary between sports but this relates more
to the length of the maximal strength training phase than whether it
should be included or not (1). The greater an athlete's maximal
strength to begin with, the more of it can be converted into
sport-specific strength endurance or explosive power.
Maximal strength training can improve exercise economy and endurance
performance (2,3). Interestingly, it does not appear to lead to a
significant increase in muscle hypertrophy (4).
Explosive Power
Rarely is an athlete required to produce a singular maximal effort in their sport. With the exception of
powerlifting,
most sports require movements that are much more rapid and demand a
higher power output than is generated during maximal lifts (5,6). So
while maximal strength training lays an important foundation increasing
the
potential for additional power development,
if there is no conversion of this strength into sport-specific power,
the program as a whole is much less effective.
An athlete can be exceptionally strong but lack substantial power due to an inability to contract muscle quickly.
Power training is used to improve the
rate of force production and a range of methods such as
plyometrics can be employed to convert maximal strength into explosive power.
Strength Endurance
Explosive power is not always the predominant goal of the strength
training program. For events such as distance running, cycling,
swimming and rowing, strength endurance is a major limiting factor.
Again, the greater amount of starting maximal strength, the more of it
can be maintained for a prolonged period.
Strength endurance can be developed through
circuit training
or the use of low weights and high repetitions. However, many strength
endurance programs are inadequate for endurance-based sports - a set of
15-20 repetitions for example does not condition the neuromuscular
system in the same way as a long distance event.
Periodization
The concept of periodization is key to sport-specific strength training.
Dividing the overall training plan into succinct phases or periods,
each with a specific outcome, allows sport-specific strength to peak at
the right times, whilst minimizing the risk of over-training.
It also allows more specific elements of strength to be built on a solid
and more general fitness foundation. Athletes cannot progress week-in
week-out indefinitely so periodization permits variations in intensity
and volume to promote performance enhancements for as long as possible.
