The 7 Laws of Training For Your Workout Routine

The Seven “Laws” of your workout routine. In discussing training, you will come across a numerous number of training “do’s and don’ts”. However, in one way or another it will comedown to 7 basic training principles (“Laws” really, as they have stood the test of time!) that must be present when constructing and engaging in a workout routine. These seven principles (or “Laws”) are:

1. The Principle of Individual Differences. 2. The Principle of Overcompensation. 3. The Principle of Overload. 4. The Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID) Principle. 5. The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Principle. 6. The Use/Disuse Principle. 7. The Specificity Principle.

Workout Routine Law #1. The Principle Of Individual Differences - No one’s training can and should be the same. Consider the following:

Bigger muscles heal slower than smaller muscles. - Fast movements require more recovery time than slow movements. - Red fiber muscle tissue recovers quicker than white fiber muscle tissue. - Women recover slower than men. - Younger folks recover quicker than older folks. - Heavier loads require more recovery than lower loads.

There are many more variables. But these points sum up the point. Furthermore, because not all athletic endeavors are the same, training must be specific (which will be covered later). It makes no sense for a football player, a powerlifter and a marathon runner to train the same. Each is “strong” in his or her given sport, and will benefit only by workout routines to enhance their particular “strength”.

Workout Routine Law #2. The Principle Of Overcompensation - What happens when you rub the palm of your hand at the knuckles? If done enough -- but not too much -- a calluses will form. Rub it too much and a blister will form. The calluses is good and the blister bad... The bottom line is that Mother nature overcompensates and adapts the body to the stress it receives. Muscles and skill performance are no different. This leads to (among the other principles) to the Overload Principle.

Workout Routine Law #3. The Overload Principle - In order to force this “overcompensation” the stress placed upon the body, there must be an overload (a stimulus greater than what is generally placed upon the body). If you are content to squat the same weight with the same reps and sets without ever improving, you chances of improving in the squat are very small. Likewise, if you jump, run or move the same way without ever making it more difficult to do so or trying to do better, you will not improve in sport specific skills or your workout routines.

Workout Routine Law #4. Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID) - The body will adapt in a highly specific way. To become better at squats, you must do squats. To become more endurant, you must train enduringly. To become more explosive, you must train explosively. This principle further notes the points made under the Principle of Individual Differences. Workout Routines must be specific and it makes no sense to train for anything other than your sport specific skills. However, as we shall see, there are exceptions.

Workout Routine Law #5. The General Adaptation Principle (GAS Principle) - The General Adaptation Syndrome Principle was presented by Dr. Hans Selye years ago and was originally applied to psychological stress. However,it has also been applied (and accepted) to physical stress in three phases:

1. The Alarm Phase. The body will not like the overloaded stress place upon it and begins to take drastic measures to combat it. 2. The Resistance Phase. The body will try to resist the stress. 3. The Exhaustion Phase. The body will inevitably become exhausted if it doesn’t receive rest from the stress of workout routines.

This 3 phase principle leads to the belief that there must be periods of low or no intensity between those overloaded stresses which tax the body. You simply can’t train hard all the time! Doing so will lead to overtraining (over a period of several weeks) and dire consequences will follow.

Workout Routine Law #6. The Use/Disuse Principle - With the GAS Principle understood, what is it to be? Low or no intensity? The main problem is that it could take weeks to recover from explosive activity (recall what was said in the Principle of Individual Differences),yet there is still the matter of skill training to be considered. Furthermore, the body will never adapt unless it is taxed often enough. Therefore, there must be periods of low intensity (but periods of intensity,indeed!) between periods of high intensity.

The Specificity Principle simply states that for these reasons, training must go from highly general training to highly specific training. For example, If you are a shot putter, you may want to start out with limit strength training and light cardiovascular conditioning (in the form of sprints) move on to general explosive training (Cleans, dumbbell cleans, etc.), low impact plyometric training and then shock training. If you try to do shock training before the other phases, you will run the risk of such training being ineffective and possibly dangerous.

Conclusion:

There may be other “laws” or principles of workout routines. However, these seven usually (if not always) covers all aspects of athletic training. Once put together, the most logical workout routine involves a periodized approach which cycles the intensity and training objectives. The training must be specific not only to your sport, but to your individual abilities(tolerance to training stress, recoverability, outside obligations, etc). You must increase the training loads over time (allowing some workouts to be less intense than others) and you must train often enough not only to keep a detraining effect from happening, but to also force an adaptation.

Don't Forget Your Reports, FREE For a Limited-Time...

Fat Loss Supplements Exposed! Discover which supplements help burn fat & which ones are a waste of money.

The 10 Hidden Keys to Rapidly Burning Stubborn Fat! Quickly & Easily Bring Out Those Sexy Abs, Arms, & Thighs.

Body Building Supplements Exposed! Separate the Proven Muscle-Builders From the Hyped Up Losers...

Insider Weight Lifting Tips for Fast, Maximum Results! Exactly how to lift weights to get the results you want.