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How to customize resistance training programs

This is an excerpt from NSCA's Guide to Program Design 2nd Edition by NSCA -National Strength & Conditioning Association.

By Nicholas A. Ratamess

The most effective resistance training programs meet individual needs or the goals that result from performing an athlete needs analysis (see chapter 1). The needs analysis must address the biological (e.g., metabolic or need for specific health- and skill-related fitness components), biomechanical (e.g., technique, kinesiology, sport movements, injury risk), training (program design and implementation), and testing and benchmarking needs of the athlete. Thus, the needs analysis focuses on the breakdown of the sport and sport position but also poses questions that the resistance training program should address. Individualized resistance training programs are most effective because they ensure that the design is goal oriented and that the principle of training specificity is realized. When all relevant information is gathered and the athlete is deemed healthy enough to perform resistance training, the process of program design is initiated. Some common concerns and questions that need to be addressed are as follows (14, 31, 43):

• Are health concerns or injuries present that may limit the exercises performed or the exercise intensity? A pre-existing condition may limit the exercises an athlete can perform, which could potentially limit training intensity until the athlete has sufficiently recovered.
• What are the athlete’s training goals? It depends on the sport needs analysis as well as the results of testing and determination of potential strengths and weaknesses.
• How much training experience does the athlete have? This helps to determine the level of programming and ability to perform certain exercises. The NSCA has defined training status as seen in table 4.2 (54).
  
  
  
  
• What type of equipment (e.g., free weights, machines, kettlebells, bands, tubing, medicine and stability balls, balances, ropes, strength implements, and so on) is available? The type of equipment available is paramount to exercise selection. Although outstanding programs can be developed with minimal equipment, knowledge of what is available enables strength and conditioning professionals to select appropriate exercises.
• What is the targeted frequency? Are there any time constraints that may affect workout duration?  The total number of training sessions per week needs to be determined, since it will affect all other training variables (e.g., the exercises selected for each workout, volume and intensity). Some training sessions may be scheduled for specific periods of time. For example, if the training session is scheduled to last 1 hour, the program needs to be developed within that time frame. This will affect the type and number of exercises selected, the total sets performed, and the rest intervals used between sets and exercises.
• What muscle groups need extra attention? All major muscle groups need to be trained, but some may require prioritization based on the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses or the demands of the sport. It is critically important to maintain muscle balance between opposing muscle groups when designing training programs. Thus, exercises must be selected that stress all muscle groups. Appropriate training is essential for muscles with agonist–antagonist relationships (i.e., hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio) and primary stabilizer roles for large muscle mass exercises. Small muscles are often weak in comparison to larger muscle groups. For example, attention should be paid to rotator cuffs and scapula stabilizers, as well as deep spinal, core, neck, pelvic floor, and trunk muscles. The sport-injury analysis can be used to emphasize areas susceptible to injury (e.g., stressing the core and hips to reduce knee injuries, strengthening the neck to reduce concussions). Periodic assessment of athletic performance is needed in order to determine strengths and weaknesses and to monitor progression.
• What are the targeted energy systems (e.g., aerobic or anaerobic)? The body has three major metabolic systems: the ATP–CP, glycolytic, and oxidative (aerobic) systems. Resistance training programs mostly target the ATP–CP and glycolytic systems. Few repetitions of high-intensity exercises with long rest intervals stress the ATP–CP system. In contrast, moderate to high repetitions of moderate- to high-intensity exercises, with short to moderate rest intervals, typically target the glycolytic system (i.e., to improve acid–base balance and muscular endurance). Specific attention can be given to either of these energy systems if they match the metabolic demands of the sport. Although the oxidative (aerobic) system is active during resistance exercise, it tends to be trained more specifically through aerobic training. However, certain programs, such as circuit training (metabolic training) or high-repetition programs with short rest intervals, can effectively target the aerobic system through resistance training.
• What types of muscle actions (e.g., concentric [CON], eccentric [ECC], isometric [ISOM]) are needed? Some athletes may benefit from periodically targeting a specific type of muscular action to elicit a specific adaptive response. For example, a wrestler frequently encounters situations in a match where maximal ISOM strength is necessary. Thus, including more ISOM muscle actions in the program may be a beneficial tool for conditioning. In addition, augmented ECC strength is beneficial to absorb impact during landing and help with reducing injury risk.
• If training for a sport or activity, what are the most common sites of injury? Special attention can be given to susceptible areas. For example, female athletes are more likely to sustain a tear of their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than their male counterparts. Thus, special attention should be given to female athletes to strengthen the kinetic chain from the core to the feet. Including exercises that strengthen the knee musculature, the ankle, and the hip in all three planes of motion (and reduce valgus stresses) may be beneficial for reducing knee injuries. Resistance training for the core musculature may help as well.
• What is the athlete’s practice and competition schedule? The resistance training program must be developed around the athlete’s schedule and be flexible to handle training disruptors (e.g., travel, lack of sleep, nutritional deficits).

Goals must be determined in order to guide program design. Common goals of resistance training include injury rehabilitation and improvements in muscle size, strength, power, speed, agility, local muscular endurance, balance, coordination, flexibility and mobility, percent body fat, general health (e.g., lowered blood pressure, stronger connective tissue, reduced stress). Most programs improve several of these components instead of focusing on a single component. For example, gymnasts require great levels of strength and power but may experience decreases in performance as a result of excessive hypertrophy. Since these athletes require a high strength-to-mass ratio, training programs should be targeted at maximizing neuromuscular components without stressing excessive muscle growth. However, American football linemen may benefit from additional lean body mass in addition to strength and power increases. These athletes may be trained to specifically target muscle hypertrophy as well. Thus, the training program must reflect these needs and incorporate sufficient means of overload and variation to attain these goals.

Although program goals often include improvement, sometimes athletes need maintenance training to maintain the progress made through off-season training while transitioning to in-season training. Here, resistance training is used to maintain the current level of fitness rather than place an emphasis on maximal progression. Although progression could ensue (depending on the training status of the athlete), the main goal is to at least maintain as much of the gains as possible while the emphasis shifts to preseason training for the sport. These programs are used commonly by athletes during the competitive season. It is important to note that maintenance training could result in partial detraining (cessation of training or substantial reduction in frequency, volume, or intensity that results in decrements in performance) if the training threshold is not met over time. Thus, intensity is kept relatively high while volume is reduced. Maintenance training is critical to the athlete and requires a periodized approach as well.

More Excerpts From NSCA's Guide to Program Design 2nd Edition

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