Sports Medicine: Just the Facts

CHAPTER 93 • WEIGHTLIFTING 547

by the resistance used (Kraemer et al, 2002).

Therefore, similar training volumes are achieved when

light resistance is used for high repetitions and when

heavy resistance is used for low repetitions. In peri-

odized programs, it is appropriate to begin with high

training volumes (off-season) and progress to lower

volumes at higher intensity (preseason).

• Intensity is analogous to power and is therefore
  dependent on the amount of resistance as well as the
  speed of the movement (Wathen, 1994b). High train-
  ing intensities are appropriate in the preseason and
  can coincide with sport-specific training.
  •Overtraining can result in decreases in muscle
  strength and function. It usually occurs when either
  training volume or intensity are too great and the body
  cannot appropriately adapt (Brown, 2001).


• As mentioned earlier in this chapter, muscles will
  adapt to the specific demands imposed on it. When
  designing an exercise or weightlifting program it is
  important to include activities that are specific to the
  athlete’s goals. For example, if an athlete wants to
  perform movements that require high muscle strength
  and power, they should train with weights that are
  closer to their 1 RM and perform fewer repetitions per
  set (Wathen and Roll, 1994). Likewise, if an athlete
  wants to perform movements that require endurance,
  they should use less weight with higher repetitions.


• The athletic year is divided into in-season, post and off-
  season, and preseason segments. During the postseason
  and off-season, training should concentrate on recovery
  from the competitive season and maintain fitness and
  strength. Strength training can begin in the off-season
  and gradually progress to power training and sport-spe-
  cific training during preseason. Strength, endurance,
  and power maintenance should be performed in-season.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Strength describes the maximum force that can be
  generated by a muscle, whereas power is the ability of
  a muscle to generate large forces quickly. Endurance
  is the ability of a muscle to contract repeatedly and
  generate forces for long periods of time.
  •Training for muscle strength should include training
  with resistance that is closer to maximum ability with
  lower repetitions. This type of training is most appro-
  priate in the athletic off-season.
  •Training for muscle power involves coordinated
  movements that encourage speed, accuracy, and flu-
  ency. Power training is most appropriate in the athletic
  preseason and gradually progresses to the competitive
  season (in-season).


• Strength training in both the anterior and posterior mus-
  culature or training both agonist and antagonist muscle

groups is important in an effective strength-training pro-

gram. It may improve sport or activity specific perform-

ance and reduce the risk of injury (Wathen, 1994a).

• It is important to incorporate gradual warm-up,
  cooldown, and flexibility exercises into a strength
  training regimen to maintain muscle health and fitness,
  reduce the likelihood of injury or postexercise soreness
  and to improve athletic and weightlifting performance.


• Supervised and guided strength training programs
  yield greater strength gains than those who are unsu-
  pervised (Mazzetti et al, 2000). Recruiting assistance
  from exercise physiologists, certified strength and
  conditioning specialists(CSCS), certified personal
  trainers(CPT), or certified athletic trainers(ATC)
  may facilitate strength gains and improve overall out-
  comes and sport-specific preparedness.
  •Finally, athletes are encouraged to participate in
  weightlifting programs with at least one partner.
  Weightlifting partners can motivate each other, provide
  constructive feedback on technique and form and pro-
  vide spotting for heavy or potentially dangerous lifts. An
  athlete should never participate in weightlifting alone.

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