Chapter 1
Introduction to Strength
Training and Conditioning
Copyright © 2012 American College of Sports Medicine
Modalities of Strength Training and
Conditioning (S&C)
• Resistance (Weight) Training (RT)
• Plyometrics
• Sprint/Agility Training
• Flexibility Exercises
• Aerobic Training
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Health- and Skill-Related Components of
Fitness Enhanced by S&C
• Strength
• Power
• Speed
• Jumping Ability
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Brief History of S&C: Early Origins
• 2500 BC: art of strength contests on tomb walls in Egypt
• 1800 BC: weight-throwing contests in Ireland
• 1122-255 BC: strength tests in military in China
• 6 th century BC: rigorous military training in Greece
– Spartan boys sent to military school at 6-7 years of age
– Gymnastics, run, jump, javelin, discus, swim, & hunt
– Olympic games
– Greek strongman “Milo of Crotona”
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Brief History of S&C: Science & Medicine
• 129-199 AD: Greek physician Galen
– Recommended RT
– Promoted use of handheld weights
– Worked with gladiators
• Renaissance
– French writer Montaigne described benefits of RT
– Camerarius (1544): wrote on RT health & performance benefit
– Vesalius (1514-1564): wrote book on A&P
– Albinus (1697-1770): wrote book on A&P
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Brief History of S&C: 19 th Century
• S&C gained in popularity
• Physical educators brought ideas to U.S. from Europe
• Rigorous training programs established in:
– Gymnastics, manual RT, calisthenics, flexibility exercises, games/sports, dance
• Use of ropes, medicine balls, dumbbells, clubs
• Dudley Sargent (1849-1924): invented exercise machines & developed assessments of muscle strength
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Dudley Sargent
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Brief History of S&C: 19 th Century (cont’d)
• Era of the Strongmen (mid-1800s to early 1900s)
– George Barker Windship: “health lift”
– Louis Cyr (1863-1912): 4,337-lb back lift & horse pull
– Louis Uni (1862-1928): juggled 20-kg weights
– Ludwig Durlacher (1844-1924): invented Roman Chair
– George Hackenschmidt (1877-1968): wrestling champion
– Henry “Milo” Steinborn (1894-1989): developed barbell
– Sigmund Klein (1902-1987): wrote articles on weight training
– Thomas Inch (1881-1963): “Britain’s Strongest Youth”
– Eugen Sandow (1867-1925): model for Mr. Olympia trophy
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Louis Cyr
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George Hackenschmidt
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Eugen Sandow
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Brief History of S&C: 20 th Century
• RT myths & misconceptions escalated
• Strongmen marketed alternative RT equipment
– Angelo Sicliano (1892-1972)
• aka Charles Atlas
• Developed training philosophy: “Dynamic Tension”
– 1899: first issue of Physical Culture magazine
– 1902: Strength Magazine published
– 1894-1946: publication of many weight training books
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Charles Atlas
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Brief History of S&C: Competitive Lifting
Sports
• Weightlifting
– 1891: First weightlifting championship
– 1896: Weightlifting first entered Olympics
– Bob Hoffman (1898-1895): “Father of American Weightlifting”
• Bodybuilding
– Begun in early 1900s
– Mr. America competitions in 1930s & 1940s
– Joe Weider: legendary bodybuilder
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Bob Hoffman
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Naim Suleymanoglu
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Joe Weider
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Brief History of S&C: Competitive Lifting
Sports (cont’d)
• Powerlifting
– Evolved in late 1950s
– Composed of squat, bench press, & deadlift
– First championships in 1964 in York, PA
– International Powerlifting Federation formed in 1972
– Powerlifting USA magazine published in 1980s
• Strength Competitions
– 1977: World’s Strongest Man competition begun
– Involves athletes from multiple sports
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Brief History of S&C: Strength &
Conditioning Today
• RT Recommended for Virtually Everyone
• Shown to Enhance:
– Health
– Well-being
– Performance in clinical, fitness, & athletic populations
• Increase in Scientific Study of RT since 1970s
• Adopted by ACSM
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Why Do Individuals Resistance Train?
• General fitness & recreation
• Strength training
• Power training
• Muscular endurance training
• Muscle hypertrophy
• Rehabilitation & prehabilitation
• Competitive lifting sports
• Athletics
• Maintenance training
• Physiological adaptations
• Integration training
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Health Benefits of RT
• ↓ risk factors for disease
• ↓ percent body fat
• ↑ dynamic, isometric, & isokinetic muscle strength
• ↑ muscle hypertrophy
• ↑ muscular endurance
• ↑ basal metabolic rate
• ↓ blood pressure
• ↓ blood lipids, LDL cholesterol
• ↓ resting heart rate
• ↓ cardiovascular demand to exercise
• ↑ bone mineral density
• ↑ glucose tolerance & insulin sensitivity
• ↓ age-related muscle atrophy
• ↓ risk of colon cancer & osteoporosis
• ↑ V
O
2max
• ↑ flexibility
• ↓ risk/symptoms low back pain
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Performance Benefits of RT
• ↑ muscle power
• ↑ balance & coordination
• ↑ speed
• ↑ capacity to perform activities of daily living
• ↑ vertical jump ability
• ↑ throwing velocity
• ↑ kicking performance
• ↑ running economy
• ↑ baseball bat swinging velocity
• ↑ tennis serve velocity
• ↑ wrestling performance
• ↑ cycling power & performance
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Fitness Components
• Health-Related Fitness Components
– Muscular strength
– Muscular endurance
– Cardiovascular endurance
– Flexibility
– Body composition
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Fitness Components (cont’d)
• Skill-Related Fitness Components
– Power
– Speed
– Agility
– Balance & coordination
– Reaction time
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Keys to Success: The RT Program
• Muscle Action
– Eccentric
– Concentric
– Isometric
• Repetition
• Set
• Volume
• Intensity
• Frequency
• Exercise Selection
• Exercise Order
• Rest Periods or Intervals
• Repetition Velocity
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Competitive Forms of RT
• Bodybuilding
– Physique contest judged subjectively by panel
– RT is essential component of training
– Presentation of physique is critical
– Compulsory poses
– Choreographed posing routine
– Training aimed at hypertrophy, symmetry, shape, & definition
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A Bodybuilder
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Competitive Forms of RT (cont’d)
• Weightlifting
– Only lifting sport in Olympics
– Competition on amount of weight lifted relative to weight class
– Two competitive lifts:
• The snatch
• The clean & jerk
– Requires total body coordination, power, & speed
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A Weightlifter
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Competitive Forms of RT (cont’d)
• Powerlifting
– Maximal performance of three competition lifts:
• Squat
• Bench press
• Deadlift
– Placing is based on maximum lifting performance over 3 trials
– Weight classes
– Specialized equipment: bench press shirts, squat suits, erector shirts, wraps
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A Powerlifter
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Competitive Forms of RT (cont’d)
• Strength Competitions
– Involve:
• Max dynamic & ISOM strength
• Grip strength/endurance
• Power
• Strength endurance
• Pain tolerance
• Determination
– Common events:
• Farmer’s walk
• Tire flipping
• Various loading
• Medleys
• Barrel loading
• Various deadlifts
• Car walk
• Duck walk
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A Strength Competitor
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The S&C Profession
• Education and Proficiencies
– Scholarly study
• BS or BA degree in an exercise-related field
• Master’s required in higher-level jobs
– Personal experience
• Playing sports
• Training
• Observations of other athletes & coaches
– Professional practice
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The S&C Profession (cont’d)
• Memberships and Certifications: Benefits
– Access to educational resources
– Dissemination of current knowledge
– Networking
– Career resources & job advertisements
– Conferences & seminars
– Certification information
– Scholarships & grants
– Merchandise
– Liability insurance
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The S&C Profession (cont’d)
• Memberships and Certifications: Organizations
– National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA)
– American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
– Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa)
– USA Weightlifting
– International Sport Sciences Association (ISSA)
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The S&C Profession (cont’d)
• Duties, Roles, and Responsibilities
– Assess, motivate, educate, & train athletes to improve sport performance
– Conduct sport-specific testing sessions
– Design & implement safe & effective S&C programs
– Provide guidance for athletes in nutrition & injury prevention
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