A strength-training program, as the name implies, often results in increases in strength (increase the amount of weight that a person can lift in good form in a particular lift) and muscular endurance (increase the number of times a given weight can be lifted in good form in a particular lift). Increased muscular strength and endurance literally redefine what each individual classifies as a stressor.

Elements of a Strength Training Program

Hypertrophy
Synonymous with most people's perceptions 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. 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. Interestingly, it does not appear to lead to a significant increase in muscle hypertrophy.

Explosive Power
Rarely is an athlete required to produce a singular maximal effort in their sport. With the exception of power lifting, most sports require movements that are much more rapid and demand a higher power output than is generated during maximal lifts. 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 to 20 repetitions, for example, does not condition the neuromuscular system in the same way as a long-distance event does.

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, while minimizing the risk of overtraining.

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.

Designing Weight Training Programs

The length of basic strength weight-training programs depends on the experience of the athlete and also on the importance of strength to their particular sport. Inexperienced athletes should follow a program such as the samples below for 8 to 10 weeks. This helps to ensure their bodies are fully prepared for more intense training.

Experienced athletes require only 3 to 5 weeks of basic strength training, and any longer may lead to an undesirable detraining effect. However, as short as this phase may be it should not be skipped for the reasons outlined above.

Weight-training programs for basic strength should be, completed in the early part of the preparatory phase, often called early preseason. However, for athletes with little or no strength-training experience, this basic strength phase may need to start in the off-season or transition period.

Because basic strength training should work most major muscle groups, a circuit training format is ideal. It alternates between muscle groups, allowing a quicker recovery and a greater number of exercises to be completed. Circuit training does not have to incorporate an aerobic or cardiovascular element. It simply refers to the organization of exercises, and in fact, for our purposes, a circuit training program should consist only of resistance exercises.

A wide range of equipment can be used for these circuit-style weight training programs, including body-weight resistance bands, medicine balls, dumbbells, and barbells.

Exercises should be set up so that a muscle group is not worked on for two consecutive exercises. A simple format to follow is to alternate between the upper body and lower body or total body/upper body/lower body/core exercise, for example.

Inexperienced lifters should start with body-weight exercises and progress to free weights. If free weights are used, the resistances should start off low to moderate and gradually progress towards the end of the program.

Most athletes will move on to one of the maximal strength-training programs following this basic strength phase. It's important that there isn't too big a jump in resistance from the end of basic strength training to the start of maximal strength training.

Types of Resistance Training

Free weights: The advantages include their flexibility (many different exercises for many different muscle groups can be performed with a simple pair of dumbbells), and they are relatively inexpensive. A disadvantage of free weights is that their improper use is more associated with injury than many other modes of strength training. If not used properly, weights can slide off bars in the middle of an exercise, and bars or weights can be dropped. However, a little common sense and correct usage of locks and collars make free weights quite safe.

Machines: Strength-training machines come in an almost infinite variety. Machines are safe (they greatly limit the chance of injury to the user, assuming that it is properly maintained). They're easy to use, and adjustments can be made quickly to fit the user. There are no bars to load and unload. Instead, usually a pin is simply placed into the desired location in a weight stack. Space and cost requirements are to be considered.

Bands/tubes: Resistance bands and tubes are a safe and nonintimidating alternative for strength training. They nearly eliminate the chance of injury and are highly portable, flexible, and inexpensive. However, stronger people find it difficult to get a good strength-training stimulus in larger, stronger muscle groups (specifically in their legs, chest, and back). In addition, bands and tubing typically come in relatively few resistance ranges (typically 3 to 5).

Resistance bands and tubing are often used in therapy and rehabilitation settings. Their safety and light resistance make them ideal for such situations. Because they are light in weight and portable, they are ideal for the busy traveler who wants to continue some strength training while on the road.

Body-weight movements: Sometimes called calisthenics, these movements have been performed for many years by many people. Push-ups, pull-ups, knee-bends, and sit-ups are examples. No expensive equipment is required, and all except pull-ups can be performed anywhere. The major drawback with these kinds of exercises, however, is that the load is quite fixed. The load is your body weight. That means that the only way to alter the intensity of the workout is to modify the number of repetitions performed (more push-ups, for example) or the amount of time between sets.

Designing an ideal strength-training program for athletic patients can be a complex process. Yet resistance training is only one component of an athlete's overall training regimen, which can also include endurance training, speed training, flexibility training, and skill/tactical work. Taking the time to create an effective strength-training program will get patients started on the right track to achieve their results.

Kim Daly, PT, specializes in sports physical therapy and has worked in various rehabilitation and fitness environments for more than 10 years. She can be reached at .