Strength training is both an art and science built on multiple principles.
The goal of every program is progress or maintenance. Progress might be getting back into shape so you can keep up with your friends on a run. Maintenance could be keeping your fitness as you age.
Although all training shares those goals, there are a number of ways to try and achieve them. Principles are what you can use to evaluate the quality of different routines with common a goal.
Here are the most common 4 principles of strength training:
- SAID Principle
- Principle of Variation
- Progressive Overload
- Principle of Individuality
The SAID Principle stands for Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. You need to exercise in a specific way to get a specific training result.
- If you expect to get stronger, you need to lift weights heavy enough to spur your body to increase strength.
- If you expect to build endurance, you need to exercise in such a way that challenges your aerobic metabolism.
You can target energy systems, movements, or muscle groups but, you should be specific about what it is you want to get out of your training.
Principle of Variation
To avoid boredom and overuse injuries, training programs need variety.
Not to be confused with "muscle confusion"-marketing hype, variation is about making changes to keep up with progress.
Your body will adapt. The amount of variety you need will depend on what you're training for.
- If you're trying to master a skill, you might change exercises less frequently.
- If your goal is general fitness, you might change things more frequently.
Motivation is a factor in variety but exercises should not be changed, just because.
Athletes need to train in a specific way to excel in their sport. Runners have to run to get better at it. If you're not training for a sport, you have more degrees of freedom to change your routine.
(This is likely the most misunderstood of all the principles.)
Progressive overload is about changing your training program to keep up with the gains you're making.
You can't "do progressive overload", it's a result or a sign that you're doing something right.
The adaptations you get from your training allow you to show progress in various ways including lifting heavier, faster, or in less time.
Your training program should be aimed at meeting or exceeding the stimulus needed to increase your fitness.
For example:
- How much volume (sets and reps) and tension do you need to grow bigger glutes?
- How heavy do your weights need to be to make a neurological adaptation like increased strength or power?
- What sort of stress do you need to place yourself under to increase endurance?
You can get stronger without getting bigger by performing training that meets the stimulus needed for strength but not one that also causes you to grow.
Principle of Individuality
Any strength training program that you undertake needs to consider your needs as an individual.
You and a friend can undertake the same training program and get vastly different results.
Things that can influence the design of your program include:
- The sport or activities you want to participate in - What does it take to perform well in those activities? Speed? Strength? Endurance?
- Primary Resistance Training Goal - What do you need to improve the most to get better at those activities?
- Biological and Chronological Age - How old are you?
- Training Age - How experienced are you at performing exercises?
- Training History - What were you doing before the training we're about to do? Is this your off-season? Have you been chilling?
- Health Status - Are there any medical reasons that your training might be altered?
- Injury History - Have you been injured before? Is there anything that currently affects the way you move?
- Stress Levels - How stressful is your daily life? Job? School semester?
- Recovery Rate - How long does it take you to recover from your workouts?
- Time -How often and how long can you exercise?
- Equipment - What do you have access to?
Adjust your routine depending on how you respond to it.
What are The 6 Methods of Training?
There are countless methods that you can use in a program. To say that there are 6 is an understatement.
Some of the most popular methods include:
- Linear Periodization (adding weight each week)
- 5/3/1 (Jim Wendler)
- The Tier System (Joe Kenn)
- Velocity-Based Strength Training
- APRE or Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise
- High-Intensity Training or HIT
- Conjugate
- Bulgarian
- 5x5
- 3x10
The methods that you use to carry out the four principles of training are an area for creativity and exploration. Many athletes have experienced success using all of these methods, even progressing from one to another.
If you would like to see examples of loading methods, give these three articles a read:
- Dr. Bryan Mann, Ph.D., CSCS, RSCC*D, wrote a great article on three training methods that he's used in his career noting that every method is useful.
- Ashley Jones, MSc, CSCS, RSCC*E, and NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year for 2016, wrote an article for EliteFTS.com on 23 different methods for effective set and rep schemes.
- Dr. Mike Zourdos, Ph.D., CSCS, professor, and researcher at Florida Atlantic University wrote an article on his thought process behind choosing between three load progression strategies found here.