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Principles

15 topics

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Principles15 topics

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◆ All 15 topics

15 topics

Principle of Arrangement of ExercisesExercise the larger muscle groups before the smaller ones, because small muscles fatigue first and would otherwise limit the overload on the large ones.

Full Range of Motion Principle ("ROM Is Not How Far the Weight Moves")Strength develops over the range a joint actually travels — train through the full safe ROM, and remember ROM is the joint's movement, not how far the weight moves.

Principle of Individuality (Individual Differences)Genetics, starting fitness, and other personal factors mean people adapt to the same program at different rates — programs must be matched to the individual.

Voluntary Maximal Muscular ContractionVoluntary maximal contractions are the most effective stimulus for strength, and sets to failure / RM loads are the practical way to guarantee one happens.

Momentum in Resistance TrainingMomentum lets you move heavier loads but it steals stimulus from the target muscle and raises joint injury risk, so it should play only a minor role in weight training.

Principle of Movement Speed (Slow Controlled Training)Lift slowly and under control (~60°/sec, ~2s per phase, eccentric at least as long) — fast/momentum-driven training is more dangerous and less effective.

Principle of Muscle BalanceTrain all major muscle groups — and both sides of every joint — because a disproportionately strong muscle predisposes its weaker antagonist to injury.

Principle of Progression (Progressive Resistance)Progressive resistance is the single most important strength principle — raise the load gradually (about 5% at a time) once you can hit the top of your rep range.

Principle of Progressive OverloadTo get stronger, a muscle must work against a resistance greater than it is normally accustomed to — and as the body adapts, the load must keep rising.

Principle of Rebuilding Time (Recovery)A stressed muscle needs time to recover and adapt to a higher level — too little rest causes chronic fatigue and strength loss, too much lets gains fade.

Resistance-Training Myths and Their SourcesMany resistance-training mistakes and myths are propagated by tradition, hearsay, personal bias, and magazines rather than evidence — recent research should override them.

Principle of Disuse (Reversibility / "Use It or Lose It")"Use it or lose it" — the benefits of training are reversible, so strength gained is lost when training stops.

Principle of Specificity (SAID)Training adaptations are specific to how you train — match the muscles, movements, and posture of the target activity to get carryover.

Sports Associated with Resistance Training (Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding)Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding are the three competitive activities built on resistance training, each with a distinct goal and its own two-or-three defining lifts — and their programs are not interchangeable with each other or with general training.

Principle of Variation of TrainingVarying the stimulus — load, volume, exercise, even contraction type — is the key driver of adaptation; holding variables fixed causes plateaus.