Principles & Circuit Training

Physical Education: AQA GCSE, topic 4.1.1

The Principles of Training

The main principles of training are as follows:

Specificity is the training that should match the specific needs of the performer.
A marathon runner should make sure that they specifically train their cardiovascular endurance (aerobic training). It would be a waste of time to carry out a weight training programme (anaerobic plan).

Progression means making training gradually more difficult to let the body adapt.
For instance, a weightlifter could increase the weight they are lifting by a small amount each week (2.5kg) and not by large amounts (10kg) to see improvements
If training is not progressive (developing) and a performer overloads their sessions too quickly, they could become injured.

The principle of reversibility says that if a person stops or decreases their training, their fitness level is likely to drop.
Strength and cardiovascular endurance (ability to keep going) will be lost very quickly if a performer stops training.
If a shot putter stopped training, they would lose power as they are not keeping up fitness.

Circuit training is a changeable method of training that can meet the needs of many different parts of fitness.

In circuit training, a performer works at lots of different stations. The performer would do a different activity at each station.
A performer should think about:
The space and equipment that they have.
The parts of fitness that they need to improve.
The work:rest ratio (how long you want to work for and how long you want the rest periods to be).

For example, a trainer can change a circuit training session to meet the demands of a rugby player by focusing on speed, power and strength.

You can change the circuit to match the ability, age or fitness level of the performer (e.g. by including more difficult or simple exercises).
You can focus on different things with different circuits. For example, you can change a circuit to focus on muscular endurance by including exercises that repeat muscular actions over and over again.
Progressive overload is easy to include because it can be as simple as changing the work:rest ratio (balances amount of work done and amount of rest taken).

You need a spacious (roomy) area to set up lots of different circuit stations.
You may need specialist equipment to make different types of circuit suitable.
At the start, it’s difficult for the performer to have an appropriate work:rest ratio.

Which of the following definitions matches the training principle of specificity?
Which of these is not a characteristic of the performer that should affect circuit design?