Types of training and training methods need to be understood well in order to select and design the appropriate training program for an athlete. Training is what athletes do in order to improve their performance. Training gains are also specific to the training. Training benefits are specific to the speed of movement, muscles used, types of contractions, intensity and duration of the training.

The basic rule of training is that the body makes specific improvements in response to the stress placed on it. If the stress is that the muscle runs out of glycogen stores then more glycogen is stored. If the stress is that the muscle could not lift the weight again, then hypertrophy (increase in muscle size) occurs to enable the muscle to lift the weight again. This is always the case and so it is important that an athlete uses training types and methods that are most closely related to their sport (specificity). 

The types of training include:

Aerobic training specifically targets the aerobic energy system and the cardiovascular system, which improves the delivery of oxygen to enhance its use. Aerobic training should be done at least 3 times a week at an intensity between 70% and 80% of their maximum heart rate and 30+mins in duration. Aerobic training is suited for all sports as it provides the base work for an athlete’s fitness. This is because it is the training that will specifically develop the cardiovascular system and because the delivery of oxygen is vital in the recovery of each energy system. There are specific sports that aerobic training is the best suited for and these include marathons, triathlons, long distance cycling such as the Tour de France, Iron Man events, cross-country skiing and Australian Rules Football. This type of training affects performance by increasing the delivery of oxygen to the muscles, improving removal of waste products for all energy systems and enhancing the muscles ability to use the aerobic energy system. These improvements allow the athlete to perform at higher workloads for longer, because they become a lower intensity for the trained athlete. This training will also improve the recovery time for the lactic acid energy system. There are various training methods that can be utilised in this training type which include: Fartlek, aerobic interval, circuit.

Continuous or uniform training is when the athlete performs the same activity at the same intensity for a specified duration of time, such as 30 min. Examples of this training method include going for a run at a set speed on a flat track or riding an exercise bike at a set intensity. The identifiable factor for this method is that the intensity and activity does not change. Continuous training is best suited for sports where the intensity does not change very much and the same activity is repeated throughout the competition. These include sports such as long distance rowing, marathon running, long distance swimming and long distance indoor cycling because it more closely replicates the sport (specificity).

Fartlek training is when the athlete participates in a singular activity with random varying intensities. This could be going for a run where the speed varies from a walk at 4 km/h to a sprint at 20km/h and then slows down to 10 km/h before going back up to 14 km/h. each intensity could go for the same length of time or vary. 

Alternatively, the intensity of the run could change by altering the incline or decline. The athlete could run at 12km/h the entire session, but change their incline from 20 to 80 and then down to 0. The changes in intensity must vary multiple times. Fartlek is best suited for sports that have frequent random changes in intensity. These include sports such as soccer, netball, Australian Rules Football, cross-country running, outdoor long distance cycling and grass hockey because it more closely replicates the sport (specificity).

Aerobic/Long Interval training involves a single activity with specified changes in intensity at specific times or lengths within the session. These changes will alternate between two set intensities and generally have a longer duration or length at the higher intensity than at the lower intensity. This method of training could be running 1500m at 80% and then jogging 400m at 40%. This would then be repeated a set number of times, which for this example could be 5 times. Another example might be to have the athlete ride an exercise bike for 6 min at 75%, then switch to 50% for 1 min repeated 6 times. Aerobic interval training is best suited for sports where there are extended periods of work, followed by a form of rest before further exertion is required. These include sports such as basketball, netball, Futsal and tennis because it more closely replicates the sport (specificity).

Circuit training is various activities that are normally done for a set time before moving on to the next activity. Intensity during circuit training can vary or stay the same. Circuit training can be used for multiple types of training. For the circuit to be aerobic, it needs focus on aerobic activities, NOT strength, flexibility, anaerobic systems or anything else. This might look like 5 min on a bike at 70%, swimming for 5 min at 75%, cross-trainer for 5 min at 80% and 5 min on a rower at 75%. Circuit training is best suited for sports which have multiple types of activity. These include sports such as triathlons, Iron Man, heptathlon and decathlon because it more closely replicates the sport (specificity).

Anaerobic training specifically develops the two anaerobic energy systems and often develops power, strength and speed in the process. More recent research also says that anaerobic training can improve the athlete’s aerobic endurance. Anaerobic training affects performance by increasing the rate at which the muscle deals with pyruvic acid and removes lactate from the muscle. This increases the lactate inflection point. Anaerobic training also improves the recovery rates of the anaerobic energy systems and has the potential to increase PC stores. Anaerobic training will speed up anaerobic glycolysis allowing for ATP to be produced at a faster rate than an untrained athlete. This affects performance by allowing the higher intensity activities to be performed for longer, improving recovery allowing for a repeat in this intensity to be performed quicker and for an extended duration and improvements in strength, power or speed allow for further and faster throws and kicks.

Short interval/Anaerobic training involves a single activity with specified changes in intensity at specific times or lengths within the session. The difference between this training and aerobic/long interval training is the length of time at the higher intensity is usually shorter than the time at the lower intensity, though the intervals can be the same. This could be 100m sprints followed by a 100m jog or a 2 minute sprint followed by a 1 minute walk. Short interval anaerobic training will usually be used to develop the glycolytic (lactic acid) energy system, but if the higher interval is shortened and the rest period prolonged the focus will shift to the ATP-PCr energy system. This could be an 8 sec sprint followed by a 60 sec rest. Athletes can observe which energy system is being targeted by looking at the duration of the energy system and the rate of recovery and comparing these to the intervals in the training session. Short interval anaerobic training is best suited for sports that require frequent high intensity bursts, with some rest periods in-between. These include sports such as netball, basketball, Futsal, Rugby League and boxing. Sprint Interval Training (SIT) and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are contemporary training methods that would fall into this category.

Other examples of anaerobic training methods include resistance training and plyometrics. Resistance training can be modified to improve power, strength or lactate removal rates. Plyometrics involves a stretching of the muscle followed by a rapid and more powerful contraction used to develop power. 

Contemporary methods of training

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves short intervals of high intensity anaerobic exercise followed by short recovery periods. Sessions are generally shorter than 30 minutes due to the high intensity efforts. 

HIIT is believed to positively influence glucose metabolism, allowing energy to be more readily available. This type of training is beneficial for sports such as mixed martial arts, netball, soccer and AFL. 

Sprint Interval Training (SIT) is a similar concept to HIIT and Tabata training. The key difference is that the work intervals are ‘all out’/supramaximal efforts and these are followed by longer recovery periods. 

Due to the maximal intensity of work periods, SIT sessions generally involve less overall volume of work than HIIT. Athletes who find benefits from sprint interval training include European Handball, Futsal and tennis. 

Strength training is any training that is done which will improve an athlete’s strength. This type of training affects performance by causing muscular hypertrophy, which is a growth in myocyte cross-sectional area. Strength training causes a large stress on the muscle being used, causing minor tears in the muscle. The body responds to these high intensities by increasing the size of the muscles to increase muscular strength so that the next time the intensity is encountered it can be lifted without causing as much damage. 

Strength training often involves sets (how many times an exercise is repeated), repetitions (how many times the set resistance is lifted), a set resistance (can be a set weight such as 20Kg or a set intensity such as 10 RM) and a rest period between sets. Strength training can be done using isometric or isotonic contractions, but isotonic contractions are more common. There are various methods within this type of training which include dumbbell weights, barbel weights, elastics and hydraulics. 

This training type is suited to many sports, but particularly for sports where muscular strength is one of the key components of fitness. These sports include CrossFit, martial arts, rugby, wrestling, American football and strong man/woman competitions. 

Weight training involves lifting a certain weight against gravity to train specific muscles or groups of muscles. This method of training can use both fixed weights and free weights. Free weights often involve lifting dumbbells, barbells and sometimes the weight plate itself. This method of training causes the body to not just develop the major muscles being used in the activity, but also develops the smaller muscles used to stabilise the movements. Fixed weights utilise machines to lift the weight and often have a pulley system. The advantage of this method is that it helps the athlete to learn the correct technique and to experience equal resistance throughout the full range of motion. Weight training is the dominant form of resistance training when large gains in strength are required or when a large resistance is desired. It is most suited to sports that require large amounts of strength or power. These sports include rugby union, shot-put, wrestling and Rugby League.

Elastic training uses various forms of elastic to provide the resistance to develop strength. The intensity of this type of training is limited and the resistance increases as the elastic is stretched. The benefit of this method is that it is highly portable making it useful in home gyms or for personal trainers. This method of strength training is often used in rehabilitation, especially of weaker muscles. This method of training is best suited for sports, which require use of the smaller muscles. These sports include snooker, darts and javelin. 

Hydraulic training uses machines, which use water or air compression to provide the resistance throughout the movement. This method of training increases the resistance the faster the movement is executed. So with slow movements the resistance is small, whereas with a quick movement the resistance is large. This method of training is good for sports that require fast movements through a resistance. These sports include Rugby League, swimming, boxing and other martial arts.

Flexibility training aims to increase a joint's range of motion (ROM). There is a difference between active and passive ROM, with active being the ROM produced by the athlete by contracting their muscles (straight leg lift) while passive ROM is the range produced using an external force (sit and reach). It is active ROM that affects performance, though passive ROM stretches can be used to increase active ROM. Flexibility training affects performance by allowing the athlete to use correct technique in skill execution and preventing injury. It allows the 100m runner to have enough active ROM in the hip flexors and hamstrings for full knee lift and hip extension required to achieve full stride length and optimise speed and power. Greater flexibility also reduces an athlete’s chance of injury. This is because increased ROM means the joint can move through a larger angle before a strain or sprain occurs. Immediate stretching during a warm-up does not prevent injury, it is the more sustained stretching program which could be done during every warm-up, which increases ROM and helps prevent injuries such as a strained hamstring. There are four general methods used to develop flexibility static, ballistic, PNF and dynamic stretching.

Static stretching is when a muscle is stretched to a length that is uncomfortable, not painful and held for a given length of time. The optimal time to hold the stretch is between 30 and 60 sec. This is the most common form of stretching and is most suited for sports where the muscle is stretched for prolonged periods of time. These sports include gymnastics, acrobatics and bodybuilding.

Ballistic stretching involves a bounce or swing. This type of stretch should only be performed by elite level athletes and after a proper warm up and stretch. This type of stretching has potential to cause injury. An example would be to swing the leg forward multiple times to get the toes to the hand. This method of flexibility training is most suited for sports that require bouncing or swinging movements. These sports include kicking in Australian Rules Football, dance, gymnastics and cheerleading.

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching involves a static stretch (30 sec), followed by a contraction of the stretched muscle until the stretch is no longer felt (usually around 5-10 sec), then a further lengthening of the muscle to hold another static stretch (10 sec). This method of training allows greater lengthening of the muscle by switching off the stretch reflex in the muscle and is often assisted with a partner or immovable object such as a wall. It is important that the second lengthened stretch is not taken too far, as this could result in injury. An example would be to put a leg up on a chair, stretch the hamstring for 30 sec, perform an isometric contraction by pushing the heel down against the chair until the uncomfortable nature of the stretch is diminished, then further lengthen the hamstring and hold the stretch for another 10 sec. This method of stretching is most suited to sports where the athlete’s joint may be forcefully taken beyond the active ROM. These sports include rugby, Australian Rules Football, ice-hockey and American Football.

Dynamic stretching is when an athlete performs movements that take their joints through their ROM to produce temporal stretches of selected muscles. These movements are continuous and the stretch is not held. This type of stretching simulates most closely the movements and stretching involved in the majority of sports and is often used during a warm up. An example would be a walking lunge, where the athlete performs a lunge movement that stretches the hip flexor and hamstring muscles as they move forward over 10 metres stretching both legs as they move. This method of training is most suited for most sports as it replicates movements used in performance. These sports include soccer, rugby union, martial arts and netball.