Adaptation to Training

Dr. Asok Kumar Ghosh

Professor, Sports Centre,
Universiti Malaya

asok BSc 2010 UM 1

 INTRODUCTION

• The Myth:
– A child used to lift a calf daily
– The calf became a cow
– The child became an adult
– The adult was able to lift the cow
• Reality:
– ADAPTATION TO DAILY TRAINING (principle of progression)
• It was Milo of Croton who, as a youngster carrying
a growing calf on his back, discovered that
exercise provoked desirable biological adaptation.

asok BSc 2010 UM 2

 DOSE-RESPONSE

• The biological adaptation or response

is plotted against dose (the stress of
physical activity).
• A specific system adaptation in
various systems/the physiological
adaptation of the children physiology
(the benefit).
• At some point of this increasing
adaptation (progression), some
undesirable biological adaptation
occurs (may be ‘burnout’ or
bingeing’).

CAHILL (1993)

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 Selye’s GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome)

• Hans Selye (1950):

– Stress to biological
symptoms promotes
adaptation.
– This may be desirable or
undesirable.
– There is a critical
relationship between
relief from stress
(rest/recovery) and the
stress itself.

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 Categories of Exercise Doses

• There are 4
categories:
– CONDI
TIONING
– TRAINING
– ATROPIC
– CATABOLIC
CAHILL (1993)

asok BSc 2010 UM 5

 CONDITIONING

• Each person is at same

level of biological
adaptation (point 1)
• If the physiological stress
remain constant, the
biological adaptation will
be maintained.
• The dose is to be
increased to increase the
level of biological
adaptation.

asok BSc 2010 UM 6

 TRAINING

• Always conducted at a
dose higher than
conditioning dose.
• At point 2, the exercise
dose increases and over
time a new higher level of
biological adaptation is
obtained (point 3).
• All training doses require
progression.

asok BSc 2010 UM 7

 ATROPHIC

• The atrophic dose is that

dose which will lower the
given level fitness.
• If for any reason (illness,
personal conflict) the
child decreases the
exercise dose (point 4), to
level below point 1, a
new lower level of fitness
will be reached (point 5).

asok BSc 2010 UM 8

 CATABOLIC

• At point 5, the child embarks

on a new training programme.
• He progresses to point 6, a
new higher level of biological
adaptation (above point 3).
• At some point of progression,
the child may reach the
catabolic dose (beyond point
6).
• The catabolic exercise may
destroy tissues for months,
faster than rest can rebuilt it,
before symptoms occur (point
7).

asok BSc 2010 UM 9

 Principle of Adaptation (S.A.I.D.)
• The S.A.I.D. principle states that whatever
physical activity we do will cause our bodies to
adapt in specific ways to that activity's
particular demands.

– S=Specific
A=Adaptation
I=Imposed
D=Demands

asok BSc 2010 UM 10

 SAID principle
• SAID refers to a principle long ago validated in the
exercise science community. This standard maintains
that the kind of demand placed upon the body will
control the training adaptation that will follow.
Activity-specific or sport-specific training also stems
from the SAID principle.
• A sound approach to such self-improvement should
focus upon determination of the training regimen to
meet the individual’s goals, and the optimization of
the individual training results.

asok BSc 2010 UM 11

 Phases of Adaptation
• immediate
adaptation
• basic
adaptation Effects of a single workout with optimum load

• long term
adaptation

Cumulative Effect of multiple training sessions

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What is Exercise Training?
The repeated use of exercise to improve physical fitness.

Adaptations to Exercise

Acute adaptations
The changes in human physiology that occur during
exercise or physical activity.

Chronic Adaptations
The alterations in the structure and functions of the body
that occur in response to the regular completion of
physical activity and exercise.

asok BSc 2010 UM 13

 PHYSICAL TRAINING
• Physical training is the process by
which exercise repeated during weeks
and months, induces morphological
and functional changes in the tissues
and systems.
• Mostly affected are the skeletal
muscles, heart muscles, blood vessels,
adipose tissues, bones, ligaments,
tendons and the central nervous and
endocrine systems.

asok BSc 2010 UM 14

 Order of Adaptations

• Local --»
• Central --»
• Local --»
• Central --»
• This process continues until demands cease to increase
or physiological limits have been reached. Both central
and local adaptations are critical to increased human
performance.

asok BSc 2010 UM 15

 Local Adaptations
• Cellular change --
structure, enzymes,
substrates, vascular,
nerve,
chemical/mechanical
efficiencies.
• Various parts of systems
can be viewed as either
a local or central
adaptation.
asok BSc 2010 UM
Central Adaptations
• Circulatory system,
• Q,
• Blood volume,
• Capillary, and other
central body systems
(e.g., endocrine &
nervous)
16
 Endurance Training Adaptations
• 1. Heart size will increase --» heart cavity and wall thickness of ventricle.
«» Extensive endurance work greater increase in heart cavity size (volume)
«» Extensive resistance work greater ventricle wall thickness with volume
relatively unchanged.
2. Blood Volume --» Plasma volume and total hemoglobin tend to increase.
Larger increases with heavy endurance work.
3. Heart rate --» decrease
4. Stroke Volume --» increase
5. Cardiac Output --» increase
6. Blood Flow & Distribution
«» For submaximal work levels possible decrease in Q.
«» For submaximal more blood available to important organs.
«» For maximal effort an increase in total blood to muscle by increase in Q
and shunting.

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 Local Adaptations (At the Muscle)

• 1. Oxygen Extraction --» Increased major

amount with endurance work. (Larger a-vO2
diff.)

2. Mitochondria --» Increased Number & Size

3. Vascularity --» Increased Capillary Density

(amount per volume)

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 Other Adaptations
• Body Composition --» decreased body fat, increase
in lean body mass
• Body Heat Transfer --» Exercise in high
temperatures more comfortable due to increase
blood volume and more responsive heat regulatory
mechanism.
• Temperature Regulation System
– Improved cutaneous blood flow
– Lowered threshold for sweating to occur
– More effective distribution of sweat over skin (more
evenly dispersed)
– Increased sweat output
– Decreased salt loss through sweating
asok BSc 2010 UM 19
 Training Adaptations
• The quality of muscle tissue can change after only
several workouts
• The type of exercise stimulus causes specific adaptations
• Genetic potential dictates the absolute magnitude of
training adaptation
• Smaller and smaller gains are observed as a person
reaches their genetic potential

asok BSc 2010 UM 20

 Training Adaptations
• With training, performance gains cause changes in
more than one physiological system
• The training of each system must be balanced with
the specific goals of the training program
• Adaptational responses are dynamic and are related
to an individuals age and stage of physical
development

asok BSc 2010 UM 21

Key Concepts of Physiological Adaptations

• Training for peak athletic performance

involves higher intensities, frequencies, and
volumes of training compared to training for
general health and fitness
• Each person responds differently
psychologically to the physical stress of
training

asok BSc 2010 UM 22

Anaerobic Training: Energy Systems

• Phosphagen system- 10 secs of max

intensity exercise
• Anaerobic glycolysis- 30 secs of high
intensity exercise
• Oxidative system- can contribute 40-45%
of energy after 20-30 secs of intense
activity

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 Methods and Modes of Anaerobic
Training
• Modes- sprinting, plyometrics, stair climbing,
wall climbing, resistance training, Olympic
weightlifting
• Methods- explosive training, speed training,
interval training various methods of resistance
training

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 Adaptations to Anaerobic Training:
Nervous System
• Motor unit firing rates
• Size principle- all muscle fiber types are
recruited in ballistic activities, causing
hypertrophy in all fibers
• Neuromuscular junction adaptations

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 Adaptations to Anaerobic Training:
Muscular System
• Hypertrophy- growth
• Hyperplasia- fiber splitting
• Fiber type changes- IIb to IIa occurs with
activation of IIb motor units
• Specific fiber size changes
• Unaltered mitochondrial density
• Strength increases

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 Interaction of Protocol, Neural, &
Muscular Factors
• Repetition continuum
• Optimal program does not exist for all athletes
• Proper progression, variation, periodization,
and individualization
• Heavier loads (3-5 rm max) are most effective
at hypertrophying all fiber types

asok BSc 2010 UM 27