PROGRAM

DESIGN
S P O R T S P E R F O R M A N C E

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Copyright 2020, Elite Performance Institute Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication Date: September 2020

Country of Publication: Ireland
Author: Karl Gilligan, CEO of Elite Performance Institute Ltd

This work is the exclusive copyright property of Elite Performance

Institute Ltd, protected under the laws of Rep of Ireland, and
internationally under the Berne Convention.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS
Overview 1

Principles of Training 2

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) 4

Coaching Philosophy vs Training Philosophy 5

Needs Analysis 9

Training Frequency 10

Exercise Selection 11

Exercise Order 15

Volume 17

Intensity 19

Rest Periods 21

Max Strength 22

Max Power 23

Functional Hypertrophy 24

References 25

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Overview

An athlete can be viewed as an adaptive organism that requires specific athletic

attributes to excel in sport. The role of the strength & conditioning coach is to identify
which specific attributes the athlete needs, and know how to develop them in
structured manner. As a S&C Coach, you don't have to be Usain Bolt to coach sprinting
or Dmitry Klokov to coach weightlifting, but by performing sprinting and weightlifting in
your own training will enhance your coaching ability. Why do we often see a soccer
manager being a former player, or a tennis coach being a former player? If it was so
easy to become a strength & conditioning coach without training correctly, then anyone
could become a good coach. This is why EPI like our coaches to be "doers" not just
"talkers"!

We like to use the "chef" metaphor when referring to a strength & conditioning coach. If
you want to be a good chef, you need to understand each of the ingredients in the dish
you are about to cook. Then you need to have a recipe for the dish and when each of
the ingredients should be added. Finally, it's important to have plenty of practice
cooking the dish so you can understand the relationship between each of the
ingredients and how the dish should taste.

Just like an inexperienced chef in the kitchen, we can see an inexperienced coach make
some basic errors with their program design. For example, they may apply too much
volume in the session so their "dosage" of training stress is wrong leaving the athlete
with heavy DOMS for the next 3-4 days. They may not have high enough intensity in the
session resulting in a lack of strength development, or simply they have chosen the
wrong exercises to develop a specific strength quality.

Effective training programs involve the coordination of many variables in a systematic

fashion that enables the body to adapt and perform in a progressive manner. BUT they
don't have a complicated. The best programs are often the ones which #KEEPITSIMPLE.
Having a basic understanding of the physiological responses to various training stimuli
is essential in order for the coach to be able to coordinate the various training aspects
successfully. This manual will focus on resistance training program design and is
intended to provide the coach with the fundamentals of effective program design.

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Principles of Training

There are many training principles that a strength & conditioning coach should be
aware of when designing their training program. Three of the most important principles
include:
Specificity
Overload
Progression

Specificity: Specificity refers to aspects such as the movement pattern, the muscles
involved and the nature of the muscle action (e.g., magnitude of force production,
speed of force production), but does not always reflect the combination of all of these
aspects. Importantly, it does not mean that all aspects of the training must mimic that of
the sporting skill. Too often coaches get over focused on making everything "specific" by
trying to replicate the exact movements of the game. For example, a back squat is a
very general exercise but is still relevant for sprinting speed. Although it does not
replicate the action of sprinting from an outward appearance, it will facilitate the athlete
by enhancing the magnitude of their force expression. This is an important
consideration for an athlete who needs to run faster.

Specificity also relates to the athlete’s sport season. As an athlete progresses from the
pre-season into in-season, training should gradually progress in an organized manner
from general to sport specific. Although participation in the sport itself (eg Soccer game)
provides the greatest opportunity to improve performance in the sport, proper
application of the specificity principle will increases the likelihood that the Strength &
Conditioning program will also positively contribute to performance.

Overload: Overload refers to increasing the intensity of the session greater than what
the athlete is accustomed to. The overload principle is important consideration, because
without it the athlete will struggle to make improvements across the various
components of fitness. One simple way to apply the overload principle in the strength
program is by increasing the loads of the the exercises. When developing power,
overload may be applied with increased load or faster speed of execution of the lift.
Other more subtle changes include increasing the number of sessions per week (or per
day in some instances), adding exercises or sets, emphasizing complex over simple
exercises, decreasing the length of the rest periods between sets and exercises, or any
combination of these or other changes. The intent is to stress the body at a higher level
than it is used to. When the overload principle is properly applied, overtraining is
avoided and the desired training adaptation will occur.

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Progression: Progression is a training principle which is interlinked with the overload

principle. Without overload we don't get progression in the program, which will then
limit improvements in athletic performance. Like overload, progression can be applied
by increasing the load and/or speed of execution of the exercise. The S&C Coach may
also choose to progressively increase training intensity by raising the number of weekly
training sessions, adding more exercises to the session, changing the type or technical
requirements of the exercises, or otherwise increasing the training stimulus.
 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Adaptation is another important training principle, but given it's significance to coaching
athletes it deserves a section on it's own. As coaches, everything we want to do is elicit
adaptations whether it's increased strength, speed and fitness or faster rates of
recovery. Our goal remains the same...how can I make my athlete better!

The principle of adaptation was first poffered by Hans Selye (1956), a medical doctor
and researcher, and was called the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). The GAS
consists of three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion (Bompa & Haff, 2009). The
athlete begins with a level of fitness being called “homeostasis”. The alarm phase occurs
when the athlete is presented with a training stress to elicit fatigue. Stress is defined as
anything that causes an organism, or in this case an athlete, to react (Selye, 1956). The
alarm stage is distinguished by markers of fatigue, reduced performance abilities, and
decreased physical capacities. The resistance phase occurs when the body temporarily
adapts to the applied stressor and is able to cope physically with the demands. The
resistance phase indicates that the athlete has achieved a level of adaptation that is
actually greater or better than his/her previous homeostasis level. Finally, if the stressor
is too great to continue to resist, the stimulation increases, or the athlete is not allowed
to rest, then the body slips into the exhaustion phase. During the exhaustion phase,
symptoms of the alarm phase return but the magnitude is greater and the fatigue much
more profound. Figure 1 below shows the three stages of Selye’s stress adaptation
model and demonstrates how performance is affected in each of the three phases.

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Coaching Philosophy vs Training Philosophy

EPI recommend to all our coaches about the importance of establishing a "philosohpy"
around their strength and conditioning coaching. One of the reasons for this is because
it is common practice in a strength and conditioning coaching job interview to inquire
not only about the coach’s experience and academic background, but also about their
“philosophy". In addition, by having a clear and concise philosophy the strength &
conditioning coach has a point of focus which is supported by strong rationales why
they are implementing their coaching in a specific way.

Unfortunately, most strength and conditioning coaches have little to no formal training
in philosophical thinking and thus, confusion exists as to what a philosophy really
means. Compounding the matter is the confusion surrounding the definition and
function of a coaching philosophy compared to a training philosophy. Greater
conceptual clarity is needed to help coaches ask and answer questions about their
coaching and training philosophy, as the two terms are often used interchangeably
without clear understanding of their meaning. Therefore, the purpose of this section is
to provide clarity on the types of philosophies found in strength and conditioning, the
differences between coaching and training philosophy, and how your philosophy
shapes your approach to program design.

Philosophy can be defined as a way of thinking about the universe and the interactions
of all that happens within it (Cushion & Partington, 2014). The simplest way to separate
coaching philosophy vs training philosophy is to conceptualize coaching philosophy as
the “why,” and training philosophy as the “how” (Gearity, 2010). The “why” in training
typically comes from the coach’s previous experience, knowledge, and beliefs that could
be from education as well as influences such as previous work situations and mentors
they have had. The “how” refers to the methods which Gearity referred to as a system,
method, theory, or aim of training and is the specific day-to-day action that happens in
the weight room. Coaches have demonstrated that their own beliefs and values have a
significant influence on the actions they take with their athletes (Mullem & Brunner,
2003). Beliefs and values should change over time as practical experience and
implementing new methods provides feedback to the coach of the effectiveness (or lack
of effectiveness) in training. A coaching philosophy can be thought of as a set of values,
attitudes, and beliefs that guide a strength and conditioning coach’s daily practice,
whereas a training philosophy should be a system which is based on principles (Cushion
& Partington, 2014).

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

COACHING PHILOSOPHY TRAINING PHILOSOPHY

(THE WHY) (THE HOW)

Values System of Training

Beliefs Method of Training

Previous Experience Aim of Training

Personal Preferences Belief Toward Training

The EPI philosophy is based around our four main pillars:

1. Movement
2. Strength
3. Energy System Development (ESD)
4. Recovery

Movement: Every athlete needs to move to perform a sports skill. Based on the sport, it
could involve just a few movements e.g. sprint, jump and land in long jump versus
multiple movements happening in an unregulated fashion such as Soccer or Tennis. The
role of the S&C coach is to recognize these movement patterns with a a focus on
developing these movements over time. With a novice athlete entering the weights
room, their physical literacy of weights room movement patterns e.g. squat, deadlift,
push, pull, etc may be limited. The role of the S&C coach is to therefore teach these
movements first, so the athlete can perfect the movement before considering adding
any load onto the movements. Body weight movements, or movements with just a
barbell, stick, plate or kettlebell are a good starting point for novice athletes.

Strength: Once the athlete has mastered some primary movements in the weight room
eg squat, deadlift, push, pull, etc the program can be progressed to focusing on strength
development. In sport, every movement requires force production therefore if an
athlete is to move well on the pitch/court/track it is a combination of skill and strength.
Without the necessary strength levels, athletic performance will be limited. As coaches,
we need a "road map" as to where the strength program is going. Without this road
map, the program will often be poorly prescribed and random in nature. Remember a
random program will lead to random results!! EPI utilize the force-velocity (FV) curve for
our road map, with a central focus on developing all aspects of the curve. Which aspect
of the curve we focus on more will be based on the demands of the sport and the
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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

individual needs of the athlete.

Energy System Development (ESD): Just as every movement requires force

production, this movement and force production has to be performed repeatedly in a
game situation. In order for that to happen, the body needs a steady supply of energy
to given the muscles energy for muscular contractions. Pending on the supply of energy
available, the athlete can maintain the required level of performance or they may begin
top fatigue. The role of the S&C coach is to therefore develop these energy systems in
an appropriate manner. EPI have created an energy system curve which provides you
with a road map for your training of the energy systems.

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Recovery: Regardless of whether the athlete has performed a strength, speed or fitness
session they have received a training stress. As S&C coaches, we are looking to elicit
positive adaptations from these training sessions. To facilitate this process, we should
consider to implement recovery methods into the training program. Some simple
strategies include getting good sleep, eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated. Once
the fundamentals have been established, additional recovery methods can be
introduced into the program. Some of these include:
Active Recovery
Hydrotherapy (hot / cold water immersion)
Compression Therapy (Normatec compression garment)
Oxygen Therapy (hyperbaric chamber)
Cryotherapy
Heat Therapy (infra-red sauna)
 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Needs Analysis

The first task in a needs analysis is to determine the unique characteristics of the sport,
which includes the general physiological and biomechanical profile, common injury
sites, and any position-specific attributes. EPI like to devise our needs analysis focusing
on 3 of our 4 pillars which form our philosophy:
1. Movement
2. Strength
3. Energy System
4. Injury

First thing is to identify the the key movement patterns involved in the the sport eg
linear vs multi-directional or a combination of both. Next is to look at the key strength
quality(s) which is important in the sport. The FV curve is an excellent reference point
for this.Next we need to look at what is the pre-dominant energy system which fuels the
athlete in the sport. The energy system curve is an excellent reference point for this.
Finally, the S&C Coach should identify the common injuries consistent with sport and
the individual athlete(s) you are working with. All of this information is important as it
shapes the landscape before progressing forward with the program design.

Sport Profile Athlete Profile Training Goals

Training Plan Program Design Monitoring

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Training Frequency

Training frequency refers to the number of training sessions completed in a given time
period, e.g. training week. When determining training frequency, the strength and
conditioning coach should consider the athlete’s training status, goals of the program,
time of season, club/team/individual sports training, volume and intensity, types of
exercises, and recovery periods in the training week.

Two to three days per week is an effective training frequency for untrained individuals
(Ratamess, 2012). Frequency varies considerably for elite level athletes. Advanced
strength athletes have benefited from frequencies of 4 to 5 days per week
(Hoffman et al., 1990), and some elite strength and power athletes train at higher
frequencies (more than once per day) (Ratamess, 2012).

Another influence on resistance training frequency is when the competition period

begins i.e. in-season training. During in-season, the increased emphasis on practicing
the sport skill necessitates a decrease in the time spent in the weight room and,
consequently, reduces the frequency of resistance training. In addition, players may be
playing each week which places a greater emphasis on recovery from one game before
preparation for the next. So, even though a well-trained athlete may be capable of
completing three or more resistance training sessions per week, the in-season demands
may not permit this.

Athletes who train with maximal or near-maximal loads require more recovery time
before their next training session (Fleck & Kraemer, 2014). The use of extremely heavy
loads, especially when heavy eccentric training is performed, may require 72 h of
recovery whereas large and moderate loads may require less recovery time.The ability
to train more frequently may be enhanced by alternating heavier and lighter training
days (Fleck & Kraemer, 2014). There is also evidence that upper body muscles can
recover more quickly from heavy loading sessions than lower body muscles (Hoffman et
al., 1990). This might explain why we typically see a competitive powerlifter only
perform x1 heavy squat/deadlift training session per week. The same is true regarding
an athlete’s ability to recover faster from single-joint exercises compared to multi-joint
exercises (Staron et al., 1989).

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Exercise Selection

Exercise selection involves choosing exercises for a resistance training program. To

make informed exercise selections, the strength and conditioning coach must
understand the different methods of training eg powerlifting versus weightlifting and
when to utilize these in the program. They should also consider the movement and
muscular requirements of the sport, the athlete’s exercise technique experience, the
equipment available, and the amount of training time available.

Although there are literally hundreds of resistance training exercises to select from
when one is designing a program, EPI like to simply the process by relating it back to our
strength training "road map" ie the force-velocity curve. Specifically, what is the goal of
the strength program and which strength(s) qualities are we trying to develop on the FV
curve. By focussing on FV curve, we have a clear idea of what we are trying to achieve
with each program and therefore what exercises we can select to elicit the desired
strength adaptations. Once we have priortised the area on the FV curve we want to
develop, we must then choose the appropriate training method followed by the best
exercises which form part of that training method. For example, let's assume a coach
wants to develop max strength for their athlete. The appropriate training method is
Powerlifting, which would mean that Bench Press and Squat are optimal exercises for
upper and lower body respectively.

Table 1 & 2 below identifies the various strength qualities with appropriate exercises,
intensities and rep ranges for the lower and upper body.

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Table 1:

Strength Quality Exercise Intensity Rep Range

Back Squat 85%+ 1-5

1/4 Squat
Full Depth
Box Squat

Max Deadlift 85%+ 1-5

Strength Hexbar
Barbell

Front Squat 85%+ 1-5

RDL 85%+ 1-5

Squat Clean 90%+ 1-3

Squat Snatch 90%+ 1-3

Explosive
Strength Clean Pull 90%+ 1-3
(Strength-Speed)
Snatch Pull 90%+ 1-3

Load Squat Jumps 40-50% 3-4

Power Clean 70-80% 1-4

Power Snatch 70-80% 1-4

Explosive
Strength Hang Clean 60-70% 1-4
(Speed-Strength)
Hang Snatch 60-70% 1-4

Load Squat Jumps 30-40% 3-4

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Strength Quality Exercise Intensity Rep Range

Countermovement Height  1-4

Jump (CMJ)

Reactive Standing Long Length 1-4

Strength Jump (SLJ)
(Slow SSC)
Hurdle Jump Height of Hurdle 1-4

Box Jump Height of Box 1-4

Rebound Stiff Height 1-6

Leg Jumps

Reactive
Rebound Hurdle Height of 1-6
Strength
Jumps Hurdle
(Fast SSC)

Depth Jumps Height of Box 1-6

Single Leg Hops Distance 1-6

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Table 2:

Strength Quality Exercise Intensity Rep Range

Bench Press 85%+ 1-5

Military Press 85%+ 1-5

Bench Pull 85%+ 1-5

Max
Strength
Bent Over 85%+ 1-5
Row/Pendlay
Row

Chin/Pull Up 85%+ 1-5

Banded Bench Press Bar: 60-70% 3-5

Band: 15-20%
(Red Band)
MB Chest Throw 3-5
Lying
Kneeling
Half Kneeling
Standing
Split Leg
Explosive
Strength 
MB Side Toss 3-5
Kneeling
Half Kneeling
Standing
Split Leg

MB Overhead 3-5
Kneeling/Standing Throw
Kneeling/Standing Toss

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Exercise Order

Exercise order refers to a sequence of resistance exercises performed during a training

session. Although there are many ways to arrange exercises, decisions are
invariably based on the specific strength goals of the session. Another important
consideration is how one exercise affects the quality of effort or the technique of
another exercise.

Power Exercises: Power exercises such as the snatch, hang clean, power clean, and
push jerk should be performed first in a training session. Explosive power movements
have a high skill demand as well as neuromuscular demand, therefore, it is important
these are performed at the start of the session before any metabolic fatigue is elicited.
Bilateral strength exercises should follow next followed by assistance strength
exercises, finishing with any core/prehab exercises to be performed at the end of the
session.

Bilateral Strength Exercises: Bilateral strength exercises refer to big compound

movements such as squats or deadlifts for lower body and bench press or bench pull
for upper body. These are typically your big lifts which can be used for max strength or
functional hypertrophy development. Bilateral strength exercises go at the beginning of
the workout when developing max strength or functional hypertrophy. When
developing power using Olympic lifts or plyometrics, they would be placed after the
power exercises.
 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Assistance Strength Exercises: For the lower body, one way of improving recovery and
recruitment between exercises is to alternate "single leg strength" exercises with
"posterior chain" exercises. Single leg strength exercises include: lunges, step-ups, pistol
squats, etc. Posterior chain exercises include: glute-ham raises, single leg RDL's, hip lifts,
etc. Single leg strength exercises are a great way to work on strength imbalances
between left and right leg. In addition, they deload the body from heavier lifting
performed earlier in the session. Posterior chain exercises develop glute and hamstring
strength, which are typically weaker than anterior muscles such as quadriceps and hip
flexors. In additon, hamstrings are more susceptible to soft tissue injuries during
sprinting activities therefore specific strength exercises is often important to be
included in the program. For the upper body, another way of improving recovery and
recruitment between exercises is to alternate "pushing" exercises (e.g., shoulder press
and dips) with "pulling" exercises (e.g., pull-ups and bent-over row). This push–pull
arrangement ensures that the same muscle group will not be used in two exercises (or
sets, in some cases) in succession, thus reducing fatigue in the involved muscles.

Accessory Strength Exercises: Accessory strength exercises refer to supplementary

exercises for core strength or prehabilitation i.e. injury prevention. Prehab exercises can
be included in the warm-up as an option, however, be careful volume is not too high
which could interfere with the goal if performing a strength and power session. Players
who are carrying excess bodyfat, additional CV work may be included in this section of
the workout.

Exercise Classification: EPI have classified our strength exercises as follows:

1. Power (Olympic lifts, plyometrics, med ball throws, etc)
2. Bilateral Strength (squats, deadlifts, bench press, etc)
3. Assistance Strength (lunges, glute-ham raises, d/b shoulder press, etc)
4. Accessory Strength (core, prehab, etc)

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Volume

Volume or repetition volume refers to the total number of reps performed in the
session and is calculated by multiplying sets and reps.

Repetition Volume = Sets x Reps

Load volume refers to the total amount of weight lifted in the sessions and is
calculated by multiplying load multiplied by sets multiplied by reps.

Load Volume = Load x Sets x Reps

For example, a soccer player performs 4 x 5 reps of a Back Squat with 90kg on the bar.
Load volume for that exercise is 90kg x 4 x 5 = 1, 820kg.

When considering volume, EPI like to refer to it as "dosage". It is important the strength
& conditioning coach applies optimal dosage for each training session. Too much
dosage will elicit high levels of fatigue as well as increased delayed onset muscle
soreness (DOMS). Too little dosage may not stress the athlete sufficiently enough in
order to get progress and adptation in the session. Optimizing dosage comes down to
understanding the fundamentals of program design as well as "cooking the dish"
yourself. This means you as a strength & conditioning coach should be getting your
hands dirty performing these sessions in your own training to undertand the physical
demands of the sessions you are prescribing. By doing so, you can relate to the volume
(dosage) of training stress in your sessions.

Typically, heavy loads with low repetitions using moderate-to-high number of sets (i.e.,
characteristic of strength and power training) are generally considered low-volume
programs due to the low number of repetitions performed per set. Without altering the
intensity of these programs, volume may be increased by either increasing the number
of sets and/or exercises performed or by increasing training frequency. However, care
must be taken, because intensity and volume are inversely related; increases in training
volume with lowrepetition programs should be closely monitored and intensity possibly
reduced in order to lower the risk of overtraining (Fry & Kramer, 1997).

Strength & conditioning coaches must also be aware of volume in each set to ensure
they develop appropriate strength qualities. Too often inexperienced coaches make
some basic errors when prescribing reps for a specific strength quality. For example,
they want to develop some reactive power using plyometrics and a box jump exercise.

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 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Their training method choice of plyometrics is correct as well as box jump exercise for
reactive power. The problem is often they choose to many reps to be performed per set
eg 3 x 10 reps.

Rep ranges are associated with training goals; low reps with relatively heavy loads
should be used if the goal is strength or power, moderate reps and loads for
hypertrophy, and high reps with light loads for muscular endurance. The continuum
concept (see diagram below) effectively illustrates that a certain rep max (RM)
emphasizes a specific outcome and this can be used as a reference point for volume
prescription when writing or resistance training programs.

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Intensity

Intensity describes the amount of weight lifted or the complexity of the exercise and is
interdependent on all other program variables, including volume, rest intervals,
frequency, and repetition velocity. Resistance training intensity can be increased by
using a higher relative percentage of the person’s 1RM, increasing weight within an
RM zone, or adding an absolute amount of weight to an exercise. Increasing relative
percentage is common in periodized training programs, especially for key exercises
such as the Olympic lifts, squat, deadlift, and bench press.

Load prescription depends upon individual training status and goals. For example, light
loads of approximately 45–50% of 1 RM may increase dynamic muscular strength in
previously untrained individuals (Anderson & Kearney, 1982), as this initial phase of
lifting is characterized by improved motor learning and coordination (Rutherford &
Jones, 1986). Greater loading is needed to increase maximal strength as an athlete
progresses from intermediate to advanced levels of training. Hakkinen et al. (1985)
reported that loads greater than 80–85% of 1 RM were needed to produce further
neural adaptations during advanced resistance training. This is important because
neural adaptations (e.g., enhanced motor unit recruitment, rate coding, and
synchronization) are crucial to maximal strength development.
 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

There exists an inverse relationship between the amount of weight lifted and the
number of repetitions performed. Research has shown that training with loads
corresponding to 80–85% of 1 RM and beyond (e.g., 1–6 RM) were most effective for
increasing maximal strength (Campos et al., 2002). This loading range appears to
maximally recruit muscle fibers and will specifically increase dynamic 1 RM strength
(Hakkinen et al.,1985). Although strength increases have been reported using loads
corresponding to 70–80% of 1 RM (e.g., 6–12 RM) (Kraemer, 1997), it is believed that this
range may not be as effective in increasing maximal strength with elite athletes
compared to heavier loading (e.g., >85% of 1 RM). The 6–12 RM loading range is typically
used in programs that target muscular hypertrophy. Although heavy loading can be
effective for increasing muscle size (Campos et al., 2002), it has been suggested that the
6–12 RM loading range may provide the best combination of load and volume (Kraemer
& Ratamess, 2000). Loads lighter than this (12–15 RM and lighter) rarely increase
maximal strength but are very effective for increasing absolute local muscular
endurance (Campos et al., 2002). Although each “training zone” has its advantages,
devoting 100% of training to one general RM zone or intensity (e.g., 70-80% of 1 RM)
runs a very high risk of the athlete encountering training plateaus or becoming
overtrained.
 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Rest Periods

The time dedicated to recovery between sets and exercises is called the rest period. The
length of the rest period between sets and exercises is highly dependent on the goal of
training, the exercise performed and intensity of lifting. Rest periods are therefore
strongly related to load; the heavier the loads lifted, the longer the rest periods the
athlete will need between sets in order to safely and successfully complete the
prescribed subsequent sets. For example, training for max strength with 3RM loads
requires significantly longer rest periods between sets than training for strength
endurance in which lighter 15RM loads are lifted (Fleck & Kraemer, 2014).

Despite the relationship between training goals and the length of rest periods (e.g., long
rest periods for max strength training programs), not all exercises in a resistance
training program should be assigned the same rest periods. It is important that the
strength and conditioning coach allocate rest periods based on the relative load lifted
and the amount of muscle mass involved in each exercise. An example of this specificity
is for an assistance exercise as part of a max strength training program. Whereas a
bilateral strength exercise such as the bench press may involve a 5RM load and a 3-
minute rest period, an assistance exercise such as the d/b shoulder press may be
performed with a 8RM load and therefore require only a 90sec rest period. The
recommended rest period lengths for max strength, power, hypertrophy, and muscular
endurance programs are shown in the table below.

Strength Goal Rest Periods

Max Strength 2-4mins

Max Power 2-4mins

Functional Hypertrophy 90sec-2mins

Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy 60sec-75sec

Strength Endurance 30-60sec

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Max Strength

Maximal isometric force is greater than maximal concentric force, and maximal
eccentric force is greater than both maximal isometric and concentric force (Fleck &
Kraemer, 2014). Therefore technically, the absolute maximal strength that can be
generated by a muscle is best developed during an eccentric movement. However, in
the context of sports, it is neither appropriate nor meaningful to test for an individual’s
eccentric maximal strength. This is mainly be due to the fact that most sports rely
heavily on concentric muscle contraction to create the desired movement. For example
in sprinting, concentric contraction of the leg muscles are responsible for driving the
sprinter forward, and in throwing sports, concentric contraction of the upper body
allows the thrower to propel an object far ahead. Accordingly, the objective of most
strength tests is to determine an individual’s maximal concentric strength, e.g. 1-3RM
back squat or bench press test.

Acute Program Variables:

Intensity: 85-100% or 1RM

Volume: 4-5 sets, 1-5 reps
Exercise Selection: Compound movements such as back squat, deadlift, bench press
Exercise Order: Compound lifts performed at start of session
Rest Periods: 3mins+
Training Frequency: 2-3 times per week

Sample Lower Body Max Strength Session:

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Intensity

Back Squat 4 3 3min 90%

Deadlift 4 3 3min 90%
D/B Bulgarian Split 3 8 90sec 75%
Squats
D/B Single Leg RDL's 3 8 90sec 75%
D/B Step Ups 3 8 90sec 75%
Core Work 3 10 60sec

© 2020 Elite Performance Institute Ltd. All rights reserved. 22

 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Max Power

Power refers to the rate of performing work. For an athlete, power refers to his ability to
generate force quickly. Many team sports require athletes produce fast and forceful
muscular contractions within a short amount of time, e.g. <0.25sec. In weightlifting,
apart from being required to lift a large amount of weight, weightlifters must also be
able to accelerate the barbell forcefully in a short amount of time. Power is a product of
force and velocity, which can be expressed in the following equation:

Power = Force (N) x velocity (m/s)

Maximal strength training alone can increase explosive power by optimizing peak force
production. Many sport movements commence from a stationary position. This initial
phase of moving a resistance (barbell or bodyweight) requires the most effort.
Therefore the greater an athlete's max strength is, the faster this initial inertia can be
overcome. After this phase, more speed is required to continue the movement and max
strength training plays a lesser role in power production.

Acute Program Variables:

Intensity: 30-80% or 1RM

Volume: 3-5 sets, 1-5 reps
Exercise Selection: Olympic lifts, loaded plyometrics, plyometrics, MB exercises
Exercise Order: Performed at start of session
Rest Periods: 3mins+
Training Frequency: 2-3 times per week

Sample Lower Body Max Power Session:

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Intensity

Hang Clean 4 4 3min 70%

Loaded Squat Jumps 4 4 3min 40%
D/B Walking Lunges 3 8 90sec 75%
Glute Ham Raises 3 8 90sec 75%
D/B Lateral Step Ups 3 8 90sec 75%
Core Work 3 10 60sec

© 2020 Elite Performance Institute Ltd. All rights reserved. 23

 PROGRAM DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Functional Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is an increase in cross-sectional area (CSA) of muscle mass. More

specifically, it can be described as the increase in size and number of contractile
proteins, which comprise the myofibrils within each muscle fiber. Training directed at
inducing muscle hypertrophy stimulates the mechano-receptors and also the synthesis
of protein within the muscle. This results in an increase in muscle size and force
production which gives the athlete an advantage in sports performance (Schoenfeld,
2010).

Three primary factors considered to cause muscle hypertrophy are:

1. Mechanical tension
2. Muscle damage
3. Metabolic stress.

Acute Program Variables:

Intensity: 65-75% of 1RM for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy; 75-85% of 1RM for myofibrillar
hypertrophy
Volume: 3-4 sets, 6-8 reps for myofibrillar hypertrophy; 8-12 reps for sarcoplasmic
hypertrophy
Exercise Selection: Blend of bliateral strength and assistance strength exercises
Exercise Order: Compound lifts performed at start of session
Rest Periods: 2-3mins for bilateral strength exercises; 90sec for assistance exercises
Training Frequency: 3-4 times per week

Sample Lower Functional Hypertrophy Session:

Exercise Sets Reps Rest Intensity

Back Squat 4 6 3min 80%

RDL's 4 6 3min 80%
D/B Walking Lunges 3 8 90sec 75%
Reverse Hypers 3 8 90sec 75%
D/B Step Ups 3 8 90sec 75%
Prone Hamstring 3 10 90sec 75%
Curls
Core Work 3 10 60sec
© 2020 Elite Performance Institute Ltd. All rights reserved. 24
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