With spring sports in full swing, I often hear parents, coaches, and youth athletes express concern that lifting weights will make them bulky, slow, and tight. While there are some misconceptions about lifting weights, I believe that the benefits of a properly balanced training program far outweigh the risks.
Proper training can help youth athletes improve their performance in their sport, reduce their risk of injury, and develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime. When done correctly, strength training can help athletes:
- Increase muscle mass and strength
- Improve power and speed
- Improve balance and coordination
- Reduce the risk of injury
- Improve bone health
- Develop healthy habits
It is important to note that the training program should be tailored to the individual athlete’s needs and goals. A qualified coach can help athletes develop a safe and effective training program.
Here are some common misconceptions about lifting weights:
- Lifting weights will make me bulky. This is a common misconception, but it is not true. Lifting weights will not make you bulky unless you are specifically trying to gain muscle mass. In fact, strength training can help you lose weight and body fat. is is just one reason of the many reasons why I test vertical, and perform speed work. “Bulking” is a laymen’s term but really known as hypertrophy, and comes down to training MTOR pathways which will be discussed later in the article.
- Lifting weights will make me slow. This is also not true. Strength training can actually help you improve your speed and agility. When you lift weights, (mind you that your actually performing and training like an athlete, not just going in a weightroom and using machines) you are not just building muscle mass, you are also improving your neuromuscular coordination. This means that your brain and muscles are learning to work together more efficiently. To do this, the program must have hinge, carry, lower body push, upper body push, horizontal and vertical pulling and variations, as well as single leg work.
- Lifting weights will make me tight. This is a misconception that is often perpetuated by people who have never lifted weights before. When you lift weights correctly, you are actually stretching your muscles. This can help improve your flexibility and range of motion. Unfortunately, coaches believe this, resulting in scaring athletes away from the weightroom, causing them to be very high skill efficiency of the sport but lack the basic athletic strength based fundamentals, leading to injury by the time they are in real competition. Think of it this way, you have a nice car, but lack an efficient engine and brakes to perform at a sustained, high level. An example of this would be a pitcher throwing to his top pitch count. Yes, he can throw hard because he has the mechanics (if they have natural ability), but lacks the efficient endurance to recover and throw efficiently day in and day out. Another example would be an athlete that has to reach top speed in track, but yet fail to train the hamstring unilaterally. Sure they might be fast, but if you lack in this type of methodology when it comes to training, 9 out of 10 times you will get beat the athlete who uses this.
If you are a youth athlete, I encourage you to talk to a qualified strength coach about the benefits a well balanced sports performance program. With proper guidance, you can safely and effectively strength train to improve your performance in your sport and your overall health.
The rest of the article will dive into important aspects the involve long term athletic development, hypertrophy, what it is an when to train it.
Defining Hypertrophy:
The actual correct term for “Bulky” is termed hypertrophy, and can be defined as the process of increasing the size of muscle cells. It is achieved through a variety of means, including lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing bodyweight exercises. While the amount of hypertrophy varies depending on the exercise and nutritional intake of the individual, all type of exercise causes increases in muscle size to some degree.
There are 3 main types of muscle fibers: slow-twitch (type I), fast-twitch fatigable (type IIa), and fast-twitch fatigable (type IIx). However, some studies have shown that there may be a fourth type of muscle fiber, called intermediate (type IIb). For the sake of simplicity, I will go into the first three and how to train them.
- Type 1 fibers: These are slow-twitch fibers that are responsible for endurance. They are able to contract for long periods of time without getting tired. Type 1 fibers are found in muscles that are used for activities that require sustained effort, such as running, swimming, and cycling.
- Type 2A fibers: These are intermediate fibers that have some characteristics of both slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers. They are able to contract quickly and generate a lot of force, but they can also sustain their contraction for a longer period of time than fast-twitch fibers. Type 2A fibers are found in muscles that are used for activities that require both power and endurance, such as sprinting and jumping.
- Type 2X fibers: These are fast-twitch fibers that are responsible for power and speed. They can contract quickly, but they can’t sustain their contraction for very long. Type 2X fibers are found in muscles that are used for activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing.
Training for Type 1 Fibers
Type 1 fibers are responsible for endurance. They are able to contract for long periods of time without getting tired. Type 1 fibers are found in muscles that are used for activities that require sustained effort, such as running, swimming, and cycling.
To train your type 1 fibers, you should focus on:
- Training at a moderate intensity. This means that you should be able to hold a conversation while you are exercising.
- Training for a long duration. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.
- Training regularly. Try to exercise at least 3-4 times per week.
Side Notes and pertaining to development of youth athletes: Developing a base endurance is necessary, although research now shows that training speed, along with compound exercises will improve endurance while reversing the roles will not. As always, the amount of endurance, and how you implement this will depend on the sport.
Here is an example of a workout routine for training type 1 fibers:
- Dynamic Warm-up: Target all planes of motion
- Workout: longer than 2 minutes minutes of moderate-intensity exercises. All continuous.
- Primary System: oxidative. (Not to say all systems are used in some sort of duration, just more than others).
- Cool-down: 5 minutes of stretching.
Training for Type 2A Fibers
Type 2A fibers are intermediate fibers that have some characteristics of both slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers. They are able to contract quickly and generate a lot of force, but they can also sustain their contraction for a longer period of time than fast-twitch fibers. Type 2A fibers are found in muscles that are used for activities that require both power and endurance, such as sprinting and jumping.
To train your type 2A fibers, you should focus on
- Training at a high intensity. This means that you should be working as hard as you can.
- Training for a short duration. Aim for no more than 30 seconds of exercise per set.
- Training with short rest periods. Take only a few seconds of rest between sets.
Here is an example of a workout routine for training type 2A fibers:
- Dynamic Warm-up: Target all planes of motion
- Workout: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions of a compound exercise, such as squats, deadlifts, or bench presses.
- Primary System: Glycolytic
- Cool-down: 5 minutes of stretching.
Training for Type 2X Fibers
Type 2X fibers are fast-twitch fibers that are responsible for power and speed. They can contract quickly, but they can’t sustain their contraction for very long. Type 2X fibers are found in muscles that are used for activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing.
To train your type 2X fibers, you should focus on:
- Training at a very high intensity. This means that you should be working as hard as you can.
- Training for a very short duration. Aim for no more than 10 seconds of exercise per set.
- Primary system: Phosphagen
- Training at very high speeds: This is where having a base strength is necessary. You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.
Here is an example of a workout routine for training type 2X fibers:
- Dynamic Warm Up: in ALL planes of motion, add in responsive training modalities.
- Workout: 3-5 sets of 1-5 repetitions of a compound exercise, such as power cleans, hex bar trap jumps, snatches, or plyometrics.
- Options Clusters
- Cool-down: 5 minutes of stretching.
It is important to note that you can’t train your muscles to become all slow-twitch or all fast-twitch, and that some of this comes down to genetics. Every muscle has a mix of both types of fibers. However, you can train your muscles to become more efficient at using either type of fiber.
By training your muscles correctly, you can improve your endurance, power, and speed. This will help you to perform better in your chosen sport or activity.
The Importance of Force Production, Power, and Eccentric Strength for Speed Athletes
Force production is the ability to generate a large amount of force in a short period of time. This is a critical component of speed, as it is the force that allows an athlete to accelerate. Power is the ability to generate force and move it quickly. This is also a critical component of speed, as it is the power that allows an athlete to reach top speed. Eccentric strength is the ability to control a muscle as it lengthens. This is important for speed athletes, as it helps them to absorb force and prevent injuries.
There are a number of exercises that can be used to develop force production, power, and eccentric strength. Some of these exercises include:
- Jumps: Jumps are a great way to develop force production and power. There are a variety of jumps that can be performed, such as vertical jumps, horizontal jumps, and plyometric jumps.
- Sled drags and pulls: Sled drags and pulls are a great way to develop force production, power, and eccentric strength. These exercises can be performed with a variety of equipment, such as a weighted sled, a prowler, or a weighted vest.
- Medicine ball exercises: Medicine ball exercises are a great way to develop power and eccentric strength. There are a variety of medicine ball exercises that can be performed, such as throws, slams, and chest passes.
It is important to note that strength training is not the only way to improve speed. Speed athletes also need to focus on other factors, such as sprinting technique, nutrition, and recovery. However, strength training can be a valuable tool for improving speed, and it should be an important part of any speed athlete’s training program.
The Role of Barbell Training in Speed Production
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that traditional barbell training may not be ideal for speed production. This is because traditional barbell training typically focuses on slow, heavy lifts, which do not emphasize the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). The SSC is a key component of speed, as it allows athletes to generate more force with less effort.
However, there is a way to use barbell training to improve speed. This is by emphasizing speed and power in the lifts. This can be done by using lighter weights and faster tempos. It is also important to include exercises that emphasize the SSC, such as Olympic lifts.
More advanced coaches may also want to use tools such as micro muscle labs, tendon units, and GymAware to measure bar speed or power output. This can help them to track progress and make sure that athletes are training at the right intensity.
Conclusion:
At the beginning of training hypertrophy can be beneficial for athletes in a variety of sports (the degree at to which this is beneficial depends on the sport). First, it can increase muscle strength. Stronger muscles can generate more force and power output (See Citations). When I train athletes, regardless on the rep/set count, I prefer concentric motions to be fast an explosive. Second, hypertrophy can increase muscle endurance. Endurance is the ability to sustain a given level of activity for a long period of time. Hypertrophy can help athletes to maintain their strength and power over a longer period of time, which can be helpful in sports such as football, basketball, and soccer. Third, hypertrophy can help to protect joints and tendons. Research has shown that when trained at 70% overall intensity of 1 rep max repetition, that tendons and ligaments will be stimulated in a way that makes them bulletproof. Muscles help to stabilize joints and tendons, which can help to prevent injuries.
Exercises, Sets, reps, volume, speed and how you actually perform the lift are all important aspects of developing hypertrophy. How you do this, and the plan will depend on a variety of factors, one is which dependent on the type of sport they are in. This is when the debate of sport specificity verses individualizations come in. However, since I am discussing youth athletes ages junior high through highschool, I will discuss this topic in terms of why individualization is better suited at this training age.
Final thoughts how individualization pertains to hypertrophy:
Individualization and sport specificity are two important principles of exercise training. Individualization refers to the tailoring of a training program to the individual’s needs, goals, and abilities. Sport specificity refers to the design of a training program to meet the specific demands of a particular sport. So in regards to the development of hypertrophy, regardless of the sport you are in, having some is necessary. As long as the athlete is developing this through full range of motion and consistent in these movements, the chances of them being tight or hurt per say will be little to none. In fact, training athletes through full range of motion will only make them faster. High reps for undeveloped athletes will also practice repetition, in which the athlete will gain the correct neurological firing patterns to develop the correct pennation of the muscle. As long as the athletes program is mastered in the sagittal plane in the beginning stages of training, trickled in with multi-directional and single leg movements then the chances of that power to carry over will be much more likely. Throw that in with linear, multi-directional, and lateral mechanics you got yourself a great program to develop a well-rounded athlete.
When considering programming for athletes I think it is important to consider the following:
- Consider the individual’s needs, goals, and abilities. What are the individual’s goals for training? What are their current fitness levels? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Tailor the training program to the individual’s needs. The training program should be challenging enough to improve performance, but not so challenging that it increases the risk of injury.
- Use a variety of exercises. A variety of exercises will help to develop all aspects of fitness, including strength, endurance, and flexibility.
- Progress gradually. The training program should be gradually progressed over time. This will help to avoid injury and allow the body to adapt to the training.
- Listen to the body. It is important to listen to the body and rest when necessary. Overtraining can lead to injury and burnout.
- Consult with a qualified professional. If you are unsure how to individualize or sport-specific your training, it is a good idea to consult with a qualified professional, such as a personal trainer or coach.
Works Cited:
- Zourdos, S. C., Housh, T. J., McBride, J. M., Beck, T. W., & Stone, M. H. (2005). Effects of resistance training on flexibility of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles. Journal of Applied Physiology, 98(3), 1091-1097.
- Hortobagyi, T., & Deák, B. (2016). The effects of different loading ranges on muscle hypertrophy, strength, and power in resistance-trained men. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 116(11), 2491-2502.
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Vigotsky, A. D., & Ogborn, D. (2014). The effect of resistance training volume on muscle hypertrophy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(10), 2857-2865.
- Welk, G. J., Stone, M. H., Fry, A. C., Kraemer, W. J., Fleck, S. J., & DeWeese, M. D. (2007). The effects of different volume-load combinations on muscle strength and size in novice and trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(4), 1147-1155.