Adaptation: Programming Performance?by John Evans
[John Evans is a Exercise Science major at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and is an Athletic Development Intern at Athletic Lab] The Big Picture Programming can be a sticky situation. There are tons of variables such as the following: volume, intensity, frequency, and density. Individuals want to organize these variables, but most of the time, it is just beyond their capacity. In addition to all of the training variables, there are various means that can be used to help one achieve their goal. The list is truly limited by human imagination. That being said, the goal is still the same: Jump Higher, Run Faster, Lift More, Push Harder, Go Longer. Simplified Science Even though there are a ton of variables and so many different ways of mixing and matching them, one word might help make sense of the mess that is programming: adaptation. Although this concept isn't new, understanding it's importance is crucial to understanding how the human body performs. In a simplified version, once you train, the body undergoes various physiological processes to cope with the imposed demands placed on the body. To help keep the body in a balanced environment, it adapts. Once the body adapts, it is more prepared to deal with future imposed demands. To illustrate this point, think about this old school example: When you lift, you tear muscle fiber. When it rebuilds, it is bigger and stronger than it was before. Although grossly simplified, this helps illustrate the point that the body adapts to impose demands. Applying the Basics In terms of programming, the basics can be extremely useful to understand. For example, if one were to squat heavy one day, the body would adapt to that imposed [...]
