Every type of exercise has a particular effect on the body. The type of training we choose must be right for the type of improvement we want to see. We must always use a training programme that puts regular stress on the muscle groups or body system that we want to develop. Our training programme must be designed to suit the needs of our sport. Progression The body take time to adapt to more or harder exercise. We must build up the stress on our bodies in a gradual, or progressive way. E.g. by lifting heavier weights or running further.
Overload To improve the fitness of our body systems we need to work them harder than normal. The body will then adapt to the extra stress and we will become fitter. We can overload our bodies by training more often, by working harder or by spending more time on our exercise. Reversibility Our bodies adapt to the stress of exercise by becoming fitter. In the same way, we quickly adapt to less exercise by losing fitness. If our muscles are not used they atrophy- that is, they waste away. We cannot store fitness for future use. It will disappear if we stop training.
Tedium Our training programme must be varied to avoid tedium – boredom. By using a variety of different training methods we will keep our enthusiasm and motivation. Step-ups exercise Gastrocnemius, Quadriceps and Hamstrings muscles. I have included step-ups to my circuit because it improves your speed and stamina. I have also included step-ups to my circuit because it is the first exercise in the circuit and so it helps you warm up.
Pull-ups Pull-ups exercise the biceps. I have included pull-ups to the circuit because it will help build biceps and triceps muscles and so you will be able to bat easier and I have added pull-ups after step-ups so that the leg muscles can relax for a while. Crunches Crunches exercise pectorals, abdominal and the trapezius. I have included crunches to the circuit to help you throw the ball harder and flex the vertebral column. Push-ups Push-ups exercise biceps, triceps, deltoids and pectorals. I have included push-ups to my circuit because if the above muscles get exercised, you can catch, and throw the ball good as your coordination and muscles improve.
Dips Dips exercise biceps, triceps and deltoids. I have included dips to my circuit because if you are a fast baller, dips will improve the speed of throwing/balling because your biceps will be stronger and so it will be easier for you to throw it at any pace. Foot change Foot change exercise Quadriceps and Gastrocnemius muscles. I’ve added foot change to my circuit to help improve those muscles so when you are fielding in cricket you can run faster and can bend down easier to collect the ball.
Batting Batting obviously improves batting. For this exercise I had to bat towards the wall and had to hit the target. Jumping jacks Jumping jacks exercise the Gastrocnemius, Hamstrings and the quadriceps muscles. I have included jumping jacks to my circuit to help you jump higher when you catch the ball and improve the speed of your running. Sit-ups Sit-ups exercise the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, pectorals and abdominal muscles. I have added sit-ups to my circuit to help improve fielding, batting and bowling.
Balling (catching) For this exercise, we stood in a circle of 4 or 5 people and threw the ball low and hard and we had to catch it. This improves catching the ball from different angles and different paces. This week my recovery time was 100. Because this was my first week, I didn’t know what kind of results I would get. Whilst doing the exercise I felt a bit tired and out of breathe. I think that is because of lack of exercise. The exercises I did not do well were pull-ups, push-ups and sit-ups because my upper-left arm (bicep) was injured
Week 2: This week my recovery time was 100 again. My resting pulse rate has increased because before the circuit training programme, I played football. Whilst doing the exercise I felt a bit tired but surprisingly I did much better than last week. The exercises I performed well were pull-ups, push-ups, foot change, jumping jacks and sit-ups. Week 3: This week there was an improvement in my recovery time- it is now 90. Whilst doing exercise, I felt rather relaxed and strong. My heart rate after exercise has increased but my recovery time was decreased! I think this is because I was a bit too relaxed but I am not sure why my heart rate after exercise has increased. The exercises I performed well were pull-ups, dips, batting on target and sit-ups.
Week 4 Today I had a better start and showed some improvements. My heart rate has decreased because I was a bit relaxed today and my recovery time wasn’t too bad either- it was 90 again. The exercises that I didn’t do very well were pull-ups and batting, but I have performed very well for the rest Week 5: This week was the last week of the circuit-training programme and overall you can see a bit improvement. My recovery time stayed the same (90) and during the exercise I felt very good, strong and encouraged. The circuit looked enjoyable for me today. The exercises I performed well were almost all of them.
Evaluation of my FITNESS TRAINNING PROGRAMME
I started my programme spending 45 seconds at each station. My rest and recovery time would be about 30 seconds writing my results down and getting to the next station. The order of the exercises was correct because I did not use the same muscle groups one after another, in other words, consecutively which meant they had a chance to recover ready for when they were needed again. The circuit was enjoyable and manageable because I didn’t have to spend more than 45 seconds at each station and had 30 seconds to rest. The circuit was easy to set up, as I didn’t use a lot of equipment. The equipment was easy to position.
I didn’t feel the need to change my circuit in any way because the exercises wouldn’t tire the muscles that much as the same muscle groups wasn’t used consecutively. In the second session I was really tired because I played football one hour or so before the session started and my body and muscles, in particular, did not have enough time to fully recover. I believe this is why my results were not as high as I expected for week 2 and I did not reach the targets I had set my self because my legs ached too much as a result of a build up of lactic acid.
Overall, I am a bit satisfied with my training because there was a minor improvement in my fitness and I’ve learnt a lot from my mistakes so if I did it again, I’d know what to change in the circuit. If I did this fitness-training program again, I would definitely increase the amount of sessions by more than 5 to see any real benefit of the training. I would also increase the amount of time spent in each station to around 60 seconds so my body could overload so I would gradually adapt to harder exercise and as a result I would get fitter. If necessary, I might also decrease the resting time between each exercise and do a session every 2 days so I could see a big improvement in my body.