Steve Shafley
04-24-2007, 03:01 PM
Here's the table of contents:
http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5028/dsc00019uo2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I noticed Mark Twight has been citing this book (for obvious reasons), and I've known that a local college has had this book in it's stacks, and I've been meaning to read it for years.
So, me and the little girl (ha! Eva Claire thought it was so interesting that some big bald guy carries little girl hair clips and barrettes in his pocket) went up and I got a guest library card and I checked it out. Good stuff so far, and really illustrates that there is nothing new under the sun.
Nice read so far.
Misc. quoted text from the book (which I took from the GymJones schedule)
Circuit training is a physical conditioning system developed by Morgan and Adamson in England, during the 1950’s, for use with low fitness students (as compared with fit athletes) in school physical education classes. It was designed to simultaneously develop the four aspects of general or athletic fitness: strength, power, muscular and circulo-respiratory endurance.
Circuit training uses three variables (loads, repetitions and time) at sub-maximal levels. It employs the principles of “progressive overload” by: 1) increasing the load, or 2) increasing the repetitions against a constant load, or 3) increasing the speed of performance, or 4) increasing the time a given position or load can be maintained.
Where the original concept of simultaneous development of the four aspects of fitness is desired the emphasis in circuit training is placed on decreasing the time required to perform the exercise or the circuit (doing more work in a given time or the same amount in less time), rather than increasing the resistance load. However, circuit training can be ruined if the athlete or coach pays too much attention to speed and sacrifices the correct performance of the exercise.
Circuit training can be biased towards development of a particular athletic quality. For power, fast explosive movements can be emphasized, exercises of general muscular activity with many repetitions can be used for general endurance and heavy localized exercises against heavy resistance can be used for the development of strength.
The exercises should be arranged so the athlete can proceed from one station to the next without undue muscular fatigue.
Circuit training is individualized training and every effort should be made to adhere to this principle, even in group training. However, some coaches with interest in saving time, use a preset circuit where the load, repetitions and exercises are the same for all members of a team or where only the loads are carried out on an individualized basis.
Sandbags, rice bales, sacks loaded with hemp or copra; heavy stones and war clubs were used for the development of strength by wrestlers of many nations for several hundred years, long before the invention of the iron barbell. War clubs and light sandbags weighing 30-80 pounds were used to strengthen the wrists, arm and shoulder muscles and the rotational muscles of the lower back, sides and abdomen. The heavier sandbags, rice bales, stones and sacks of hemp or copra weighing 80 to over 300 pounds were used to develop strength in the lower back, hip and leg muscles. It was common practice to place the sacks on the shoulders and then run or climb hills for muscular and circulo-respiratory endurance ... a true test of total strength would be to carry out the one and two-handed get-up exercises described in Chapter 13 using a heavy sandbag.
Circuit Training – originally designed for group participation and best suited for that purpose. If there are fixed stations, encompassing weights, gymnastic equipment, etc., in a gymnasium, club, fieldhouse or on an athletic field, an individual can complete a circuit by himself. Circuits can be designed specifically to either develop isotonic strength (concentric and eccentric), isometric strength, strength or speed dominated power, muscular endurance, strength endurance or circulo-respiratory endurance, but not all of the qualities simultaneously. If designed for strength, strength or speed dominated power, or strength endurance, it is a highly strenuous and extremely fatiguing activity not suited for use by beginners or athletes in poor or fair physical condition. When designed specifically for one individual the principle of progressive overload must be considered, along with the specific requirements of the particular athlete and the activity for which he is training.
It has long been maintained that weight lifting and weight training will develop strength and muscular endurance, but not circulo-respiratory endurance. This was believed because only a few repetitions were completed with heavy weights and the heart rate was not raised to a high level for a sufficiently long period of time to create an effect on the circulo-respiratory system.
Research by Karvonen in 1959 reflected that in any type of weight training activity, the pulse rate was increased by less than 60 percent of the range available by running, no training effect on the heart was observed. From this research, Adamson, the originator of circuit training, found in his experimentation that in the use of weight training with less loads and slightly more repetitions, manipulated isotonically, the pulse rate was raised to the near maximum rate attained by all-out treadmill running. He suggested that it would be possible to arrange weight training programs alone, so as to achieve both strengthening and general endurance (circulo-respiratory) effects.
In 1968 (Pat) O’Shea developed a system that he designated “aerobic” weight training. He commented that it was based on the two principles developed by Cooper relative to aerobic training and the development of circulo-respiratory endurance:
(a) If the exercise develops a heart rate of 150 beats per minute or higher, the development effects begin five minutes after the activity starts and continues as long as the activity is performed
(b) If the activity does not develop a sustained heart rate of 150 beats per minute, the activity must be continued considerably longer than five minutes, such as long distance running, cycling, etc.
O’Shea’s system is based on a circuit interval training approach, with progressive increases in the amount of resistance used in the exercises ... his research reflected that students participating in the program reached a sustained rate of 154 beats per minute for 20 minutes, and the group registered significant improvement in cardio-vascular fitness over an eight-week period.
Several years ago the writer designed a group of weight training routines to develop circulo-respiratory endurance in Olympic weight lifters. The interval training principle was employed, using weights in the 10-30 percent range of maximum with a progressive increase in repetitions (20 to 40) on each exercise for two sets and with varying rest periods of one to three minutes between sets and exercises.
Ten exercises at one station composed a routine. The exercises used were Olympic lift skill movements (press, snatch, clean and jerk) and explosive weight training assistance movements (jumping squats, etc.) interspersed with one stationary running exercise. It took 35 to 45 minutes to complete the entire routine.
Pulse rates during a routine ranged from 122 to 185 during the entire period which is in the pulse range recommended by Gerschler for use with interval training programs for runners. The routines developed physiological aspects of both aerobic and anaerobic endurance.
http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5028/dsc00019uo2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I noticed Mark Twight has been citing this book (for obvious reasons), and I've known that a local college has had this book in it's stacks, and I've been meaning to read it for years.
So, me and the little girl (ha! Eva Claire thought it was so interesting that some big bald guy carries little girl hair clips and barrettes in his pocket) went up and I got a guest library card and I checked it out. Good stuff so far, and really illustrates that there is nothing new under the sun.
Nice read so far.
Misc. quoted text from the book (which I took from the GymJones schedule)
Circuit training is a physical conditioning system developed by Morgan and Adamson in England, during the 1950’s, for use with low fitness students (as compared with fit athletes) in school physical education classes. It was designed to simultaneously develop the four aspects of general or athletic fitness: strength, power, muscular and circulo-respiratory endurance.
Circuit training uses three variables (loads, repetitions and time) at sub-maximal levels. It employs the principles of “progressive overload” by: 1) increasing the load, or 2) increasing the repetitions against a constant load, or 3) increasing the speed of performance, or 4) increasing the time a given position or load can be maintained.
Where the original concept of simultaneous development of the four aspects of fitness is desired the emphasis in circuit training is placed on decreasing the time required to perform the exercise or the circuit (doing more work in a given time or the same amount in less time), rather than increasing the resistance load. However, circuit training can be ruined if the athlete or coach pays too much attention to speed and sacrifices the correct performance of the exercise.
Circuit training can be biased towards development of a particular athletic quality. For power, fast explosive movements can be emphasized, exercises of general muscular activity with many repetitions can be used for general endurance and heavy localized exercises against heavy resistance can be used for the development of strength.
The exercises should be arranged so the athlete can proceed from one station to the next without undue muscular fatigue.
Circuit training is individualized training and every effort should be made to adhere to this principle, even in group training. However, some coaches with interest in saving time, use a preset circuit where the load, repetitions and exercises are the same for all members of a team or where only the loads are carried out on an individualized basis.
Sandbags, rice bales, sacks loaded with hemp or copra; heavy stones and war clubs were used for the development of strength by wrestlers of many nations for several hundred years, long before the invention of the iron barbell. War clubs and light sandbags weighing 30-80 pounds were used to strengthen the wrists, arm and shoulder muscles and the rotational muscles of the lower back, sides and abdomen. The heavier sandbags, rice bales, stones and sacks of hemp or copra weighing 80 to over 300 pounds were used to develop strength in the lower back, hip and leg muscles. It was common practice to place the sacks on the shoulders and then run or climb hills for muscular and circulo-respiratory endurance ... a true test of total strength would be to carry out the one and two-handed get-up exercises described in Chapter 13 using a heavy sandbag.
Circuit Training – originally designed for group participation and best suited for that purpose. If there are fixed stations, encompassing weights, gymnastic equipment, etc., in a gymnasium, club, fieldhouse or on an athletic field, an individual can complete a circuit by himself. Circuits can be designed specifically to either develop isotonic strength (concentric and eccentric), isometric strength, strength or speed dominated power, muscular endurance, strength endurance or circulo-respiratory endurance, but not all of the qualities simultaneously. If designed for strength, strength or speed dominated power, or strength endurance, it is a highly strenuous and extremely fatiguing activity not suited for use by beginners or athletes in poor or fair physical condition. When designed specifically for one individual the principle of progressive overload must be considered, along with the specific requirements of the particular athlete and the activity for which he is training.
It has long been maintained that weight lifting and weight training will develop strength and muscular endurance, but not circulo-respiratory endurance. This was believed because only a few repetitions were completed with heavy weights and the heart rate was not raised to a high level for a sufficiently long period of time to create an effect on the circulo-respiratory system.
Research by Karvonen in 1959 reflected that in any type of weight training activity, the pulse rate was increased by less than 60 percent of the range available by running, no training effect on the heart was observed. From this research, Adamson, the originator of circuit training, found in his experimentation that in the use of weight training with less loads and slightly more repetitions, manipulated isotonically, the pulse rate was raised to the near maximum rate attained by all-out treadmill running. He suggested that it would be possible to arrange weight training programs alone, so as to achieve both strengthening and general endurance (circulo-respiratory) effects.
In 1968 (Pat) O’Shea developed a system that he designated “aerobic” weight training. He commented that it was based on the two principles developed by Cooper relative to aerobic training and the development of circulo-respiratory endurance:
(a) If the exercise develops a heart rate of 150 beats per minute or higher, the development effects begin five minutes after the activity starts and continues as long as the activity is performed
(b) If the activity does not develop a sustained heart rate of 150 beats per minute, the activity must be continued considerably longer than five minutes, such as long distance running, cycling, etc.
O’Shea’s system is based on a circuit interval training approach, with progressive increases in the amount of resistance used in the exercises ... his research reflected that students participating in the program reached a sustained rate of 154 beats per minute for 20 minutes, and the group registered significant improvement in cardio-vascular fitness over an eight-week period.
Several years ago the writer designed a group of weight training routines to develop circulo-respiratory endurance in Olympic weight lifters. The interval training principle was employed, using weights in the 10-30 percent range of maximum with a progressive increase in repetitions (20 to 40) on each exercise for two sets and with varying rest periods of one to three minutes between sets and exercises.
Ten exercises at one station composed a routine. The exercises used were Olympic lift skill movements (press, snatch, clean and jerk) and explosive weight training assistance movements (jumping squats, etc.) interspersed with one stationary running exercise. It took 35 to 45 minutes to complete the entire routine.
Pulse rates during a routine ranged from 122 to 185 during the entire period which is in the pulse range recommended by Gerschler for use with interval training programs for runners. The routines developed physiological aspects of both aerobic and anaerobic endurance.