General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Theory was first described by Hans Selye in 1956. Selye described a three-stage process that highlights the physical changes the body goes through when put under stress.
1. Alarm
When we put our body under a stress that it isn’t used to, it goes into a state of alarm, it is out of its comfort zone. We feel this as muscle soreness or fatigue. By getting our body to the alarm phase we are encouraging it to adapt to the new level of stress.
2. Resistance
If the stress we apply to our body is appropriate, not too much and not too little, the body will adapt and return to a state of homeostasis, a state where the body is in balance. If we have lifted a heavier weight, or done more reps, the response will be to repair muscles to be stronger.
3. Exhaustion
If the stress we apply is too big, not only do we increase the risk of injury, but the body will respond by entering a state of exhaustion. This is a negative adaptation and the body’s capacity is actually reduced. This is often a result of overtraining. Overtraining occurs when you exceed your body’s ability to recover from strenuous exercise.
To get the most out of a training program it should be specific to your goal, use progressive overload, and include variety.
Progressive overload means that your body is continually having to adapt, by adding weight, sets, and/or reps over time.
Variety can be applied in many ways:
• Frequency - how often an exercise is performed
• Intensity - the weight that you use
• Volume - the number of sets and reps you perform
• Exercise selection - using variations of exercises, e.g. swap back squats for front squats
The stress we apply to our body can target 4 physical qualities:
1. Strength - the ability to exert a high force
2. Power - the ability to exert force quickly
3. Hypertrophy - increasing muscle size
4. Strength Endurance - the ability to exert force over a prolonged period of time
The exercises chosen for a training program, as well as the set and rep ranges are different for each of the physical qualities above:
The Structure of a Training Program
All training programs should mix balance with variety. Is there balance across a training week? Even if the training block has focus areas, we should be working our full body over the week. Is there variety across a training schedule? Changing intensity and volume, not just increasing weight all of the time but manipulating sets and reps too.
Balance and variety combined with progressive overload over your training cycle is the most effective way for you to make progress.
The Structure of an Individual Training Session
1. Warm Up
Raise - your heart rate and temperature, increase the pliability of the joints Mobilise - prepare your muscles and joints for today’s session Practice - preparing for the specific exercises you’re doing today
2. Today’s Training Session
3. Cool Down
Restore - 10 minutes stretching the muscles used today to restore/improve range of motion
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