HOW ATHLETES SET UP THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS.
Report #7282
Knowledgeable competitive athletes plan their training programs months in advance, using a technique called background and peaking. First they spend many months in background training, in which they work out for long hours, mostly at low intensity, followed by a shorter period of peaking training in which they do far less work, but at a much greater intensity.
A distance runner may run 100 miles a week during his winter back ground training. A few months before his most important racing season, he reduces his workload to around 40 miles a week, but he runs almost as fast as he can two or three times a week.
In his background period, a weightlifter lifts many tons of lighter weights. As he gets closer to his main competitive season, he takes workouts in which he lifts very heavy weights, but does far fewer repetitions. In his background period, a shotputter lifts tons of lighter weights each week and throws mostly for form, not distance. Then as he gets into his season, he does far less lifting, but with heavier weights. He also spends one day a week throwing as far as he can.
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News
Checked 8/9/05