Fitness-Related Resistance Training-with which Training Intensities do Recreational Athletes Train?
Journal Title: Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR) - Year 2018, Vol 4, Issue 1
Abstract
Training intensity is considered to be one of the most important loading parameters in strength training.This also applies to fitness-related strength training in commercial fitness clubs. More than 10 million recreational athletes perform fitness-related resistance training in German fitness clubs. However, hardly any evidence can be found on the implementation of scientific training recommendations to control the training intensity of resistance training within this setting. The common used method to control training intensity in fitness-related strength training is to quantify the athletes' rate of perceived exertion (RPE). It is widely unknown if this approach to control training intensity is in accordance to the recognized recommendations in the relevant scientific training literature. This gap in research was a desideratum for a multicenter-study in German fitness clubs. One branch of research in this study was the evaluation of the realized weight loads of recreational athletes working with RPE-based training intensity in relation to the one repetition maximum (1-RM) as a recognized reference value to control training intensity in strength training. Training intensitiesof 211 recreational athletes (N=99 women, N=112 men) were analyzed. The average realized training intensity over a training period of six weeks was 54.50% of 1-RM (±6.58). This training intensity lies far off from any scientific training recommendations and is clearly too low. It must be called into question, if strength training with such low intensity is an effective and efficient workout to reach the expected training goals of fitness customers. These study results confirm the need for evidence-based strength training protocols in fitness- related resistance training. Based on training goals, for the variety of strength training methods there exist evidence-based and widely published recommendations to control training intensity (e.g.1, 8). However, widely unknown is the question, how far these recommendations for training intensity are implemented in fitness-related resistance training at commercial fitness clubs.Although about 10.61 million recreational athletes perform fitness-related resistance training in German fitness clubs [1], hardly any evidence can be found on strength training procedures respectively the control of training intensity of these fitness customers.The common used method to determine training intensity in fitness-related resistance training is to quantify the athletes' rate of perceived exertion - RPE [2]. In this approach, first the number of repetitions is determined based on the primary training goal. Subsequently, for this number of repetitions a training load is tested, which causes a previously defined rate of perceived exertion. As justification for this approach it is argued that no muscle exhausting strength test (for example 1-RM-test) with accordingly high mechanical stresses for recreational athletes is necessary. Widely unexplained is the question, whether this training approach considers the scientifically substantiated recommendations for strength training intensity. There are some indications that RPE- controlled training intensity leads to weight loads that are too low and therefor ineffective[3-5]. Due to thesefindings, it could be presumed that recreational athletes do not train with the required training intensity to reach their training targets. In order to acquire additional findings to this research field a multicenter-study over an investigation period of two years was deducted in 48 fitness clubs throughout Germany by the German University of Applied Sciences for Prevention and Health Management (DHfPG).
Authors and Affiliations
Christoph Eifler
Keywords
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- EP ID EP590785
- DOI 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.04.000980
- Views 173
- Downloads 0
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