 “Sports training is the preparation of an athlete

on scientific based principles in sequential

manner to attain optimum performance in their
desired competition.”
 The Training is a process of preparing an
individual for any event or an activity.
 Sports Training is the Physical, technical,
intellectual, Psychological and moral preparation
of an athlete or a player by means of physical
exercise.
 In simple word “Sports training is an organised
procedure by which people learn skills for a
definite purpose.”
(i) Principle of Continuity : Sports training is a
regular phenomenon that should be done
consistently, without irregular breaks.
Though, it is a continuous process that
includes planned intervals, the breaks
should not be long as that can reduce the
capability of the sportsperson.
(ii) Principle of Individual Differences : Every
individual is different. Each one possesses
different qualities and capabilities, and
responds differently to exercise and
training. Some people handle higher
volume of training while others may
respond better to higher intensities. The
training programme should be according to
the limits of an individual keeping in mind
the age, sex, height etc.
(iii) Principles of cyclicity:
Programmes are developed through
various cycles as macro cycles, meso-cycle
and micro cycle.
 Macro cycle (months workout plan) is longest
with 3 to 12 month duration
 Meso cycle (weeks work out plan) is of
medium duration lasting 3 to 6 weeks.
 Micro cycle ( days work out plan) is of 3 to
10 days duration
(iv) Principle of Overload: Load, in sports training,
is known as the demand, that can be physical,
physiological or psychological, put on the body to
enhance the performance of the individual. The
key point to note, while planning a training
session, is the load should be greater than the
normal load to aid adaptation process and thus
facilitate the performance enhancement
(v) Principle of progression of Load :- This
principle state that the load or workout
should be gradually increased in a
progressive way according to adaptation.
 The load has to be increased depending upon
adaptation of previous load, i.e, the previous
load is comfortable for body and it is
adapted by the body.
 High overload cause downfall.
 This increase in load has to be given in two
ways:
1. Step method: weekly progression
2. Linear method: daily progression
 Therefore, while increasing the load, rest
and recovery should be given required
importance too.
(vi) Principle of Active Involvement: A training plan
results best and is effective only when the coach’s
knowledge blends with athlete’s efforts. This
principle lays stress on the athlete’s ready
participation in the training design. Also, this
principle incorporates the “Law of Readiness” since
this type of involvement prepares the athlete to
perform upcoming tasks willingly.
(vii) Principle of Variety:to avoid monotony and to
make a training design successful, a coach must
incorporate variety in to it. But, it is important to
keep in mind that the change must be done
according to the load and adaptation process and
also facilitate performance enhancement.
(viii) Principle of Specificity:- This principle lays
emphasis on the notion "practice makes a man perfect”.
It further states that working on a particular muscle or
fitness component will predominantly develop that part.
Therefore, to enhance a specific skill or component one
must practise it to achieve desired outcomes. E.g., a
boxer must focus on punching and dodging skills whereas
a basket baller must practise dribbling and shooting.
(ix) Principle of General and Specific Preparation: In
order to enhance sports performance both general and
specific preparation of an athlete is required. General
preparation provides the base for the specific
preparation. General preparation focuses on the
development of overall fitness components whereas the
specific preparation will enhance the functional capacity
of the body systems which further improves the
performance.
(x) Principle of Warm Up and Cool Down: Warm up
and cool down play vital role in delivering optimum
performance. These two are an unavoidable part of
training design. Warming up before a training session
prevents muscle tenderness by increasing blood flow
to the working muscles and therefore, prevents
injury. On the other hand, cooling down helps an
athlete to return to normal level by transferring
blood from the working muscles to vital organs. It
also helps in removing waste products from the body.
(xi) Principle of Rest and Recovery: It is evident that
during rest, the body restores itself and become better
and stronger than before. Both short periods, like hours
between multiple sessions, and longer periods, like days
or weeks to recover from a long season, are required to
ensure that the athlete does not suffer from exhaustion
or an overuse injury. Therefore, a training plan must be
designed in such a manner that proper rest recovery can
take place in between the training sessions.
(xii) Principle of Ensuring Results: The pinnacle of sports
training is to achieve desired result of delivering
optimum performance. Therefore, a training Programme
must be made by keeping in mind the goal of
performance enhancement. This principle ensures
achievement and maintenance of optimum performance
only when all the above-mentioned principles are
implemented while designing a training plan.
(xiii) Principle of Periodization: Periodization is the
blue print of a training plan. Its aim is to reach best
possible performance in the most important
competition. It comprises of following three phases:
i) Preparatory Phase: In this phase, a sportsperson
works on his/her motor fitness and specific
preparation. This phase provides the base for the
competition phase.
ii) Competitive Phase: In this phase the sportsperson
participates in various pre competitions and main
competitions.
iii) Transition Phase: This phase is used to facilitate
psychological rest, relaxation and biological
regeneration as well as to maintain general level
of fitness.
 In this period, players achieves the physical
fitness and skill efficiency for the
competition. It is practiced in three phases
Phase 1:- the players develops the general
abilities like strength and endurance
Phase 2:- the players develops specific
physical fitness abilities like speed, flexibility
Phase 3:- the players develops the tactics
and strategies.
 In this period, player participates for
competition and aims to achieve top
performance in competition.
 Initially some practice competition or
practice matches are played where mistakes
are corrected.
 This is a relaxing period after competition.
 In this period player gets recovery from
competition stress and maintain physical
abilities for the next competition.
 It is a short duration activity performed prior
to training session or competition. It helps
sport person to prepare physically, mentally
or psychologically for training session or
competition.
 It is of two types
1) Psychological warming-up
2) Physiological warming-up
 Psychological warming-up :- It prepares the
mental attitude towards the competition. It
makes player mentally ready through various
psychological ways like motivation, feed
back etc.
 Physiological warming-up:- It prepares the
body physiologically to take the workload of
physical stress for competition. It can be
done through two ways:-
a) Passive:- in this players warm-up his body
through external sources and not with
actual participation in physical activities. It
can done through various ways like hot
bath, sun bath, steam bath, massage etc.
b) Active warm-up:- in this the player warm-up
through actual participation in physical
activities. Its duration is 10-30 minutes. It is of
two types:-
(i) General warming-up:- it is general in nature
and commonly performed for every activity in
a similar way. It consist of simple exercises
like jogging, stretching, jumping, striding,wind
sprints etc. It tones up the major muscles and
improve the mobility of joints.
(ii) Specific warming-up:- it is specific in nature.
It is different from activity to activity. It tones
up smaller muscles which are commonly used
in that particular activity.
 Physical Activities are activities which involve
some set of exercises for the body parts through
which the body gets prepared to perform any task
at optimum level. These exercises must be done at
slow pace and low intensity to prevent fatigue or
overload before the competition or sports event.
Eg: Jogging, Bending and Stretching Exercises,
Striding, Wind Sprints.
 Massage increases and regulates blood flow in the
body, thereby increasing the athlete’s body
temperature for producing efficient movement.
Different techniques of massage include
effleurage, petrissage, kneading, friction,
vibration and percussion.
 Beverages Drinking of beverages including warm
water, tea, coffee etc stimulates the body
functions. However, care must be taken to
consume these in limited quantity to avoid any
discomfort.
 Bath Hot bath therapy is usually very common in
sports in cold countries. It can be performed
before and after the task. A hot bath before the
event may improve the blood flow, increase body
temperature and muscle activation of the athlete.
After the task, it may help an athlete to cure
muscle tension and reveal relaxation to the body.
 Psychological preparedness
 Reduces anxiety and tension
 Facilitate optimum performance
 Prevents sports injuries
 Assists flexibility
 Enhances mechanical efficiency
 Facilitates motor fitness components
 Increases muscle temperature
 Increases blood temperature and lactic acid
 Blood vessels dilate
 Increases range of motion
 This makes muscles more flexible and their
contractibility increases. By this, the chances
of injuries are reduced.
 It regulates the cardio-respiratory system
for the coming needs.
 Regulates the metabolic rate, by this the
efficiency of energy production is improved.
 It prepares us mentally ready for the coming
competition. Thus improves concentration.
 Better perfection in the skills, techniquesand
tactics
 Improves endurance.
 It is also known as cooling down.
 It is a set-up of exercises which are
performed after the competition or after the
stressful activity.
 This consists of very simple exercises at slow
pace like slow jogging, slow stretching,
exercises and deep breathing exercises etc.
 It recovers the body from stressful activity
and makes the body ready for normal
workout.
Reduces body temperature
Reduces chances of
unconsciousness
Restores supply of oxygen
Removal of waste products
Reduces tension
 Itremoves the lactic acid from muscle which
get accumulated during activity and muscle
feel comfortable.
 By this the various body system come to
normal state which were hyper during
stressful activity. Thus body feels relaxed.
 Reduces pain in body
 Body will back to normal
 Prevents infections.
 Skill:- It is an ability to perform certain physical task.
Skills are actions or movements commonly used in games
and sports. Eg.shooting in basket ball, service in tennis
etc
 Technique:- it is an ability to perform a physical task in a
scientific way. It is efficient use of skill to bring perfection
in skill.( a skill can be performed by using more than one
technique)
 Style:-it is performing a technique in a particular way
during game situation. (individual’s expression of
technique)
 Tactic:- it is ability to perform a specific movement to
deceive the opponent. These are planned movement to
counter the opponent.
 Strategies:- these are pre-planned movements done to
counter and deceive the opponent. They are planned after
observing the strong and weak points of the opponent.