Is physical frailty inevitable as we grow older?

[Guest guest]

Merrick wrote:

Hi ,

I feel like I've painted myself into a corner <LOL>! You are correct that

the term " resistance " is pretty vague and really becomes what someone wants

it to mean at the moment. In fact, I used the term " strength exercise "

throughout my dissertation to focus on that facet of general health/fitness

programs.

Casler writes:

I think if we are able to see in these types of discussions that we have

different ways to view CONDITIONING that it becomes more clear as to how we

label and define them.

Terms like Resistance Training, Weight Training, Weight Lifting, Rowing,

Climbing, Running, etc describe the Type of exercise or activity.

Terms like Strength Training, Endurance Training, Speed Training,

Flexibility Training, etc all describe the preferred, dominant, or primary

adaptation sought or expected.

So when we as Coaches, Trainers and Sports Scientists employ the terms we

can be more accurate as to when and why to use them.

That is why you wouldn't call Rowing " resistance training " event though it

can have a resistive component. You call it Rowing, because that is what it

is. You then can analyze the training performance components

(load/distance/duration) and or manipulate them to control the stimuli to

produce the adaptation you want with resistance supplying the LOAD

component.

Merrick wrote:

Common definition of our terminology and consistent use of it are continual

challenges we face across different disciplines. I would never call

" actual " rowing or mountain biking " resistance " (or even " strength " )

training when dealing with a client. The body will adapt all its systems

according to the imposed demand. And while a person might experience some

increase in muscle size or strength in performing those activities, they

would not be the most effective activities for achieving those goals (size,

strength).

Casler writes:

Yes, the organizational challenges we face are great given our rather young

existence as a Science. I believe you correct to not categorize

" activities " as resistance exercises or activities, but we do need to

recognize that the resistive load element will play a role (along with

duration and distance) in forming the stimulus it produces. Again, that is

why I virtually NEVER call ANY activity " resistance training " . To be

perfectly accurate, the activity that SHOULD be termed " resistance training "

would be any type of Rowing or Cycling Ergometer that uses RESISTANCE as the

load to train against. By pure definition, these activities use actual and

continuous RESISTANCE as the training load 100% of the time the activity is

performed.

There are also some (usually pneumatic/hydraulic) isokinetic training

machines that create resistance in both direction to antagonistic/opposing

muscle groups, that would also be close to pure resistance training.

By that same " pure " definition, calling repetitive weight training

" resistance training " is inaccurate during 50% of the action, since the

weight load only is a " resistive " force during the concentric muscle action.

During the eccentric action it IS NOT a resistive force, but an ACTIVE

force.

Thus the term " resistance training " while popular and grandfathered into our

usage, is not accurate to the activity. It then distorts the definition of

resistance to somehow mean an " active force " all of the time, when by

definition it cannot be. So if we use the term " resistance training "

interchangeably with Weight Training, we are ignoring the eccentric

component entirely. I know, picky, picky, picky, but when you have

inconsistencies and incongruencies when terms with clear definitions are

used without thinking, we then have confusion.

So I clearly suggest calling an activity what it is; (Rowing, Running,

Weight Training) and also defining a training type of goal, by its primary

adaptation; (Strength Training, Endurance Training, Flexibility Training,

Speed Training etc) And while it will never happen in my lifetime, I also

suggest NEVER using the term " resistance training " for any purpose except

activities that use " pure " resistance as the only means to produce LOAD to

that activity.

Merrick wrote:

Thank you for the dialog and your perspective! I tend now to think more

from the behavioral/educational perspective than the precise

biomechanical/exercise science one.

Casler writes:

I do too. Behavioral is the ACTIVITY delineation, and precise

biomechanical/exercise science gives us the elements and components with

which to further define the activity, and observe and understand the

physiological responses to it.

Again, thanks for indulging my somewhat idiosyncratic and compulsive

viewpoints.

Regards,

Casler

TRI-VECTOR 3-D Training Systems

Century City, CA

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