3 year rule - specific / general exercises

[Guest guest]

Are specific exercises being administered by strength and

conditioning coaches simply to appear more scientific / fashionable

to clients / coaches?

Zatsiorsky (1995) suggests that only after 3 years of preliminary

general preparation that athletes should utilise specific exercises;

the so-called " three year rule. " Zatsiorsky (1995) refers to an

unfortunate example concerning a conditioning coach who was invited

to work with the U.S.S.R. women's tennis team. The individual had

never worked with comparable athletes before and had no idea of their

inexperience with weight training. The results? In 6 months, 9 of

10 athletes had low-back problems etc…

Any comments?

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK