CONDITIONING EXERCISES

By Nikolai Ozolin
Most coaches are always looking for new general and specific physical
conditioning exercises that will add variety to their training programs. The
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sbook The Road to

Success (Moscow, LLS.S.R., 1985), is therefore almost certain to provide some
valuable additions to most training programs and reduce the common problem of
monotony.
The general physical conditioning program builds a foundation for the following
specific training. The general conditioning exercises are shown in fig. 1 to 4. The
exercise groups are numbered in the text and their combination and sequence
are schematically shown in table 1.

THE PROGRAM
I Basic tasks To increase the muscle mass, to develop strength, to develop
strength en- durance, to improve muscle elasticity and movement agility.
1. Exercises with the barbell, dumbbells and other resistances (pressing,
pushing, pulling, bench pressing, rotations) until fatigued. Intensity 50 to
70% from the maximum, recoveries 2 to 5 min. Included in training 3 times
a week.
2. Exercises against own body weight (pushups, chin-ups etc.), as well as
exercises on wallbars, parallel bars, horizontal bar, tree branches etc.
Performed in 1 to 3 series with 1 to 3 min. recoveries. Included in training
3 to 4 times a week.

3. Jumping exercises (bounding, hopping, double-leg bounding) until

fatigued. Performed in 1 to 2 series with 3 to 5 min. recoveries. Included in
training 2 to 3 times a week.

II Basic tasks To develop power, to develop maximum exertion, to improve

movement speed.
4. Barbell exercises (pressing, snatching, bench pressing, squatting etc.) in 2
to 3 series with 2 to 5 min. recoveries. Included in basic training twice a
week.
5. Similar exercises in 1 to 3 series with 2 to 4 repetitions and 2 to 5 min.
recoveries. Intensity 75 to 80% of maximum. Included in basic training
twice a week.
6. Isometric exercises (pressing, pulling, rotating), performed once with a
maximum of a 6 to 8 sec. effort in 2 to 4 series with 1 to 2 min. recoveries.
Included in training twice a week.
7. Jumping exercises (upwards jumps reaching for a target, jumps onto
benches, jumps over obstacles, bounding against the clock etc.).
Performed with maximum intensity. The number of take-offs is 30 to 60.
Included in basic training twice a week.
8. Throwing of different implements (medicine balls, shots, stones, weights
etc.), aiming for target that is shifted gradually further. A total of 10 to 20
throws. Included in training twice a week.
III Basic tasks To improve movement speed, to develop agility, to improve
movement coordination, to develop basic endurance.
9. General preliminary exercises, performed as fast as possible. A total of 4
to 5 exercises with 2 to 3 repetitions within 10 sec.

10. 20 to 50m sprints from a crouch start, relay racing, handicap races, races
over obstacles. A total of 200 to 300m in repetitions with 2 to 3 min.
recoveries. Included in basic training 3 times a week.
11. Games (basketball, volleyball, soccer on a small field etc.), played instead
of a warm-up or at the end of a training session.

IV Basic tasks To develop general endurance, to improve tolerance to fatigue,

to master relaxation.
12. Steady running with a heart rate around 120 to 140 beats a minute,
beginning with 10 to 15 min. and increasing the time to an hour or more.
Running can be replaced by cross-country skiing. Included in training
twice a week in addition to short steady runs or fartlek every morning.
13. General preparation exercises with equipment (dumbbells, medicine balls,
poles etc.) or without equipment. The exercise complex is performed with
medium intensity over 5 to 15 min. Included in training 5 times a week in
the mornings.
14. Theper
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performed with low or medium intensity. It lasts 10 to 30 min. during the
warm-up.
15. Swimming 30 to 60 min. during the active rest period.
V Basic tasks To develop flexibility, to improve muscle elasticity, to improve
movement co-ordination.
16. Full range movement exercises for all joints (bends, turns, swings,
rotations etc.) with or without equipment. Each exercise is performed in

series of 4 to 6 repetitions, increasing the range gradually. 2 to 3 series

with 10 to 20 sec. recoveries. The total time 8 to 10 min. Performed during
each warm-up.

VI Basic tasks To improve movement coordination, to develop agility, to

develop power, to increase flexibility, to improve muscle elasticity, to develop
strength.
17. Tumbling exercises (rolls, turns, somersaults etc.) and exercises on the
trampoline. Performed steadily over 15 to 25 min. with short recoveries.
Included in basic training once a week.
18. Downhill skiing, 1 to 2 hours during leisure time.
19. Diving (8 to 12 dives) combined with swimming.
General physical conditioning demands a lot of time during the first four months
of the preparation period. In the following phases of training the volume of
general conditioning is reduced but continues.

SPECIFIC FOUNDATION
Specific conditioning, to develop the necessary functional capacities for a
particular event, begins in January. It aims to develop a specific foundation for an
event to improve strength, power, endurance and willpower, according to the

specific needs of an event over a period of 3 to 6 months. Specific conditioning is

made up from a repetitive executing of exercises that are similar to the event or
some part of it.

A specific foundation is needed for all events. However, it is often noticed that
jumpers, hurdlers and throwers neglect this demand, hoping that specific
exercises which develop strength, power, speed etc., combined with full effort
performances of the event, are all that is required. They overlook the need for a
specific foundation that is achieved through medium or near-maximum intensity
training with a very large volume. This includes the use or easier than normal
conditions (lower hurdles, shorter run-ups, lower bar, lighter implements etc.),
allowing to perform 100 to 200 repetitions of jumps, throws and hurdle
clearances a day.

Specific exercises are needed to supplement the event performances. This

applies to sprinters and hurdlers and even more to jumpers and throwers. These
specific exercises should be in their format similar to the event and are directed
in particular to power development. Such exercises are executed with a 75 to
80% intensity from the maximum as long as possible, at least three times a
week. Every day during the last month of the preparation period.
A lot of attention must be given to recovery during the high training loads in the
development of the specific foundation. The following suggestions might be
helpful:
The load should be reduced at the first sign of fatigue or muscular pain by
reducing first the training intensity.
One complete rest day in a fortnight is a must to prevent overloading.
Training venues and routines must be changed as often as possible to
prevent monotony.
A medical check-up every two months is advisable.

 Never forget that regular nutrition and sufficient sleep form an important
part of the training regimen.

SPECIFIC EXERCISES
The role of specific exercises in training has increased steadily in contemporary
training. The exercises shown in fig. 5 to 12 are, as far as possible, based on
event-specific movements, making use of their physical and psychological
characteristics to develop the strength, power, flexibility and speed components
of the single movements.
Imitation exercises to develop technique are also included among the specific
exercises. Such exercises copy the action of an actual event and are closely
related to ideomotor training. A large number of specific exercises require
equipment, including medicine balls, sand bags, barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics
apparatus, wall bars, ropes etc.
Specific exercises make only limited demand on nervous energy and can
therefore be performed with a large number of repetitions. The performance can
take place in easier or harder than normal conditions. Easier than normal
conditions (lighter implements, downhill running) are employed to develop the
speed component of the movements. Harder than normal conditions (heavier
implements, uphill running) are used for the development of the strength
component.

The chosen complex of specific exercises is divided over the whole week with
some of the exercises in the training program every day. Flexibility exercises and
exercises that develop certain technique elements can be included in the
preparation period into the warm-up. As a rule, specific exercises aimed for the
development of the speed component should be executed before event-specific
technique training. Specific exercises aimed to develop strength, power and
endurance should take place at the end of a training session.