The principles of training are key concepts to be considered whilst undertaking training of any sort. It embodies, specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, training thresh-holds, variety and warm-up and cool-down. Understanding these concepts are key towards the undertaking of aerobic training.
Specificity refers towards tailoring a program in which is specific towards the goal or sport the athlete is undertaking, essentially training the correct energy system. (e.g. long distance for aerobic athletes). Specificity within aerobic training would be considered as undertaking long-distance or continuous training methods in which stresses the athlete, pushing and maintain their heart-rate to be within 70-80%. Rests should be minimal to continual place the cardio-respiratory system under stress, developing the bodies ability to utilise oxygen efficiently, increase haemoglobin levels and venous flow, overall increasing the V02 max. (E.g. fartlek running, up and down hills at a constant pace). If specificity is undertaken and training consists of short distance running, it trains the wrong energy system and therefore not considered to be aerobic as oxygen is not present. (e.g. 20m sprints).
Progressive overload refers towards slowly pushing the body's comfort zones, allowing physiological adaptations to occur, increasing attributes such as endurance and stamina. Undertaking progressive overload within aerobic training requires slowly increasing variables such as the distance covered (e.g. 3kms to 4kms) and minimising the time taken to complete the run. However, making sure adaptations occur are key before increasing the intensity and duration as it can lead towards overtraining and fatigue. Undertaking aerobic interval and decreasing the time taken to run 800m overtime is an example of progressive overload within aerobic training.
Through specificity of aerobic programs and developing specific training programs in which stress the cardio-respiratory system is key towards improving the endurance of an athlete by correctly training the energy system involved. Progressive overload can further be linked to aerobic training by slowly ramping up the intensity whilst decreasing the duration to develop the aerobic energy system whilst undertaking either continuous, fartlek, interval or circuit training.
Could possibly talk about warm-up and training thresholds but it's a really long response haha! Found it was awkwardish to tie in analyse.