Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 1

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Define the key training principles.
• Identify and apply specificity, overload, progression, and recovery.
• Demonstrate a training activity using these principles.
• Create a simple training portfolio.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces the fundamental principles that govern effective physical training for sports. In Ghana, we love our sports – from the fierce competition of the Inter-Schools & Colleges Athletics ("Inter-co") to the passion for our national football teams like the Black Stars and Black Queens. However, just training hard is not enough; we must train *smart*. Understanding these principles helps athletes improve their performance, avoid injuries, and reach their full potential. This knowledge is crucial not only for aspiring professional athletes but for anyone who wants to improve their personal fitness and live a healthier life.

Lesson notes

To train effectively, we must follow a set of scientific rules. A useful way to remember the main principles is the acronym S.P.O.R.T. The S.P.O.R.T. Principles of Training Specificity Definition: This principle states that training must be specific to the sport you are training for, the type of fitness required, and the muscle groups used. In simple terms, the training you do must match the needs of your sport. Explanation: The body adapts to the specific type of stress placed upon it. If you want to become a better sprinter, you must practice sprinting, not long-distance running. If you want a stronger arm for throwing a javelin, you must do exercises that strengthen the muscles in your shoulder, arm, and core. Ghanaian Example: A student preparing for the 100m race at "Inter-co" should focus their training on explosive power exercises like short sprints, box jumps, and weight training for leg power. It would be an inefficient use of their time to run 10 kilometres every day, as that builds endurance, not the explosive speed needed for a 100m dash. Progression Definition: Progression means gradually increasing the amount of work or stress on the body during training as fitness improves. This increase must be slow and steady to allow the body time to adapt. Explanation: As your body adapts to a certain level of training, it will no longer be challenged. To continue improving, you must make your training slightly harder over time. If you progress too quickly, you risk injury. If you don't progress at all, your fitness will plateau (stop improving). Ghanaian Example: A student at St. Thomas Aquinas SHS starts a weightlifting programme. In week 1, they can bench press 40kg for 8 repetitions. To apply progression, in week 3 they might aim to lift 42.5kg for 8 repetitions, or lift 40kg for 10 repetitions. They have made the workout slightly harder to force their body to adapt and get stronger. Overload Definition: Overload means working the body harder than it is normally used to working. This stress forces the body to adapt and become stronger or fitter. Progression is simply how you apply overload over a long period. Explanation: To improve any aspect of fitness (strength, speed, stamina), you must push your body beyond its "comfort zone." This is the fundamental key to making gains. We can achieve overload by using the F.I.T.T. Principle.

The F.I.T.T. Principle (How to Apply Overload) F - Frequency: How *often* you train. *Example:* Increasing your training sessions from 3 times a week to 4 times a week. I - Intensity: How *hard* you train. *Example:* Running at a faster pace (e.g., 80% of your maximum heart rate instead of 70%) or lifting a heavier weight. T - Time: How *long* you train for (duration). *Example:* Increasing your jogging time from 30 minutes to 40 minutes per session. T - Type: What *kind* of training you do. *Example:* To improve cardiovascular fitness, you should engage in activities like running, swimming, or cycling. Changing the type of exercise can also introduce a new challenge (overload) to the body. Reversibility (or De-training) Definition: This principle states that if you stop training, the fitness gains you have made will be lost over time. It is often summarized as "Use it or lose it." Explanation: The adaptations your body made during training are not permanent. When training stops, the body will slowly revert to its pre-training condition. Strength and speed are lost more quickly than endurance. Ghanaian Example: A talented footballer from Mfantsipim School gets a long vacation break of two months. If he does no training during this time, when he returns to school, he will find he gets tired much faster, can't run as fast, and isn't as strong as he was at the end of the previous term. He has experienced reversibility. Tedium (or Variety) Definition: Tedium refers to the boredom that can result from doing the same training routine over and over again. The principle suggests that including variety in your training is important to keep you motivated and engaged. Explanation: Motivation is key to consistent training. If a training programme is boring, an athlete is less likely to stick to it. Varying the exercises, the location of training, or training with different people can help prevent tedium. Ghanaian Example: A long-jumper from Wesley Girls' High School needs to improve her leg power. Instead of only doing squats in the gym every day, she could apply variety by: Monday: Squats and lunges (Gym) Wednesday: Hill sprints and jumping drills (School field) Friday: Plyometric training on the beach (e.g., jumping in the sand at Cape Coast for added resistance).

Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Here are some scenarios to practice applying the principles. We will work through them together.

Evaluation guide

• Apply the training principles for sports performance
• Activity -based learning: Individuals lead training activities by applying training
• principles. Peers observe and comment
• Project -Based Learning: Develop portfolios to showcase the application of the