- Overload: To precipitate improvements in performance, in a controlled way, athletes must be exposed to stresses in excess of that which they have been used to.
- Specificity: Athlete training programmes should contain large elements which mimic the movement demands, metabolic demands, technical and tactical requirements of the sport for which they are preparing.
- Individualisation: Don’t apply the same training stimulus to a squad of athletes and expect them all to respond in the same way!
- Reversibility: If you don’t use it – you lose it! Training effects are very quickly lost if training load is not adequate.
- Variation: If training programmes do not contain adequate variety, there is an increased risk of physical or psychological staleness, illness or injury.