Student FREE Bookstore   (CLICK HERE)

 

What is Specificity?

Introduction

SPECIFICITY PRINCIPLE.

The principle of specificity of training states that the way the body responds to physical activity is very specific to the activity itself. For example, someone who jogs can expect that their jogging performance would approve as well as their aerobic conditioning.

The principle of specificity states that sports training should be relevant and appropriate to the sport for which the individual is training in order to produce the desired effect. Additionally, training should progress from general conditioning to specific training for the particular skills required in that sport or activity.

 

Essentially, specificity training means that you must perform the skill in order to get better at it. It is the principle behind that old saying, “practice makes perfect.”

AUDIO REVISION: Listen to the audio and read the paragraph at the same time. 

Section One:

THE PRINCIPLE OF SPECIFICITY

In order to perform most sports and physical activities, you need a base level of fitness. The specificity principle of sports conditioning comes into play when an athlete wishes to excel in a specific sport or activity.1 Your training must go from highly general—such as lifting weights and cardio—to very specific so it includes performing that exercise or skill. For instance, to be a good cyclist, you must cycle. A runner should train by running, and a swimmer should train by swimming.

 

AUDIO REVISION: Listen to the audio and read the paragraph at the same time. 

GRAMMAR SECTION:  Conjunctions  conjunctions list DOWNLOAD

Section Two:

MIMICING TRAINING

Training mimics the action and skills that will be needed in the game or activity. It may concentrate on any combination of fitness components, such as strength, power, and endurance. For instance, while a marathon runner will train more for endurance and strength, a weightlifter is more concerned with strength and power.

 

NEW VOCABULARY:  to mimic,  components,  marathon runner,  endurance, strength

 

AUDIO REVISION:

Video Listening Section:   Watch and listen to the video and then answer the questions below.

 

 

Questions:

The questions below are not in chronological order

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. What is “SAID” ?

            2. What does it mean to “overload” a muscle?

            3.  Explain what “specificity” is.

            4. What is “overload”?

            5. Explain,  “The transfer of adaptations from any specific activity to another activity is minimal compared to doing the activity itself”

Section Three:

THE BENEFITS

The primary goal of specificity of training is to condition the muscles that will be used in the target activity. Over time, you develop muscle memory for specific actions so you can perform them without having to concentrate on them.

As you train, you are able to master the skills you will need and learn the best form to use. You can also progress to learning variations of those skills, which may be even more useful during a game or activity.

If you are training to run a race, for instance, you will work on your speed and endurance. But you also want to train under conditions that will mimic the race itself. This includes training in the same sort of terrain with hills, pavement, and weather conditions to build up to the distance and pace required.

NEW VOCABULARY:    primary goal,  target activity,  able to,  run a race,   endurance,  terrain,  hills,  pavements

 

AUDIO REVISION:

Section Four:

THE DRAWBACKS

A well-designed training programme does not neglect aspects of fitness that aren’t specific to a sport. You still need to maintain overall fitness and balance the development of opposing muscle groups.

 

NEW VOCABULARY:    Drawbacks,  neglect,  programme, maintain, overall, fitness,  opposing

 

AUDIO REVISION:

WRITING EXERCISE:

 

Write a short training programme for a young woman called Helen Smith. She  intends to run a 5k running race. The client has never run before but is reasonably fit and does a lot of walking. The 5k race will be in three months time. Include a day-by-day programme that she can follow easily.

 

____________________________

https://oxfordinstitutebook.club/free-downloads/

MOTORCYCLE PRODUCT LINK

References: