General adaptation syndrome

Physical adaptation to training: general adaptation syndrome

The reason why training can improve a person's athletic performance is based on the body's ability to respond to stress. Canadian psychologist Hans Seyle has published a model that is widely used in response to stress in the environment, called general adaptive synthesis. General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). Since this model can properly describe the body's response to training, this model has now become the basis of training theory.

What is the general adaptation syndrome?

In order to maintain its stability when the organism receives pressure (defining pressure), the response to stress can be divided into three phases:

Alarm: The first creature under pressure will produce a so-called "fighting or flight" reaction, or paralysis. During the alarm phase, the body temporarily reduces the resistance to stress and informs the body to enter the resistance phase (Resistance).

Resistance: The body begins to resist stressors and increases tolerance to stressors.

Exhaustion: If the pressure source continues to be too long or stronger than the body can load, the body's resistance will decline and enter the fatigue period. At this stage, it will cause harm to the body and even death.

If the body does not suffer excessive stress due to stress after entering the fatigue period, the body will begin to recover after the pressure source disappears, and the body's ability to resist the same stressor is increased by the mechanism of super-recovery. Is this mechanism followed? Training is very similar? Yes, in fact, training is appropriate to put the body under pressure (various physical training), so that the body continues to experience the general adaptation syndrome and super-recovery mechanism to increase tolerance to stressors. The result of this time is that the strength is enhanced, the muscles are stronger, and the physical fitness is better! With this understanding, we can try to define the training:

Training: A systematic process that increases the body's ability to resist the same stress in the future by constantly exposing the body to appropriate stress.

Finally, let's take a look at a few of the training principles built on the above cognitive:

1. The intensity of training needs to be adjusted based on the athlete's own abilities. The same menu may be enough for the veterans to provide enough stimulation to make him improve, but for the novice, too much pressure can cause “overtraining” even if it does not cause injury, but there is no way to recover. The process increases resistance to stress.

2. The pressure exerted by the training needs to match the athlete's ability to increase (consistent with the goal of the movement). This is also known as the "special" training, the body will only increase the resistance to specific pressures when recovering, so you must know your goals clearly during training.

3. The body needs rest. As mentioned earlier, sustained stress can lead to injury or death in the end. Remember, you won't get stronger in practice, you will only get stronger when you practice rest!