Weight Lifting Routines Used by Elite Female Athletes

in the same sport can vary considerably. As a former elite athlete, I learned about the weight lifting routines of other internationally-competitive athletes in a variety of sports by training and competing with them. I also interviewed many during graduate school.

In one study, I compared the weight training programs of elite athletes with (a) weight lifting routines published in popular magazines and (b) research in professional journals.

I also purchased books in East Germany about sports training methods used by female athletes in the former Communist countries.

I found that elite athletes' workout routines were quite inconsistent in nature. For example, top distance runners either (a) did not train with weights at all, (b) used medicine balls only, (c) trained on weight machines, or (d) used only free weight training programs.

I found similar results for athletes in other sports, with some exceptions. Programs tend to have more commonalities in events where strength and power are important.

Interestingly, I learned that the actual strength and conditioning used by elite athletes did not match those advocated in popular magazines, and loosely reflected the research literature. The programs in magazines were quite inconsistent with the implications of the research literature. The sources from East Germany presented quite a different approach to training altogether.

Even though there were many inconsistencies among weight lifting routines, popular opinion, and research, all top female athletes had confidence in their own programs.

Today, athletes, coaches, and trainers are more knowledgeable about sound weight training principles and practices. But it is still challenging to find the most effective workout routine in each sport for each female athlete.

Chinese and USA Women Shotputters One of the challenges concerns occasional misapplications of research findings to weight training. Another relates to role models--the outstanding athletes whose programs have been effective for them. However, their programs may or may not be best suited for less experienced athletes, or for women.

To add more to the "most effective program" challenge, "buzz words", "systems", and training trends continue to sweep the nation, and then disappear. The fitness and sports industries have certainly produced many types of equipment, most being touted as "revolutionary", "amazing", "scientifically-designed", and often quite costly.

How do you know which which weight training program is best for you as a female athlete? It's hard to know exactly, but you can: (a) find consistencies among programs used successfully by female athletes in your sport, (b) be open to new ideas, and (c) evaluate programs and techniques based on the common sense test.

Always use the Principles of Training as a guide to making weightlifting program decisions, and use the Training Steps as the road map for charting your progress so you can continue to revise and improve your weight training program. Most of all, have confidence in your individualized training program and in your ability to achieve your goals and your vision. See The Principle of Individualization

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