Introduction
The following post and description of the investigation may already exist under a different name to “Dimensional Ratio Strength and Conditioning Training”, however I am yet to have found it, and if anybody knows more information on the topic or where to find information any guidance would be welcome. As a prospective Dissertation idea for my third year at university, I cannot reveal exact figures for any tests conducted on here as well as not being able to reveal names of individuals and institutions who I have contacted and worked with throughout the investigation.
The Hypothesis/Key Theory
Watching sport of any kind you can often observe that there is an archetypal physique of players and performers within certain positions in various sports. It is from these elite level performers where we can deduce a ratio of the size, mass and strength of their Arms, Legs and Torsos. Having been measured measured for size, mass and bodyfat recently through Skinfold Caliper and Hydrostatic Weighing Tests, I had been able to work out the ratios for my phsyical self. I contacted two Rugby Union Clubs who informed me that the measurements and ratios which I produced were similar to the average “Back” player (Examples of those appearing to be similar to myself being Harry Mallinder and George North who currently play for Northampton Saints RUFC), despite me being far lighter and skinnier than the players which they had tested. It is with this I have hypothesised that the weights and resistances which I use in my personal workout regimes can be scaled up or down for people playing as Rugby Union Backs to achieve a physique and level of conditioning similar to that of an archetypal elite player. An example of this being that if I trained biceps by performing 3 sets of 8 reps of 20kg barbell curls if a player is twice as big as myself they would be optimally training by performing the same amount of reps and sets with 40kg of weight.
Within this other conditions would need to be met such as body fat percentage as somebody with a higher body fat percentage would not have the same strength and amount of muscle mass as somebody at the same weight with lower fat percentage, therefore a standard level of bodyfat (Around 7%-8%) would have to be established and achieved before beginning the resistance training would begin. A point of interest within the investigation would be how people of different Body Types and Heights respond to the resistances.
Through the BMI calculation anybody can calculate (with the same bodyfat percentage of the envisioned person) how much they would need to weigh to theoretically look or be as strong as a desired person as the formula can be rearranged to find out required weight from the height and BMI figure of the individuals involved. This factor considered it will be an area of curiosity as to whether, ideal and replica body image can be achieved regardless of height.
Plan of Method
As I am currently participating on the “Train Like a Pro 2016” programme I am not going to be able to test myself by finding elite athlete training programmes and scaling it down to my weight until January. However with regards to testing on willing participants I must first establish a list of exercises which are able to be performed at virtually every gym in the world to allow greater access to participants, not restricting them to one gym. Any participants that I would work with personally would not be able to be recruited until September at the very earliest when the academic year starts. It is from there that progress would be individually and personally assessed, and evaluated by each participant over the course of several months with the longer the time period conducted over, the more accurate and reliable the results and conclusions would be.
Finishing Notes
Chances are that once University starts up again in September, I will have to abandon this project, with the vast array of external factors from student life taking effect on myself and the possible participants. Therefore if anybody would like to use and review this hypothesis please share and comment on this post. I will try to keep on task and report back with various updates with the first most likely to be in January.
cragbanna 