Resistance Training for Endurance Athletes: Research

and Practical Application

Will Peveler Ph.D.

Question

•  Is resistance training beneficial for endurance athletes?

Before 12 weeks of resistance training

After 12 weeks of resistance training

Yes!

•  Resistance training in the off-season will lead to increased performance

•  Of the 19 studies reviewed, 16 support increased performance

•  The other three show no significant differences

Off-Season

•  There is no “off” in off-season – Last about 3-5 months – Decrease volume and intensity – Recover physically and mentally – Work on power for next season – Maintain necessary endurance base

•  Resistance training for endurance athletes is not a “strength” training program

•  You can not adapt a body building or strength program

•  Too high volume •  Common mistake made by lay population

Effects of Resistance Training on Endurance Performance

•  Concurrent training interferes with optimal strength gains (Hickson 1980)

•  Not a concern for endurance athletes •  Research has demonstrated that

concurrent training does not negatively impact endurance performance

•  No alteration in VO2max •  No decrease in endurance performance

measures •  Resistance training does not increase

aerobic capacity – VO2max Measures remain unaltered due to

resistance training •  Even when increases in performance are evident

Improved Performance

•  Increase in Time to exhaustion – Hickson et al. (1988)

•  Short-term endurance (5-8 min) increased by 11% (cycling) and 13% (Running)

•  Long-term (69-85 min) increased by 20% (cycling) – Running not measured in long-term (injury)

– Storen et al. (2008) •  Increased time to exhaustion by 20.3%, while

running at maximal aerobic speed

– Marcinik et al. (1991) •  Cycling time at 75% of VO2max increased by 33%

•  Increases in performance over a fixed distance or time – Aagaard et al. (2007)

•  Short-term endurance (distance traveled in 5 min) increased by 3-4%

•  Long-term endurance (distance traveled in 45 min) increased by 8%

– Paavolainen et al. (1999) •  5 km running time improved by 3.1%

•  Spurrs, Murphy, & Watsford (2003) – 3 km run time improved by 2.7%

•  Improvement in economy – Johnsten et al. (1997)

•  Improvement in economy running at 214 and 230 m·min-1 (8 & 8.5 mph)

– Millet et al. (2002) •  Improvement in economy (3km run at a fixed

resistance) – Spurrs, Murphy, & Watsford (2003)

•  Improved running economy (VO2 measures at 12, 14, & 16 km h-1)

– Storen et al. (2008) •  5% improvement in running economy at 70% of

VO2max – Turner, Owings, & Schwane (2003)

•  Running economy improved at three different submaximal intensities by 6-10%

•  Improvements in time to exhaustion and increases in performance can be attributed to improvement in economy – Due to no increase in VO2max – However, some studies did report an increase

in lactate threshold

–  Increased performance due to neuromuscular adaptations

•  Increased type I muscle fiber recruitment, which delays type II muscle fiber recruitment

– Reducing peak tension at submaximal levels

•  Improved motor unit recruitment patterns and synchronization

•  Improved stretch-shortening cycle during running –  Increased elastic energy from eccentric contraction – Reduce contact with ground

•  Increased lactate threshold – Current research has produced mixed results –  Increased LT would lead to increased

performance

•  Body composition – Most research does not support significant

changes in body composition in endurance athletes

– Hickson et al. (1988) •  Muscle biopsy- fiber diameter unchanged after

training

•  Increased power production – Noakes (1988), Nummela et al. (2006), and

Paavolainen et al. (1999) suggest that muscle power affects economy.

– For sprints and climbing

•  Decrease the risk of overuse injuries – Decrease muscle imbalance –  Increased joint stability –  Improved biomechanics

•  Increased bone density –  Important for cyclists and swimmers – Site specific

•  Most swimming studies concentrate on 50-200 meters – Trappe and Pearson (1994)

•  Compared pull-ups and dips with traditional weight training

•  365.8 meter time trial increased in both groups

– Sprint swimming research has demonstrated that resistance training improves:

•  Stroke rate •  Distance traveled per stroke •  Both would lead to increased performance in

distance swimming as well.

Practical Application

•  The average off season is about 12 weeks long. – When examining the training length of 13

studies: •  Mean of 9.31 ± 3.28 weeks •  Range = 5-16 weeks •  Improvement was evident even in 5 and 6 week

programs

Specificity

•  Exercises should be sport specific – Look at angle and speed of action – Cycling:

•  Soleus – Swimming:

•  Rotator cuff muscles

– Working core important for all

Types of Resistance Training

•  Weight Training •  Plyometrics •  Body management

– Sport specific resistance •  Cycling:

–  Tension intervals – Hill repeats

•  Running: – Hill repeats –  Stadium workouts

•  Swimming: –  Tethered swimming –  Paddles – Dry-land

•  Sudden increases in sport specific resistance training can lead to injury

•  Research shows improvement with all types of resistance training – Plyometrics – Weight Training

•  High reps/low weight •  High reps high speed •  Low reps/high weight

•  To date, one has not been shown to be more effective than another

Sedano et al.

•  differences between strength training (3 sets, 7 reps) and plyometrics, muscular endurance (3 sets, 20 reps), and a control group (band).

•  Both resistance groups improved significantly in strength, running economy, and peak velocity.

•  Only the strength and plyo group increased 3km run time.

Repetition and Sets

•  There is not a consensus on the correct amount of reps – Low reps (4-6), mid reps (8-12), and high reps

(up to 30) appear to work. •  Sets 1-3

•  Number of exercises – Keep program low volume – One large movement/muscle group – One small movement/muscle

Developing a program

•  Start slowly – DOMS

•  Cycling: no eccentric motion

–  Injury •  Technique

– Endurance athletes may not be familiar with proper technique

•  Days per week – One to three – Start with two days in the weight room and

one sport specific resistance – When you move from off-season to

preparation phase drop to one day/week. – Stop resistance training during competition

phase •  Can keep one day/week sport specific resistance

•  Volume – Do not add weight training on top of normal

off-season volume – Jackson, Hickey, & Reiser (2007)

•  Three groups: – Cycling only – High resistance (4 reps) – High repetition (20 reps)

•  No differences in performance between any group

•  Both resistance protocols were added on top of cycling

•  Subjects were also conducting hill repeats and intervals

•  Too high volume •  Subjects stated that they would not be able to keep

up the volume of training

•  Must keep an aerobic base

Contact Information

•  Will Peveler Ph.D. •  Email: pevelerw1@nku.edu •  Office: (859) 572-5960

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