Abstract
This study was undertaken to analyze changes in selected cardiovascular and neuromuscular variables in a group of elite kayakers across a 12-week periodized cycle of combined strength and endurance training. Eleven world-class level paddlers underwent a battery of tests and were assessed four times during the training cycle (T0, T1, T2, and T3). On each occasion subjects completed an incremental test to exhaustion on the kayak-ergometer to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), second ventilatory threshold (VT2), peak blood lactate, paddling speed at VO2max (PSmax) and at VT2 (PSVT2), stroke rate at VO2max and at VT2, heart rate at VO2max and at VT2. One-repetition maximum (1RM) and mean velocity with 45% 1RM load (V 45%) were assessed in the bench press (BP) and prone bench pull (PBP) exercises. Anthropometric measurements (skinfold thicknesses and muscle girths) were also obtained. Training volume and exercise intensity were quantified for each of three training phases (P1, P2, and P3). Significant improvements in VO2max (9.5%), VO2 at VT2 (9.4%), PSmax (6.2%), PSVT2 (4.4%), 1RM in BP (4.2%) and PBP (5.3%), V 45% in BP (14.4%) and PBP (10.0%) were observed from T0 to T3. A 12-week periodized strength and endurance program with special emphasis on prioritizing the sequential development of specific physical fitness components in each training phase (i.e. muscle hypertrophy and VT2 in P1, and maximal strength and aerobic power in P2) seems effective for improving both cardiovascular and neuromuscular markers of highly trained top-level athletes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker D (2001) The effects of an in-season of concurrent training on the maintenance of maximal strength and power in professional and college-aged rugby league football players. J Strength Cond Res 15:172–177. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2001)015<0172:TEOAIS>2.0.CO;2
Baker DG, Newton RU (2007) Change in power output across a high-repetition set of bench throws and jump squats in highly trained athletes. J Strength Cond Res 21:1007–1011. doi:10.1519/R-22376.1
Baker DG, Wilson R, Carlyon R (1994) Periodization: the effect on strength of manipulating volume and intensity. J Strength Cond Res 8:235–242. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(1994)008<0235:PTEOSO>2.3.CO;2
Bell GJ, Syrotuik D, Martin TP, Burnham R, Quinney HA (2000) Effect of strength and endurance training on skeletal muscle properties and hormone concentrations in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 81:418–427. doi:10.1007/s004210050063
Bishop D, Bonetti D, Dawson B (2002) The influence of pacing strategy on VO2 and supramaximal kayak performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:1041–1047. doi:10.1097/00005768-200206000-00022
Craig BW, Lucas J, Pohlman R, Stelling H (1991) The effects of running, weightlifting and a combination of both on growth hormone release. J Appl Sport Sci Res 5:198–203
Cronin JB, Sleivert G (2005) Challenges in understanding the influence of maximal power training on improving athletic performance. Sports Med 35:213–234. doi:10.2165/00007256-200535030-00003
Docherty D, Sporer B (2000) A proposed model for examining the interference phenomenon between concurrent aerobic and strength training. Sports Med 30:385–394. doi:10.2165/00007256-200030060-00001
Drinkwater EJ, Lawton TW, Lindsell RP, Pyne DB, Hunt PH, McKenna MJ (2005) Training leading to repetition failure enhances bench press strength gains in elite junior athletes. J Strength Cond Res 19:382–388. doi:10.1519/R-15224.1
Drinkwater EJ, Lawton TW, McKenna MJ, Lindsell RP, Hunt PH, Pyne DB (2007) Increased number of forced repetitions does not enhance strength development with resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 21:841–847. doi:10.1519/R-20666.1
Dudley GA, Djamil R (1985) Incompatibility of endurance and strength training modes of exercise. J Appl Physiol 59:1446–1451
Fleck SJ (1999) Periodized strength training: a critical review. J Strength Cond Res 13:82–89. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(1999)013<0082:PSTACR>2.0.CO;2
Folland JP, Irish CS, Roberts JC, Tarr JE, Jones DA (2002) Fatigue is not a necessary stimulus for strength gains during resistance training. Br J Sports Med 36:370–374. doi:10.1136/bjsm.36.5.370
Fry RW, Morton AR (1991) Physiological and kinanthropometric attributes of elite flatwater kayakists. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23:1297–1301. doi:10.1249/00005768-199111000-00016
Häkkinen K, Alen M, Kraemer WJ, Gorostiaga E, Izquierdo M, Rusko H, Mikkola J, Häkkinen A, Valkeinen H, Kaarakainen E, Romu S, Erola V, Ahtiainen J, Paavolainen L (2003) Neuromuscular adaptations during concurrent strength and endurance training versus strength training. Eur J Appl Physiol 89:42–52. doi:10.1007/s00421-002-0751-9
Hennessy LC, Watson (1994) The interference effects of training for strength and endurance simultaneously. J Strength Cond Res 8:12–19. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(1994)008<0012:TIEOTF>2.3.CO;2
Hickson RC (1980) Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance. Eur J Appl Physiol 45:255–263. doi:10.1007/BF00421333
Hickson RC, Dvorak BA, Gorostiaga EM, Kurowski TT, Foster C (1988) Potential for strength and endurance training to amplify endurance performance. J Appl Physiol 65:2285–2290
Hunter G, Demment R, Miller D (1987) Development of strength and maximum oxygen uptake during simultaneous training for strength and endurance. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 27:269–275
Izquierdo M, Häkkinen K, González-Badillo JJ, Ibáñez J, Gorostiaga EM (2002) Effects of long-term training specificity on maximal strength and power of the upper and lower extremities in athletes from different sports. Eur J Appl Physiol 87:264–271. doi:10.1007/s00421-002-0628-y
Izquierdo M, Häkkinen K, Ibáñez J, Kraemer WJ, Gorostiaga EM (2005) Effects of combined resistance and cardiovascular training on strength, power, muscle cross-sectional area, and endurance markers in middle-aged men. Eur J Appl Physiol 94:70–75. doi:10.1007/s00421-004-1280-5
Izquierdo M, Ibañez J, González-Badillo JJ, Häkkinen K, Ratamess NA, Kraemer WJ, French DN, Eslava J, Altadill A, Asiain X, Gorostiaga EM (2006a) Differential effects of strength training leading to failure versus not to failure on hormonal responses, strength, and muscle power gains. J Appl Physiol 100:1647–1656. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01400.2005
Izquierdo M, González-Badillo JJ, Häkkinen K, Ibañez J, Kraemer WJ, Altadill A, Eslava J, Gorostiaga EM (2006b) Effect of loading on unintentional lifting velocity declines during single sets of repetitions to failure during upper and lower extremity muscle actions. Int J Sports Med 27:718–724. doi:10.1055/s-2005-872825
Kraemer WJ (2005) The body of knowledge: Use and professionalism. Strength Cond 27:33–35
Kraemer WJ, Patton JF, Gordon SE, Harman EA, Deschenes MR, Reynolds K, Newton RU, Triplett NT, Dziados JE (1995) Compatibility of high-intensity strength and endurance training on hormonal and skeletal muscle adaptations. J Appl Physiol 78:976–989
Leveritt M, Abernethy PJ, Barry B, Logan PA (1999) Concurrent strength and endurance training. Sports Med 28:413–427. doi:10.2165/00007256-199928060-00004
Leveritt M, MacLaughlin H, Abernethy PJ (2000) Changes in leg strength 8 and 32 h after endurance exercise. J Sports Sci 18:865–871. doi:10.1080/026404100750017797
Marques MC, González-Badillo JJ (2006) In-season resistance training and detraining in professional team handball players. J Strength Cond Res 20:563–571. doi:10.1519/R-17365.1
McCarthy JP, Agre JC, Graf BK, Pozniak MA, Vailas AC (1995) Compatibility of adaptive responses with combining strength and endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 27:429–436. doi:10.1249/00005768-199503000-00021
McCarthy JP, Pozniak MA, Agre JC (2002) Neuromuscular adaptations to concurrent strength and endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:511–519. doi:10.1097/00005768-200203000-00019
Mikkola JS, Rusko HK, Nummela AT, Paavolainen LM, Häkkinen K (2007) Concurrent endurance and explosive type strength training increases activation and fast force production of leg extensor muscles in endurance athletes. J Strength Cond Res 21:613–620. doi:10.1519/R-20045.1
Millet GP, Jaouen B, Borrani F, Candau R (2002) Effects of concurrent endurance and strength training on running economy and VO2 kinetics. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:1351–1359. doi:10.1097/00005768-200208000-00018
Nader GA (2006) Concurrent strength and endurance training: from molecules to man. Med Sci Sports Exerc 38:1965–1970. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000233795.39282.33
Sale DG, MacDougall JD, Jacobs I, Garner S (1990a) Interaction between concurrent strength and endurance training. J Appl Physiol 68:260–270
Sale DG, Jacobs I, MacDougall JD, Garner S (1990b) Comparison of two regimens of concurrent strength and endurance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:348–356. doi:10.1249/00005768-199006000-00012
Sporer BC, Wenger HA (2003) Effects of aerobic exercise on strength performance following various periods of recovery. J Strength Cond Res 17:638–644. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2003)017<0638:EOAEOS>2.0.CO;2
Tesch P, Piehl K, Wilson G, Karlsson J (1976) Physiological investigations of Swedish elite canoe competitors. Med Sci Sports 8:214–218
Tesch P, Piehl K, Wilson G, Karlsson J (1983) Physiological characteristics of elite kayak paddlers. Can J Appl Sport Sci 8:87–91
Tidow G (1995) Muscular adaptations induced by training and de-training. A review of biopsy studies. N Stud Athlet 10:47–56
Van Someren KA, Oliver JE (2002) The efficacy of ergometry determined heart rates for flatwater kayak training. Int J Sports Med 23:28–32. doi:10.1055/s-2002-19268
Willoughby DS (1993) The effects of mesocycle-length weight training programmes involving periodization and partially equated volumes on upper and lower body strength. J Strength Cond Res 7:2–8. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(1993)007<0002:TEOMLW>2.3.CO;2
Acknowledgments
We thank personnel from the Andalusian High-Performance Sports Medicine Centre in Seville for their excellent technical help with laboratory apparatus and medical assistance to the athletes. We also acknowledge the dedicated effort, commitment and professionalism of the selected group of kayakers, who took part in this research.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest relevant to the content of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
García-Pallarés, J., Sánchez-Medina, L., Carrasco, L. et al. Endurance and neuromuscular changes in world-class level kayakers during a periodized training cycle. Eur J Appl Physiol 106, 629–638 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1061-2
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1061-2