chapter 14: improving aerobic...

Chapter 14: Improving Aerobic Performance

Rachel Davis, Britt Chandler, and Jeff Chandler

Chandler, T.J., & Brown, L.E. (2008). Conditioning for strength and human performance. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

Chapter 14: Improving Aerobic PerformanceRachel Davis, Britt Chandler, and Jeff Chandler


Thought Questions

Why would aerobic athletes perform resistance training exercises?

What are advantages and disadvantages of Fartlek training?

What are advantages of interval training for the aerobic athlete? The anaerobic athlete?

In what situations would you choose interval training over continuous training for an athlete?



Introduction Aerobic exercise is often used as a mode of training and conditioning

for athletic and physical fitness

Although traditional aerobic training may not be appropriate for explosively trained athletes, depending on the sport, sprint/interval training may be useful in maintaining or improving aerobic metabolism



Factors That Influence Aerobic Exercise Performance

Understanding those factors that influence aerobic exercise performance is important for helping both with athlete selection and for planning endurance training programs.

Factors that influence aerobic performance include the following:

Maximal oxygen consumption

Lactate threshold

Fuel utilization

Fiber-type characteristics

Exercise economy



Maximal oxygen consumption: maximum rate at which an individual can consume oxygen

Lactate threshold: percentage of maximal oxygen consumption at which blood lactate increases above resting

Ability to use fuel efficiently can have a large impact on endurance performance

Individuals with a higher percentage of type I muscle fibres will perform better at endurance

One who can perform the exercises more efficiently may spare energy stores and perform more work than one who performs less efficiently



Approaches to Aerobic Training Lack of standardization of terms, lack of scientific support, and

coaching prejudice can make it difficult to understand the different approaches to aerobic training

Several broad approaches to endurance training are the following:

Continuous training Interval training

Fartlek training Repetitions



Continuous Training Designed to increases an athletes endurance base, maximal oxygen

consumption, and tissue respiration capacity

Also known as long, slow distance (LSD) training, overdistancetraining, and aerobic threshold training

Performed for lengths of between 30 minutes and 2 hours at a constant pace, between 60 and 70% of maximal oxygen capacity

May lack specificity and may expose athletes to overuse injuries

Does appear to improve maximal oxygen consumption and performance for endurance athletes



Fartlek Training Often referred to as speed play

Refers to loosely structured training performed on cross-county trails

Runner alternated between fast, intense running and slower recovery jobs, often allowing the terrain to dictate the intensity

May be too loosely structured to maximize gains from training

As the body of knowledge in the field of training and conditioning grows, more evidence-based research will be available that can be used to prescribe sport-specific structured Fartlek training programs



Interval Training Allows for greater quantity of normally exhaustive exercise to be

performed

Has a number of benefits to an endurance athlete:

1. Teaches race pace

2. Can improve anaerobic metabolism

3. Can enhance maximal oxygen consumption

Variables than can be manipulated during interval training:

Intensity of the exercise

Duration of the exercise interval

Length of recovery

Number of repetitions of the exercise-recovery intervals



Intensity of the Exercise The intensity of the exercise interval will affect the workouts total

volume and the rest of the weeks workouts

Intense interval training can result in a dramatic reduction in muscle glycogen concentration, an increase in muscle lactate concentrations, and a decrease in pH



Duration of the Exercise Interval The duration of the exercise interval will be dictated by the goals of

the training and sometimes by the distance to be covered in the race

Interval training can be organized around targeting specific energy systems

In addition to guidelines about length of time, duration of the intervals can also be based on distances to be run in the race



Length of Recovery

Length of the recovery can affect how that energy system is trained and how it adapts

Recovery times should also be driven by exercise intensity

Unless the goal is to get the athlete used to functioning with high levels of lactic acid, recovery times must be increased as intensity increases



Number of Repetitions There are a number of approaches to calculating the number of

repetitions of the interval training sessions

Workout volume can be based on the length of the athletes competitive distance, with the workouts volume equaling between one and three times the competitive distance

Another method is to base volume on the intensity at which the intervals will be run

As intensity increased, total workout volume would decrease

A final method is to determine volume by fatigue

Interval training appears to be an effective way to target an athletes deficiencies, but it is extremely demanding and requires a fitness base before this training activity is initiated



Repetitions

More intense version of interval training

Performed at a faster pace with complete recovery between bouts

They are designed to increase speed as well as both the capacity for and the tolerance of anaerobic metabolism

Generally repetitions are defined as being of high intensity, 90% of maximal oxygen consumption and above, with complete recovery between repetitions



Organizing Aerobic Exercise Training

1. Balance the hard and easy days

2. Warm up properly. It is important for decreasing the risk of injuries and for maximizing performance.

3. Establish a fitness base first. Training volume should be increased by no more than 5-10% per week.

4. Determine weak points an deficiencies and train them

5. For pure endurance athletes, dont neglect resistance training



Examples of workouts with different numbers of peaks. A. Week with one peak. B. Week with two peaks. C. Week with three peaks



Endurance Training

Although there is research showing that each type of endurance training is effective, most of that is focused on one type of training

In addition to being unclear as to whether specific types of endurance training are more effective than others, there is little research about how that training should be put together, balanced, or timed. This makes it difficult to prescribe endurance training programs with a scientific basis.



Sample Cross-Country Training Program

Four phases

1. General preparation: June (4 weeks)

2. Special preparation: July (4 weeks)

3. Precompetition: August (4 weeks)

4. Competition: September to November (10 weeks)



General Preparation Phase During this phase, as the athlete

should be developing his or her fitness base, the focus will be on continuous training

The general preparation phase will consist of weeks with a single peak (Wednesday)

During this phase, the peak will be the longest run of the week, which will be twice the competition distance on the first week of training

Volume increases during the first 3 weeks and then backs off during the fourth week to give the athlete a chance to recover



Special Preparation Phase The special preparation phase

will continue increasing the volume

More specialized work will begin to be integrated into the training

Training will be recognized slightly around two peaks per week; Tuesday will be the longest distance day

Special preparation workouts will continue to follow the 5-10% rules for increasing volume



Precompetition Phase

Now that the athletes base has been established, precompetitiontraining will be used to correct deficiencies

Interval training may be utilized more extensively, while continuous training is used for recovery and to maintain endurance

Workouts in this phase will revolve around three peaks: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

This phase will increase volume from week 1 through week 3. The fourth week will serve as a back-off week to allow for recovery.



Competition

Designed to make sure that the athlete is at his or her best during the important competitions

This phase will also have three peaks

Because competitions are on the weekend, however, the competition will be one of the peaks

The other peaks will be on Monday and Wednesday, so that Thursday and Friday can serve as recovery days



Summary Performance in aerobic exercise depends on the interaction of a

number of factors, including maximal oxygen consumption, lactate threshold, fuel utilization, muscle-fiber types, and exercise economy.

There are many approaches to training to improve aerobic performance, each of which seeks to develop one or more of the factors that limit performance.

Each of these approaches has advantages and limitations that must be carefully thought out during the planning of an athlete's training.

The jury is still out on precisely how those exercise modes should be organized, balanced, and timed in a training program, although research is being done in this area

Slide Number 1Thought QuestionsIntroductionFactors That Influence Aerobic Exercise Performance Slide Number 5Approaches to Aerobic TrainingContinuous TrainingFartlek TrainingInterval TrainingIntensity of the ExerciseDuration of the Exercise IntervalLength of Recovery Number of RepetitionsRepetitionsOrganizing Aerobic Exercise TrainingSlide Number 16Slide Number 17Endurance TrainingSample Cross-Country Training ProgramGeneral Preparation PhaseSlide Number 21Special Preparation PhasePrecompetition PhaseCompetitionSummary

chapter 14: improving aerobic...

Documents