No abstract

In brief: The excellent endurance capacities of ten members of the Finnish motocross team, studied before and after a three-month program stressing endurance and strength, showed further improvement with intense training. Before the program they had 12.2% body fat and maximal oxygen consumption of 64.7 ml· kg(-1)· min(-1) during bicycle ergometry. After the program, fat decreased 7.7%, weight decreased insignificantly, VO2 max increased 12.4%, and anaerobic thresholds (AT) increased 21%, averaging 37.3 ml· kg(-1)· min(-1) (56.1% of VO(2) max). Heart rates at the AT increased 11.7%. Most physiological variables improved more at the AT than at maximum.