Effect of Short-Term Training Cessation on Performance Measures in Distance Runners

Abstract

This study examined if measures associated with distance running performance were affected by short-term (14 d) training cessation in 12 distance runners. VO2max decreased by approximately 3 ml.kg-1.min-1 (mean +/- SE, 61.6 +/- 2.0 vs 58.7 +/- 1.8 ml.kg-1.min-1, p < 0.05) with training cessation. Time to exhaustion (TTE) during the incremental VO2max test decreased by 1.2 min (13.0 +/- 0.5 vs 11.8 +/- 0.5 min, p < 0.001) and maximal heart rate increased (p < 0.001) by 9 beats per minute (BPM). No changes in running economy (75 and 90% VO2max) were evident, although submaximal heart rate increased by 11 BPM (p < 0.001) at both running speeds. Other evidence for detraining were decreases in estimated resting plasma volume (-5.1 +/- 1.9%) and muscle citrate synthase activity (-25.3 +/- 2.6%, p < 0.05). Muscular atrophy (muscle fiber cross-sectional area) was not evident. TTE and submaximal heart rate exhibited relatively large percent changes (-9 and +6%, respectively) compared to VO2max (-4%). These findings indicate that the reduction in VO2max with short-term training cessation is relatively small. TTE and submaximal heart rate may be easily measured, yet more sensitive indicators of decrements in distance running performance.

Loss of resting bradycardia with detraining is associated with intrinsic heart rate changes

“…Resting bradycardia is considered to be a physiological marker for aerobic adaptation to exercise training, and the time course of resting bradycardia loss coincides with a reduction in both submaximal and maximal exercise performance (8). Figure 1 shows the time course of resting HR during the training and detraining periods.…”

The effectiveness of a 12-day training program restoring aerobic capacity after a break in training at football players’

“…The aforementioned functions of the trained organism lose their efficiency to different extents, and over different timespans. In blood volume, the changes occur very fast, and the decrease in the first days of decreasing training loads, is within the 5-12% range, in competitors well trained in terms of stamina , Houmard et al 1992, Thompson et al 1984). Changes in blood plasma volume are visible after a two day break in training (Culinane et al 1986).…”

“…The respiratory exchange ratio (RER) increases as far as the submaximal, and maximum values are concerned. This is the result of the increased participation of carbohydrates in eff orts of such nature (Coyle et al 1984, Moooore et al 1987, Houmard et al 1992, Maudsen et al 1993). A decrease in the level of GLUT-4, which transports glicose in muscle tissue, by 17-33%, after 6-10 days without training has a signifi cant infl uence on the changes in muscle metabolism (McCoy et al 1994, Vukovich et al 1996.…”

“…The anaerobic exercise level corresponds to the lover percentage of VO 2 max, which results from a decrease in the muscles' oxidative capacity to 50 % in the fi rst week of the break (Costilll et al 1985). The detrimental changes related to the break in training, also include: muscle capillarisation (Coyle et al 1984), myoglobin levels (Coyle et al 1984), muscle enzyme activity (Bangsbo, Mizuno 1987, Coyle et al 1984, Houmard et al 1992, McCoy et al 1994, Mikines et al 1989, and mitochondrial ATP production (Wibom et al 1992). Such a wide range of detrimental changes has to be taken into account while planning training after a break in the regular use of training loads.…”

The Interventional Use of Water Treadmill Running During Long Periods of Injury

“…8 As such the injured runner faces the predicament of a cessation in training, the onset of an initial negative psychological/emotional response(s), 9 followed by differing degrees of physiological and subsequent performance detraining effects. 10 Justifiably, such emotional responses are based on the substantiated and well documented understanding that physiological function decreases after as little as 3 weeks cessation 11,12 due primarily to cardiovascular system changes. [13][14][15] However, the differentiation between cessation of training and a reduction in training load (tapering response) in terms of physiological and performance response is critical.…”