Laboratory-Based Physical and Physiological Test Results That Serve as Predictors of Male, Amateur Road Cyclists' Performance Levels

Abstract

Coetzee, B, and Malan, D. Laboratory-based physical and physiological test results that serve as predictors of male, amateur road cyclists' performance levels. J Strength Cond Res 32(10): 2897-2906, 2018-The purposes of this study were first, to determine the practical significant differences of laboratory-based physical and physiological test results between a selected group of successful and less successful amateur, male road cyclists from Africa; and second, to determine the significance, adequacy, accurateness, and usefulness of laboratory-based physical and physiological test results to serve as predictors of these amateur, male road cyclists' performance levels. Male road cyclists, identified as the top amateur road cyclists of the cycling federations of 13 African countries, were subjected to a test battery for the measurement of lower-body flexibility, abdominal strength, peak and average anaerobic power output as well as maximum aerobic power. Practical significant differences between the successful and less successful road cyclists were found for almost all the Wingate related variables, some of the sub-maximum parameters, and most of the maximum physiological variables. Finally, the abdominal muscle strength test value, vertical jump distance, Wingate relative peak power, and respiratory compensation point expressed as percentage of V[Combining Dot Above]O2max and as relative power output were the physiological components that acted as adequate, accurate, and useful predictors of performance levels. Coaches and sport scientists should therefore include these components in testing protocols that are aimed at evaluating and improving cyclists' physical conditioning programs.

Age and Training-Related Changes on Body Composition and Fitness in Male Amateur Cyclists

“…Physiological variables obtained in laboratory tests are often associated with endurance cycling and peak power, for example, they are associated with tests that range in distance from 10 to 40 km [ 43 ]. These laboratory variables generally include VO 2 max, ventilatory, and lactic thresholds, but, in particular, the predictor variables are the Wingate anaerobic test expressed in W/kg and, most importantly, W/kg at ventilatory threshold 2 [ 43 ]. In our study, the anthropometric and BC variables (body height, fat percentage, and BMI) and the CRF variables (VO 2 max and HRmax) predicted PPO and, as a novel element, kilometers cycled per year.…”

Strength Training and Development in Competitive Speed Skating

“…In other time trial performance-based sports, such as track cycling, maximal strength and explosive power training have been shown to reduce overall time trial performance (13,36,42,43). Furthermore, the inclusion of maximal strength and explosive power training can decrease oxygen cost, increase time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic power, and improve cycling performance to exhaustion at 80% V̇ o 2 max (3,32,40).…”