Preparation periods in endurance sports like triathlon are characterized by long slow distance training sessions. Most of the athletes add high intensity training sessions to their "classic" training regime only immediately before the competition period begins. Recent publications have shown that high intensity training also increases performance capacity for long distance athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate how two weeks of high intensity training during the preparation period affect the performance capacity of young triathletes. Methods: 13 junior triathletes took part in this study (10 male, 3 female; 15.4 ± 1.9 years; 171.0 ± 8.3 cm; 58.3 ± 8.8 kg). They conducted two microcycles of different training regimes. In the first two week cycle exclusively high intensity interval training was performed. The second two week cycle included long slow distance training only. One week before and after each training cycle the athletes were tested with a 20 min time trial, a ramp test protocol to determine the VO2max, and a Wingate Anaerobic Test. For all tests a cycle ergometer (SRM, Schoberer Rad Messtechnik, Juelich, Germany) was used. Results: Relative VO2max of the athletes showed no changes during the whole preparation period. The mean power output during the time trial, as well as the peak power output during the ramp test was significantly higher after the first (high intensity) training cycle. The second (long slow distance) training cycle did not lead to a further increase of performance in both tests. Peak power output during the Wingate Anaerobic Test was unchanged after both periods. The mean power output and the fatigue index were unchanged after the high intensity training and significantly lower after the long slow distance training cycle. Discussion: The classical model of periodization suggests to perform long slow distance training for the most of the preparation period. We could show that performance in junior triathletes is significantly increased after a high intensity shock microcycle incorporated in the preparation period. A following microcycle with "classical" low intensity training does not lead to a further increase in performance in this study. Additionally we could not detect any sign of overtraining or overreaching in the young athletes as a result of the high intensity training.
© Copyright 2012 17th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Bruges, 4. -7. July 2012. Veröffentlicht von Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.