Acute physiological responses of blood flow restriction between high-intensity interval repetitions in trained cyclists.

Blood flow restriction (BFR) is increasingly being used to enhance aerobic performance in endurance athletes. This study examined physiological responses to BFR applied in recovery phases within a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session in trained cyclists. Eleven competitive road cyclists (mean ± SD, age: 28 ± 7 years, body mass: 69 ± 6 kg, peak oxygen uptake: 65 ± 9 mL · kg · min) completed two randomised crossover conditions: HIIT with (BFR) and without (CON) BFR applied during recovery phases.

Coconut Water: A Sports Drink Alternative?

Coconut water is used as an alternative to conventional sports drinks for hydration during endurance cycling; however, evidence supporting its use is limited. This study determined if drinking coconut water compared to a sports drink altered cycling performance and physiology. In a randomized crossover trial, 19 experienced male ( = 15) and female ( = 4) cyclists (age 30 ± 9 years, body mass 79 ± 11 kg, V̇O 55 ± 8 mL·kg·min) completed two experimental trials, consuming either a commercially available sports drink or iso-calorific coconut water during 90 min of sub-maximal cycling at 70% of their peak power output, followed by a simulated, variable gradient, 20 km time trial.

Effects of 7-day polyphenol powder supplementation on cycling performance and lung function in an ozone-polluted environment.

Purpose: Polluted environments can adversely affect lung function and exercise performance. Evidence suggests that some nutrient supplements may offset pollution's detrimental effects. This study examined the effect of polyphenol supplementation on lung function and exercise performance in an ozone-polluted environment.

Is Stryd critical power a meaningful parameter for runners?

Stryd is a foot pod that reliably estimates running power. Our objectives were to examine the efficacy of the website-generated Stryd critical power (CP) as a meaningful parameter for runners. 20 runners performed their regular training while wearing Stryd for a minimum of 6 weeks to generate CP.

Critical Power, Work Capacity, and Recovery Characteristics of Team-Pursuit Cyclists.

Purpose: Leading a 4-km team pursuit (TP) requires high-intensity efforts above critical power (CP) that deplete riders' finite work capacity (W'), whereas riders following in the aerodynamic draft may experience some recovery due to reduced power demands. This study aimed to determine how rider ability and CP and W' measures impact TP performance and the extent to which W' can reconstitute during recovery positions in a TP race.

Methods: Three TP teams, each consisting of 4 males, completed individual performance tests to determine their CP and W'.

The Effects of Blackcurrant and Caffeine Combinations on Performance and Physiology During Repeated High-Intensity Cycling.

Blackcurrant juices and extracts containing anthocyanin may provide ergogenic benefits to sports performance. However, there are no studies examining the effects of coingestion of blackcurrant and caffeine. This investigation examined the effects of acute supplementation with a proprietary blackcurrant beverage administered in isolation or in combination with caffeine on repeated high-intensity cycling.

Can physical activity be simplified for health benefit?

Aim: Physical activity (PA) offers protective benefits against at least 25 chronic conditions including psychological stress. The health benefits of PA may be largely attributed to improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). However, current guidelines based on PA duration and intensity are controversial, and both are prone to measurement error.

A Comparison of Different Prerace Warm-Up Strategies on 1-km Cycling Time-Trial Performance.

Purpose: Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and postactivation potentiation (PAP) are warm-up strategies proposed to improve high-intensity sporting performance. However, only few studies have investigated the benefits of these strategies compared with an appropriate control (CON) or an athlete-selected (SELF) warm-up protocol. Therefore, this study examined the effects of 4 different warm-up routines on 1-km time-trial (TT) performance with competitive cyclists.

A comparison of acute glycaemic responses to accumulated or single bout walking exercise in apparently healthy, insufficiently active adults.

Objectives: To investigate the acute glyacaemic response to accumulated or single bout walking exercise in apparently healthy adults.

Design: Three arm, randomised crossover control study.

Methods: Ten adults (age: 50±12.

The Effects of Different Forms of Caffeine Supplement on 5-km Running Performance.

Purpose: Caffeine is frequently used by athletes as an ergogenic aid. Various alternate forms of caffeine administration are available, which may produce different effects. This investigation compares the effects of different forms of caffeine supplementation on 5-km running performance, and the relationship between athlete ability and degree of enhancement attained.

The effects of muscle blood flow restriction during running training on measures of aerobic capacity and run time to exhaustion.

Purpose: Training with blood flow restriction (BFR) is known to enhance muscle mass and strength during resistance training activities. However, little is known about the BFR effects during aerobic training. This investigation examines the effects of running training performed with or without BFR on physiology and performance.

The effects of block training on pacing during 20-km cycling time trial.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of block training (BL) on pacing during a 20-km hilly cycling time trial (TT) in trained cyclists. Twenty male cyclists were separated into 2 groups: control and BL. The training of each cyclist was monitored during a period of 3 weeks.

Validity and Reliability of the PowerCal Device for Estimating Power Output During Cycling Time Trials.

Costa, VP, Guglielmo, LGA, and Paton, CD. Validity and reliability of the PowerCal device for estimating power output during cycling time trials. J Strength Cond Res 31(1): 227-232, 2017-This study assessed the validity and reproducibility of the PowerCal device for estimating power output (PO) during cycling hilly time trials (TTs).

Effects of a seven day overload-period of high-intensity training on performance and physiology of competitive cyclists.

Objectives: Competitive endurance athletes commonly undertake periods of overload training in the weeks prior to major competitions. This investigation examined the effects of two seven-day high-intensity overload training regimes (HIT) on performance and physiological characteristics of competitive cyclists.

Design: The study was a matched groups, controlled trial.

Validity and reliability of a new field test (Carminatti's test) for soccer players compared with laboratory-based measures.

The aim of this study was to assess the validity (Study 1) and reliability (Study 2) of a novel intermittent running test (Carminatti's test) for physiological assessment of soccer players. In Study 1, 28 players performed Carminatti's test, a repeated sprint ability test, and an intermittent treadmill test. In Study 2, 24 players performed Carminatti's test twice within 72 h to determine test-retest reliability.

Caffeinated chewing gum increases repeated sprint performance and augments increases in testosterone in competitive cyclists.

This investigation reports the effects of caffeinated chewing gum on fatigue and hormone response during repeated sprint performance with competitive cyclists. Nine male cyclists (mean ± SD, age 24 ± 7 years, VO(2max) 62.5 ± 5.

Effects of shoe cleat position on physiology and performance of competitive cyclists.

Purpose: Aerobic economy is an important factor that affects the performance of competitive cyclists. It has been suggested that placing the foot more anteriorly on the bicycle pedals may improve economy over the traditional foot position by improving pedaling efficiency. The current study examines the effects of changing the anterior-posterior pedal foot position on the physiology and performance of well-trained cyclists.

Acute signalling responses to intense endurance training commenced with low or normal muscle glycogen.

We have previously demonstrated that well-trained subjects who completed a 3 week training programme in which selected high-intensity interval training (HIT) sessions were commenced with low muscle glycogen content increased the maximal activities of several oxidative enzymes that promote endurance adaptations to a greater extent than subjects who began all training sessions with normal glycogen levels. The aim of the present study was to investigate acute skeletal muscle signalling responses to a single bout of HIT commenced with low or normal muscle glycogen stores in an attempt to elucidate potential mechanism(s) that might underlie our previous observations. Six endurance-trained cyclists/triathletes performed a 100 min ride at approximately 70% peak O(2) uptake (AT) on day 1 and HIT (8 x 5 min work bouts at maximal self-selected effort with 1 min rest) 24 h later (HIGH).

Effects of low- vs. high-cadence interval training on cycling performance.

High-resistance interval training produces substantial gains in sprint and endurance performance of cyclists in the competitive phase of a season. Here, we report the effect of changing the cadence of the intervals. We randomized 18 road cyclists to 2 groups for 4 weeks of training.

Supplementing regular training with short-duration sprint-agility training leads to a substantial increase in repeated sprint-agility performance with national level badminton players.

Repeated-agility sprint ability is an important performance characteristic of badminton players. However, it is unclear whether regular badminton training is sufficient to improve repeated-agility sprint ability or whether supplementary training is required. Therefore, our aim was to investigate whether supplementing regular group training with short sessions of badminton-specific agility-sprint training conferred any greater changes in performance than regular training alone.

Skeletal muscle adaptation and performance responses to once a day versus twice every second day endurance training regimens.

We determined the effects of a cycle training program in which selected sessions were performed with low muscle glycogen content on training capacity and subsequent endurance performance, whole body substrate oxidation during submaximal exercise, and several mitochondrial enzymes and signaling proteins with putative roles in promoting training adaptation. Seven endurance-trained cyclists/triathletes trained daily (High) alternating between 100-min steady-state aerobic rides (AT) one day, followed by a high-intensity interval training session (HIT; 8 x 5 min at maximum self-selected effort) the next day. Another seven subjects trained twice every second day (Low), first undertaking AT, then 1-2 h later, the HIT.

The effects of increased absolute training intensity on adaptations to endurance exercise training.

"Progressive overload" is regarded an important principle to consider in maximising endurance training adaptations, yet little scientific evidence supports this concept. The aim of the present study was to compare differences in endurance performance after a training regime where treadmill-running intensity was incrementally elevated to a regime where running intensity remained unchanged. Twenty-eight healthy untrained males and females were randomly and equally assigned into both regimes.

The effects of interval-exercise duration and intensity on oxygen consumption during treadmill running.

The magnitude of improvement in peak oxygen uptake (V(o)(2peak))) and performance to an exercise training regime is related to the V(o)(2) of prior accumulated exercise training bouts. However, it is unclear whether constant rate training (CRT) or interval training (INT) preferentially alters the V(o)(2) of running exercise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the acute V(o)(2) response to constant, and interval training sessions.

Caffeine has a small effect on 5-km running performance of well-trained and recreational runners.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if caffeine ingestion improves 5-km time-trial performance in well-trained and recreational runners. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 15 well-trained and 15 recreational runners completed two randomized 5-km time-trials, after ingestion of either 5mgkg(-1) of caffeine or a placebo. Caffeine ingestion significantly improved 5-km running performance in both the well-trained and recreational runners.

Effect of high-intensity resistance training on performance of competitive distance runners.

In a recent study competitive road cyclists experienced substantial gains in sprint and endurance performance when sessions of high-intensity interval training were added to their usual training in the competitive phase of a season. The current study reports the effect of this type of training on performance of 20 distance runners randomized to an experimental or control group for 5 to 7 weeks of training. The experimental group replaced part of their usual competitive-phase training with 10 x ?30-minute sessions consisting of 3 sets of explosive single-leg jumps (20 for each leg) alternating with 3 sets of resisted treadmill sprints (5 x ?30-second efforts alternating with 30-second recovery).