Conditioning is undoubtedly one of the most debated facets of training. If you were to ask 5 or 6 sports medicine or exercise science professionals their opinions on conditioning, you would almost surely receive 5 or 6 entirely different descriptions of what is optimal in terms of conditioning. Not to mention if you asked the same group to generally define what conditioning is it is quite possible you would hear 5 or 6 different definitions. I feel as though the word conditioning too often brings to mind endless running and other long distance aerobic training as opposed to the plethora of other methods by which conditioning can be achieved. Due to the complexity of our energy systems and our ever evolving understanding of how they fuel performance, conditioning methodologies will continually adapt.
Last week during our discussion on conditioning, Dan talked about one particular method that I had never considered. Intensity can only be quantified in so many ways, and in particular, I have seen heart rate used frequently, or in rare occasions actual VO2 measurements. However, Dan brought up a creative form of interval training in which heart rate monitoring isn’t necessary, (though it could be utilized to assess recovery). The method he suggested requires recording an athlete’s sprint split times over a chosen distance, and then utilizing the split times to structure training sessions at given percentages of their maximum intensity. For example, say you had an athlete sprint 100 meters at maximum intensity, and their split times at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 meters were 3.5, 5.0, 7.0, 8.5 and 10.5 seconds respectively. Utilizing those split times you could have the athlete run intervals for a given distance at a defined percentage(s) of what they are maximally capable of. The training session could be comprised of eight to ten 60 meter sprints with 50 seconds of rest between sprints, run at 80% of maximum intensity which equates to a 60 meter time of 8.4 seconds. This concept is versatile and can be applied for any given distance and percentage of maximal intensity. Assuming the coaches have the necessary tools and are able to implement the strategy safely, I think it would also be possible to do shorter distance over-speed training via the use of sprint training bungee cords. Utilizing the bungee cords to provide a pulling force in the direction in which the athletes are sprinting, you could attempt to have the athletes surpass their maximum 10, 15 or 20 meter split times. Though the overall training effect might not result in more top end speed 40 or 50+ meters down the track, a faster start can still lower overall times.
Aside from our discussion, I fell upon an interesting article (on Joel Jamieson’s website) written by Eric Oetter titled “Research Review: Energy Systems, Interval Training, & RSA.” I found one of his main points, and specifically the evidence supporting it somewhat surprising, and it made me take a second look at what I had previously assumed to be appropriate conditioning. Oetter cited a study in which subjects performed six second “all out” sprints with 30 second recovery periods while they’re ATP production/turnover was measured. The results indicated that from the 1st to the 10th sprint, the alactic pathway went from contributing roughly 55% of the energy to over 80% of the energy. The fascinating part of these results is that the aerobic system (to quote Oetter directly) is used “to regenerate substrates to fuel alactic metabolism,” and the output from the glycolytic system is significantly reduced. I found this to be interesting since lactate threshold training has become popular recently and therefore is often the target of interval training. The article went into much greater depth, but for the sake of brevity, what I took away was that our glycolytic system often becomes overworked, and our alactic and aerobic pathways receive too little focus for the amount they contribute to energy production. Though this is only one article, it did change my perspective on how to develop and implement conditioning programs, and I will continue to research the topic more to develop a better understanding.
Oetter, Eric. “Research Review: Energy Systems, Interval Training, & RSA.” http://www.8weeksout.com/2011/10/10/research-review-energy-systems-interval-training-rsa/