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Early phase interference between low-intensity running and power training in moderately trained females

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of low-intensity running performed immediately after lower-body power-training sessions on power development.

Methods

Twenty young females participated in 6 weeks, 3/week, of either lower body power training (PT) or lower body power training followed by 30 min of low-intensity running (PET) eliciting 60–70 % of maximal heart rate. The following were measured before and after the training period: counter-movement jump, isometric leg press force and rate of force development (RFD), half squat 1-RM, vastus lateralis fiber type composition and cross sectional area, resting intramuscular fiber conduction velocity (MFCV), and heart rate during the modified Bruce treadmill test.

Results

Counter-movement jump height and peak power increased after PT (10.7 ± 6.2 and 12.9 ± 18.7 %, p < 0.05) but not after PET (3.4 ± 7.6 and 5.11 ± 10.94 %, p > 0.05). Maximum isometric force, RFD, and half squat 1-RM increased similarly in both groups. Muscle fiber type composition was not altered in either group. Muscle fiber cross sectional area increased only after PT (17.5 ± 17.4, 14.5 ± 10.4, 20.36 ± 11.3 %, in type I, IIA, and IIX fibers, respectively, p < 0.05). Likewise, mean MFCV increased with PT only (before: 4.53 ± 0.38 m s−1, after: 5.09 ± 0.39 m s−1, p = 0.027). Submaximal heart rate during the Bruce treadmill test remained unchanged after PT but decreased after PET.

Conclusion

These results suggest that low-intensity running performed after lower-body power training impairs the exercise-induced adaptation in stretch–shortening cycle jumping performance (vertical jump height, peak power), during the first 6 weeks of training, which may be partially linked to inhibited muscle fiber hypertrophy and muscle fiber conduction velocity.

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Abbreviations

1-RM:

One repetition maximum

CI:

Confidence interval

CMJ:

Counter-movement jump

CSA:

Cross sectional area

EMG:

Electromyography

I:

Type I muscle fibers

ICC:

Intraclass correlation coefficient

IIA:

Type IIA muscle fibers

IIX:

Type IIX muscle fibers

Km h−1 :

Kilometres per hour

MFCV:

Muscle fiber conduction velocity

PT:

Power training

PET:

Power endurance training

RFD:

Rate of force development

SSC:

Stretch-shortening cycle

VO2max:

Maximal oxygen consumption

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Kavvoura A, Korfiatis P, Anousaki H, and Dr. Karampatsos G, for the co-supervision of a number of the training sessions. We also thank the participants for their efforts and consistency throughout the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Athletics Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Athens, Ethnikis Antistassis 41, 172 37, Daphne, Athens, Greece

    Gerasimos Terzis, Spyros Methenitis & Gregory Bogdanis

  2. Division of Public Health, Psychiatry and Neurology, 1st Department of Neurology, Aiginition Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Kostas Spengos & Nikos Karandreas

  3. Muscle Physiology and Biomechanics Research Unit, Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Per Aagaard

Authors
  1. Gerasimos Terzis
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  2. Kostas Spengos
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  3. Spyros Methenitis
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  4. Per Aagaard
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  5. Nikos Karandreas
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  6. Gregory Bogdanis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gerasimos Terzis.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter Krustrup.

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Terzis, G., Spengos, K., Methenitis, S. et al. Early phase interference between low-intensity running and power training in moderately trained females. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1063–1073 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3369-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3369-z

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