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The Effects of Resistance Training on Sprint and Endurance Performance in Masters Athletes: A Narrative Review
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The Effects of Resistance Training on Sprint and Endurance Performance in Masters Athletes: A Narrative Review

Luke Delvecchio, Marko T Korhonen and Peter Reaburn
Journal of Fitness Research, Vol.5(1), pp.5-13
2016
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Abstract

Human Movement and Sports Science veteran older athletes sprint running cycling aging strength training endurance performance
Participation of masters athletes (>30 years) in sprint running (100-400 m) and sprint track cycling (200 m, teamsprint, 1-km) has increased significantly over recent decades. With aging, sprint and endurance performancegradually declines. The present review focuses upon the effects of resistance training on sprint and enduranceperformance and its physiological determinants in masters athletes. The available research demonstrates thatresistance training interventions in masters athletes lead to beneficial adaptations in both sprint and enduranceathletes. With inclusion of heavy strength training exercises in sprinters' training regimen, increases musclemass, size of fast fibres and rapid neural activation capacity along with improvements in maximal, explosive andsprint force production have been observed. In endurance athletes, strength training has been shown to lead toincreased maximal and explosive muscle strength levels. The actual event-specific performance changes aretypically smaller, but significant (p <0.05), with a 2-4% reduction in sprint running times and 3-6% improvementin endurance cycling and running economy. Taken together, these limited data suggest that resistance trainingprograms produce positive effects on physiological determinants of sprint and endurance performance that resultin enhanced sport performance capacity in masters athletes. Further research on these issues is needed todesign and deliver optimal training programs to aging athletes.

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