Methods of monitoring training load and their relationships to changes in fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists

Sanders, Dajo; Abt, Grant; Hesselink, Matthijs K. C.; Myers, Tony; Akubat, Ibrahim

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the dose-response relationships between different training load methods and aerobic fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists. Method: Training data from 15 well-trained competitive cyclists were collected during a 10-week (December – March) pre-season training period. Before and after the training period, participants underwent a laboratory incremental exercise test with gas exchange and lactate measures and a performance assessment using an 8-min time trial (8MT). Internal training load was calculated using Banister’s TRIMP (bTRIMP), Edwards’ TRIMP (eTRIMP), individualized TRIMP (iTRIMP), Lucia’s TRIMP (luTRIMP) and session-RPE (sRPE). External load was measured using Training Stress Score™ (TSS). Results: Large to very large relationships (r = 0.54-0.81) between training load and changes in submaximal fitness variables (power at 2 and 4 mmol·L-1) were observed for all training load calculation methods. The strongest relationships with changes in aerobic fitness variables were observed for iTRIMP (r = 0.81 [95% CI: 0.51 to 0.93, r = 0.77 [95% CI 0.43 to 0.92]) and TSS (r = 0.75 [95% CI 0.31 to 0.93], r = 0.79 [95% CI: 0.40 to 0.94]). The highest dose-response relationships with changes in the 8MT performance test were observed for iTRIMP (r = 0.63 [95% CI 0.17 to 0.86]) and luTRIMP (r = 0.70 [95% CI: 0.29 to 0.89). Conclusions: The results show that training load quantification methods that integrate individual physiological characteristics have the strongest dose-response relationships, suggesting this to be an essential factor in the quantification of training load in cycling.

Citation

Sanders, D., Abt, G., Hesselink, M. K. C., Myers, T., & Akubat, I. (2017). Methods of monitoring training load and their relationships to changes in fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists. International journal of sports physiology and performance : IJSPP, 12(5), 668-675. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0454

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 9, 2016
• Online Publication Date: May 1, 2017
• Publication Date: May 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Sep 14, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: May 1, 2017
• Journal: International journal of sports physiology and performance
• Print ISSN: 1555-0265
• Electronic ISSN: 1555-0273
• Publisher: Human Kinetics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 668-675
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0454
• Keywords: Road cyclists; Training load methods; Dose-response relationships; Aerobic fitness; Performance
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/443086
• Publisher URL: http://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/abs/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0454
• Additional Information: Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from: International journal of sports physiology and performance, 2017, v.12 (issue 5): pp.668-675, http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0454. © Human Kinetics, Inc.