Effects of Resistance Training on Running Economy and Cross-country Performance

Abstract

Purpose Heavy-resistance training and plyometric training offer distinct physiological and neuromuscular adaptations that could enhance running economy and consequently distancerunning performance. To date no studies have examined the effect of combining the two modes of training on running economy or performance. Methods Fifty collegiate male and female cross-country runners performed a 5-km time-trial and a series of laboratory-based tests to determine aerobic, anthropometric, biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics.Thereafter, each athlete participated in a season of 6-8 collegiate cross-country races over 13 weeks. After the first four weeks, athletes were randomly assigned to either heavy-resistance or plyometric plus heavy-resistance training. Five days after completing their final competition, runners repeated the same set of laboratory tests. We also estimated effects of the intervention on competition performance throughout the season using athletes of other teams as controls.Results Heavy-resistance training produced small-moderate improvements in peak speed, running economy and neuromuscular characteristics relative to plyometric resistance training, whereas changes in biomechanical measures favored plyometric resistance training. Males made less gains than females in most tests. Both treatments had possibly harmful effects on competition times in males (mean 0.5%; 90% confidence limits ±1.2%), but there may have been benefit for some individuals. Both treatments were likely beneficial for all females (-1.2%; ±1.3%), but heavy-resistance was possibly better than plyometric resistance training. ConclusionThe changes in laboratory-based parameters related to distance-running performance were consistent with the changes in competition times for females but only partly for males. Our data indicate that females should include heavy-resistance training in their programs, but males

The Effects of Sport-Specific Maximal Strength and Conditioning Training on Critical Velocity, Anaerobic Running Distance, and 5-km Race Performance

“…In their works, Saunders et al 25 highlighted strength training properties which can cause an enhanced muscular ability to utilize more elastic energy, causing a reduction in energy wasted in braking force. Different to our findings, Barnes et al 29 cautioned male athletes to include any heavy RT during the competetive season as their results demonstrated a 0.5% 5-km TT performance decrease after a 9-week intervention. Ferranti et al 6 despite an increase in leg strength demonstrated no aerobic performance improvement when applying a combined strength and The difference in findings might be due to the choice of participants as both aforementioned studies utilized less-trained or untrained participants.…”

Lower-Body Determinants of Running Economy in Male and Female Distance Runners

“…The AU8 relationship between resistance training and/or plyometric training and running economy is not a new concept. In fact, several research investigations have shown that strength training (both high resistance and explosive) can improve running economy by modulating lower-body stiffness (3,46,53).…”

Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review

“…Combining heavy strength training and regular endurance training increased mean power output production during a final 5‐min all‐out sprint after 3 h of submaximal cycling by 7%, while no changes occurred in the endurance training group (Rønnestad et al., ). Not all studies, however, have reported that concurrent training results in superior endurance performance, especially in males (Kraemer et al., ; Barnes et al., ). Nevertheless, there are no reports of negative impacts of concurrent training on endurance performance.…”