The Effects of Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training on Physical Fitness and Athletic Performance in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Combining training of muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness within a training cycle could increase athletic performance more than single-mode training. However, the physiological effects produced by each training modality could also interfere with each other, improving athletic performance less than single-mode training. Because anthropometric, physiological, and biomechanical differences between young and adult athletes can affect the responses to exercise training, young athletes might respond differently to concurrent training (CT) compared with adults. Thus, the aim of the present systematic review with meta-analysis was to determine the effects of concurrent strength and endurance training on selected physical fitness components and athletic performance in youth. A systematic literature search of PubMed and Web of Science identified 886 records. The studies included in the analyses examined children (girls age 6–11 years, boys age 6–13 years) or adolescents (girls age 12–18 years, boys age 14–18 years), compared CT with single-mode endurance (ET) or strength training (ST), and reported at least one strength/power—(e.g., jump height), endurance—(e.g., peak V°O2, exercise economy), or performance-related (e.g., time trial) outcome. We calculated weighted standardized mean differences (SMDs). CT compared to ET produced small effects in favor of CT on athletic performance (n = 11 studies, SMD = 0.41, p = 0.04) and trivial effects on cardiorespiratory endurance (n = 4 studies, SMD = 0.04, p = 0.86) and exercise economy (n = 5 studies, SMD = 0.16, p = 0.49) in young athletes. A sub-analysis of chronological age revealed a trend toward larger effects of CT vs. ET on athletic performance in adolescents (SMD = 0.52) compared with children (SMD = 0.17). CT compared with ST had small effects in favor of CT on muscle power (n = 4 studies, SMD = 0.23, p = 0.04). In conclusion, CT is more effective than single-mode ET or ST in improving selected measures of physical fitness and athletic performance in youth. Specifically, CT compared with ET improved athletic performance in children and particularly adolescents. Finally, CT was more effective than ST in improving muscle power in youth.

Expert’s Choice: 2018’s Most Exciting Research in the Field of Pediatric Exercise Science

“…My first choice (107) reflects current research programs and focuses on pediatric aerobic (or cardiorespiratory) fitness in relation to current and future health. My second choice (64) focuses on exercise training and is a very welcome systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of concurrent endurance and strength training on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).…”

“…They recalibrate the interactions between their changing bodies and environmental constraints and modify the development of motor skills to enhance a variety of activity-and sport-related motor performances. It is noteworthy therefore that Gabler and colleagues (64) recognize that, in the context of the development of youth athletes, a high peakVO 2 may be a prerequisite of elite performance in some sports but that success in many sports relies as much (or more) on sportrelated motor skills and/or the ability to economically sustain performance at various levels of submaximal exercise. Exercise economy is an important component of performance and many world-class athletes have benefited through training-induced increases in their exercise economy without concomitant changes in peakVO 2 (11).…”

“…Gabler and colleagues (64) noted that 4 studies reported CT and ET effects on peakVO 2 and 5 studies reported CT and ET effects on exercise economy expressed asVO 2 at a submaximal intensity during swimming, running, skiing, or rowing. On the basis of weighted standardized mean differences it was concluded that, compared to single-mode ET, CT had a trivial effect in adolescent athletes.…”

“…Gabler et al (64) highlight the availability of only "a handful of studies", the heterogeneity of the data, and the limited rigorous research which has been devoted to exploring the effects of both muscle strength and CRF training within a training cycle. The review suggests several interesting lines of enquiry into the trainability of children and adolescents and the ideal approach for optimizing the long-term development of youth athletes.…”

Uticaj tipa treninga na atropometrijske i funkcionalne karakteristike u populaciji sportista takmičara

“…Naša studija je obuhvatila sportiste takmičare koji se bave sportovima veština i sportovima izdržljivosti. Različite karakteristike treninga koji ispitanici upražnjavaju (sportovi veštinaprimarno tehničke karakteristike sa niskom dinamičkom i niskom statičkom komponentom i sportovi izdržljivostivisoka dinamička komponenta) uslovljavaju pojavu značajnih razlika u antropometrijskim i funkcionalnim karakteristikama na koje ukazuju rezultati različitih naučnih studija (12,14,15).…”