Neuromuscular Adaptations to Same-Session Combined Endurance and Strength Training in Recreational Endurance Runners.

This study examined neuromuscular adaptations in recreational endurance runners during 24 weeks of same-session combined endurance and strength training (E+S, n=13) vs. endurance training only (E, n=14). Endurance training was similar in the 2 groups (4-6x/week). Additional maximal and explosive strength training was performed in E+S always after incremental endurance running sessions (35-45 min, 65-85% HRmax). Maximal dynamic leg press strength remained statistically unaltered in E+S but decreased in E at week 24 (-5±5%, p=0.014, btw-groups at week 12 and 24, p=0.014 and 0.011). Isometric leg press and unilateral knee extension force, EMG of knee extensors and voluntary activation remained statistically unaltered in E+S and E. The changes in muscle cross-sectional (CSA) differed between the 2 groups after 12 (E+S+6±8%, E -5±6%, p<0.001) and 24 (E+S+7±7%, E -6±5%, p<0.001) weeks. 1 000 m running time determined during an incremental field test decreased in E+S and E after 12 (-7±3%, p<0.001 and -8±5%, p=0.001) and 24 (-9±5%, p=0.001 and -13±5%, p<0.001) weeks. Strength training performed always after an endurance running session did not lead to increased maximal strength, CSA, EMG or voluntary activation. This possibly contributed to the finding of no endurance performance benefits in E+S compared to E.

Effects of combined endurance and strength training on muscle strength, power and hypertrophy in 40-67-year-old men.

Both strength and endurance training have several positive effects on aging muscle and physical performance of middle-aged and older adults, but their combination may compromise optimal adaptation. This study examined the possible interference of combined strength and endurance training on neuromuscular performance and skeletal muscle hypertrophy in previously untrained 40-67-year-old men. Maximal strength and muscle activation in the upper and lower extremities, maximal concentric power, aerobic capacity and muscle fiber size and distribution in the vastus lateralis muscle were measured before and after a 21-week training period. Ninety-six men [mean age 56 (SD 7) years] completed high-intensity strength training (S) twice a week, endurance training (E) twice a week, combined training (SE) four times per week or served as controls (C). SE and S led to similar gains in one repetition maximum strength of the lower extremities [22 (9)% and 21 (8)%, P<0.001], whereas E and C showed minor changes. Cross-sectional area of type II muscle fibers only increased in S [26 (22)%, P=0.002], while SE showed an inconsistent, non-significant change [8 (35)%, P=0.73]. Combined training may interfere with muscle hypertrophy in aging men, despite similar gains in maximal strength between the strength and the combined training groups.

Load carrying walking test and its relationships to endurance and neuromuscular capabilities in women and men of different ages.

The aim of this study was to examine load carrying walking test (TMload) performance on the treadmill and its associations to endurance and neuromuscular capabilities in women and men of different ages. Sixty participants (aged 28 to 71 years) were divided into young, middle-aged and old groups of both genders. Clinical stress test was performed by stationary cycle ergometer (CEload). Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), heart rate and lactate concentration were measured using maximal TMload test. Isometric strength and EMG-activity of upper and lower extremities were measured before and after TMload. VO2peak of TMload correlated significantly with TMload exercise time (ET) in all other groups (r=0.67 to 0.91 and p ≤ 0.05 to p<0.001) except old men. Leg extension force decreased (p ≤ 0.05 to p<0.001) after TMload in all groups, grip force in young groups (p ≤ 0.05), while plantar flexion force and all EMGs remained unchanged. In men VO2peak explained 81% and in women VO2peak and age explained 87% of the total variation of the TMload ET. In conclusion, ET of TMload is associated with high VO2peak, but not with muscle strength or its changes during the loading. The present load carrying walking test may be used for testing workers with heavy loading in their occupation or in rehabilitation purposes. Further research is needed to examine in more detailed the loading model of the present study as well as the effects of different types of training on load carrying performance.

Serum basal hormone concentrations, nutrition and physical fitness during strength and/or endurance training in 39-64-year-old women.

We examined effects of 21 weeks of strength and/or endurance training and nutrition on serum hormones and physical fitness in 39-64-year-old women. Subjects (n=79) were randomized into the endurance group (E), strength group (S), combined group (SE) and controls (C). Total body strength training and high-intensity bicycle training were used. Average energy and nutrient intake remained the same in all groups. Body fat (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) decreased significantly in all training groups and body mass index in E, SE and C. Only SE increased total body lean mass (2.2%, p=0.001), between groups p=0.044. Maximal cycling power increased more in E (16%) and SE (17%) than in S (8%)(all p<0.001), between groups p<0.001. Knee extension strength increased only in S (7%, p=0.006) and SE (11%, p<0.001). The changes in serum hormones did not differ between the groups, except insulin-like growth factor-1 (p=0.028), characterized by an 8% (p=0.097) increase in SE and a 7% (p=0.074) decrease in C. In women combined training led to marked improvements in physical fitness and body composition. Energy and protein intake was sufficient to ensure training-induced adaptations in muscle mass and physical fitness in response to both endurance and strength training, even though the energy balance was slightly negative in the endurance-trained groups.

Strength, [corrected] endurance or combined training elicit diverse skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain isoform proportion but unaltered androgen receptor concentration in older men.

We investigated whether the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) proportion and androgen receptor (AR) concentration in skeletal muscle differ following 21 weeks of strength, endurance and combined training in untrained older men. Strength (S) and endurance (E) groups trained twice per week and combined (S+E) group trained four times per week (two strength and two endurance). Muscle biopsies were obtained before and after the training period from m. vastus lateralis (VL) and AR mRNA and protein concentration and MyHC proportion were determined. 1RM increased during the training period in S, S+E and E but the changes were greater in S and S+E than in E. Statistically significant increases were observed only in S and S+E in maximal isometric force as well as in VL thickness. VO (2max) increased significantly only in E. MyHCIIa proportion increased in S, while MyHCIIa proportion decreased and MyHCI increased (p<0.05) in E. No statistically significant changes were observed in serum testosterone and in AR mRNA or protein concentrations. The present results indicate that 21 weeks of strength, endurance or combined training changed MyHC proportion according to the training method but did not have an effect on AR mRNA or protein expression in skeletal muscle at rest.

Reliability and concurrent validity of spatiotemporal stride characteristics measured with an ankle-worn sensor among older individuals.

BACKGROUND: Wearable inertial sensors have been shown to provide valid mean gait characteristics assessments, however, assessment of variability is less convincingly established. RESEARCH QUESTION: What level of concurrent validity, and session-to-session reliability does an ankle-worn inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based gait assessment with a novel angular velocity-based gait event detection algorithm have among older adults? METHODS: Twenty seven (women N = 17) participants volunteered (age 74.4 (SD 4.3) years, body mass 74.5 (12.0) kg, height 165.9 (9.9) cm). Right leg stance, swing, and stride duration and stride length, and stride velocity were concurrently assessed with motion capture and with an IMU from a 3 min self-paced walk up and back a 14 m track repeated twice a week apart. Gait variability was assessed as the SD of all of the registered strides. RESULTS: Significant difference was observed between methods for many of the mean stride characteristics and stride variability (all p < 0.05), fair to excellent agreement was observed for mean values of all of the five stride characteristics evaluated (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] from 0.43 to 1.00). However, poor agreement was observed for the SD of all of the evaluated stride characteristics (ICC from -0.25 to 0.00). Both methods indicated excellent session to session reliability for all of the five stride characteristics evaluated (ICC from 0.84 to 0.98, CV%RMS from 1.6% to 3.6%), whereas the variability characteristics exhibited poor to good reliability (ICC from 0.0 to 0.69, CV%RMS from 18.0% to 34.4%). SIGNIFICANCE: Excellent concurrent validity and reliability was observed for mean spatiotemporal stride characteristics, however, gait variability exhibited poor concurrent validity and reliability. Although IMUs and the presented algorithm could be used to assess mean spatiotemporal stride characteristics among older individuals, either a more reliable gait event detection algorithm or alternative analytical approaches should be used for gait variability.

Muscle mass and strength, body composition and dietary intake in master strength athletes vs untrained men of different ages.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare muscle strength and thickness, body composition and dietary intake between master strength athletes and controls. METHODS: Cross-sectional comparison between: 1) young control men (25.7+/-3.4 y; n=10); 2) middle-aged master athletes (52.1+/-4.7 y; n=9); 3) middle-aged control men (51.9+/-3.1 y; n=11); 4) older master athletes (71.8+/-3.8 y; n=8); and 5) older control men (70.6+/-3.3 y; n=10). Athletes had been strength trained for 22.8+/-14.9 y. Maximal isometric strength of the leg extensors was measured with a leg dynamometer, body composition by skin folds, muscle thickness of the vastus lateralis with an ultrasound scanner and dietary intake by food diaries for 4 days. RESULTS: Athletes had more lean body mass than age-matched controls (P<0.001-0.05) and young controls more than older controls (P<0.01). No group differences were observed in the thickness of vastus lateralis. Athletes showed higher absolute strength and strength per vastus lateralis thickness ratio than all control groups (P<0.01-0.001). Body mass adjusted dietary intake did not differ between the strength trained and control men. Dietary intake did not correlate with strength, muscle thickness and lean body mass. CONCLUSION: The present older men with a long-term history of strength training showed greater muscle strength and strength per muscle thickness ratio than the untrained controls. The data support the usefulness of continuous strength training to preserve muscle strength in older men.

Effects of strength and endurance training on antioxidant enzyme gene expression and activity in middle-aged men.

This study was aimed at investigating the effects of a 21-week period of progressive strength or endurance training on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) antioxidant enzyme gene expression and activity in healthy middle-aged untrained men. Strength (n=11) and endurance (n=12) training were performed twice a week, including resistance exercises to activate all the main muscle groups or cycle-ergometer pedaling, respectively. mRNA levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and cytosolic superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) were increased after 21 weeks of strength training, while endurance training induced significant changes only in MnSOD and GPx mRNA levels. CuZnSOD protein content was significantly increased only in strength-trained subjects. The program of strength or endurance exercise training had no significant effects on the activity of any of the antioxidant enzymes. In conclusion, in a middle-aged population, 21 weeks of strength or endurance training was a sufficient stimulus to up-regulate mRNA levels of PBMC antioxidant enzymes, the strength training being a more optimal stimulus. However, the discrepancies between enzyme protein and mRNA levels suggest that the present systematic strength or endurance training period had no beneficial effects on enzymatic antioxidant defense mechanisms in previously untrained middle-aged men.