“The Devil is in the Details”
Detraining is defined as the partial or complete loss of training-induced anatomical, physiological and performance adaptions as a consequence of training reduction or cessation (1). It’s an athlete’s worst nightmare and while one’s inability to partake in their chosen sport is out of their control at the minute the need for resilience and adaptability is greater than ever. This post is to help you navigate this tumultuous time and keep the engine running aerobically.
Key Point Number One – High intensity movements and shorter rest breaks work well as it maintains both aerobic power and aerobic capacity.
Training intensity is critical in maintaining aerobic power (2). A simple way to track this yourself is utilising your heart rate intensity. Short, high-intensity bouts of interval sprints can improve maximal oxygen uptake if the interim rest period is also short. Callister and colleagues (3) showed that long rest periods used with sprints improve sprint speed without significant increases in maximal aerobic power. Therefore, short and sharp is key here. If you reduce the rest period for your sessions you can maximise both outcomes. In a time where we have more demands i.e. working from home, children at home and so on, it’s good to know it won’t take as much time commitment to hold what was achieved in pre-season.
Key Point Number Two – Consider the Details
The below steps are well outlined in the literature (4).
Step 1: Exercise mode
What are your sporting demands? Is it linear? Is it rotational? Do you jump a lot? Do you tackle a lot? Considering the above can let you design a programme that replicates your match demands.
Step 2: Training frequency
What’s necessary to maintain my gains to date? To prevent overloading the body aim for what you would have been training in season so 2-3 times per week. A rugby player shouldn’t train like an endurance runner so don’t overdo it!
Step 3: Training intensity
We discussed this above, so keep it high. Use your heart rate to track it and try to match your sport.
Step 4: Exercise duration
I’m a firm believer that this aspect should match pitch demands. If your half is 30 minutes don’t train more than this in a continuous bout. Bear in mind we will extol the virtue of high intensity interval training below. You get a lot of bang for your buck with these and most Tabata style protocols won’t go above 8 minutes.
Step 5: Exercise progression
Pick one aspect and push this only. You’ll get more out of your sessions by tweaking intensity or durations rather than frequency.
Key Point Number Three – High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
In the current pandemic climate the following matters should be considered…
Firstly, a Gaelic footballer remains a Gaelic footballer and training in another manner may hamper progress or worse, contribute to new issues. You should try to be as specific as possible.
Secondly, a lot of people have new demands – working from home, childcare, new hygiene practices, volunteering and helping local communities. With these factors in mind you may not have all the time in the world and thankfully this will prevent you from overtraining.
Thirdly, you will need to maintain power, strength and skills training also. Don’t overdo the running. It’s just as important those aforementioned factors are sharp also.
High intensity interval training satisfies these needs very well. HIIT sessions work well because the rest intervals seen in the “work” or “on” phase are short enough to ensure the work demand is great, but long enough to replenish energy stores so that the intensity of the next effort does not decay to the point of being a waste of time (5). Think of this as keeping your foot right on the accelerator to maximise efficiency of a petrol engine. The right revolutions per minute will ensure fuel is not wasted.
Here is a sample from the aforementioned chapter:
Key Point Number Four – Ensure you look after yourself
Chronic (long term) exposure to high training loads has generally been assumed to increase the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (6). This is not something one wants to risk in the current climate but the key thing is to be gradual and not overdo it. Thankfully more recent research has shown functional adaption in the mucosal immune system in response to HIIT training (7). This supports the theory that if you programme it correctly, you won’t encounter any negative impacts to your immune system. Ask yourself two questions in this regard; Do I feel well? Have I any symptoms below the neck? If the answer is no to the first or yes to the second, you should sit it out. Care and consideration must be given to your family and community at this time also.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the above in further detail please do not hesitate to touch base. With our telehealth sessions now available we can discuss your needs and develop a sound plan to see you through this difficult time.
Yours in sport,
Mark
Mark Elmes
Mark Elmes
Chartered Physiotherapist
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Corú Reg # PT027154
email: mark@mcenteephysio.com
References
1. Mujika I, and Padilla S. (2000). Detraining: Loss of training-induced physiological and performance adaptations part I: Short-term insufficient training stimulus. Sports Medicine, 30(2): 79-87.
2. Swank A. (2008). Adaptations to aerobic endurance training programs: In Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd ed.). Illinois: Human Kinetics.
3. Callister R, Shealy MJ, Fleck SJ, and Dudley GA. (1988). Performance adaptations to sprint, endurance and both modes of training. J Appl. Sport Sci Res 2:46-51.
4. Reuter BH and Hagerman PS. (2008). Aerobic Endurance Exercise Training: In Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd ed.). Illinois: Human Kinetics.
5. Dupont G. (2014). Boosting Aerobic Capacity: In High-Performance Training for Sports (1st ed.). Illinois: Human Kinetics.
6. Trochimiak T and Hubner-Wozniak E. (2012). Effect of exercise on the level of immunoglobulin a in saliva. Biol. Sport 29, 255–261.
7. Born DP, Zinner C and Sperlich B (2017). The Mucosal Immune Function Is Not Compromised during a Period of High-Intensity Interval Training. Is It Time to Reconsider an Old Assumption? Front. Physiol. 8:485.