Predicting the Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training for Improving Endurance Performance (IDperform)

Identifying Molecular Determinants for the Efficacy of Resistance Training for Improving Endurance Performance in Elite Cyclists

The overall objective of the study is to identify molecular determinants of the efficacy of resistance training for improving endruance performance in elite cyclists

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Elite Cyclists
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Resistance training; Behavioral: Endurance training (habitual)

Detailed Description

For elite endurance athletes, the addition of resistance training to habitual endurance training routines generally leads to improved endurance performance. However, this is not always the case, with several individuals failing to respond in the expected manner. This inter-individual variation is likely associated with inherent cellular and molecular charateristics of skeletal muscle. Indeed, responses to resistance training seem to be associated with muscle biological characteristics such as muscle fiber composition and ribosomal content (during the early phase of resistance training).

The study will investigate the association between muscle fibre composition (type I vs type II muscle fiber proportions) / ribosomal content in m. vastus lateralis and the effects of 10 weeks of resistance training on endurance performance in 52 elite cyclists. Half the participants will perform resistance training in addition to their habitual endurance training routines, the other half will perform endurance training-only. Muscle biopsies will be sampled from m. vastus lateralis before and after the first two weeks of the intervention. For muscle fiber composition, the hypothesis is that larger proportions of type II fibers will be associated with more pronounced benefits of resistance training. For ribosomal content, the hypothesis is that higher rRNA content at baseline and larger increases in rRNA content during the initial part of the intervention will be associated with more pronounced benefits of resistance training. No changes are expected in the non-resistance training control group.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Norway
  • Inland Norway
    • Lillehammer, Inland Norway, Norway, 2613
      • Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• VO2max > 65 ml/kg/min (male participants)
• VO2max > 50 ml/kg/min (female participants)
• >7 hours of endurance training per week for the 6 months leading up to the study

Exclusion criteria:

- having conducted regular resistance training for the last 6 months leading up to the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Resistance training added to endurance training; Participants (elite cyclists) will conduct heavy-load resistance training twice a week in addition to their habitual endurance training for ten weeks	Behavioral: Resistance training; Resistance training sessions twice a week for ten weeks; Other Names: Heavy-load strength training; Behavioral: Endurance training (habitual); Endurance training for ten weeks (habitual routines)
Other: Endurance training; Participants (elite cyclists) will conduct habitual endurance training-only for ten weeks	Behavioral: Endurance training (habitual); Endurance training for ten weeks (habitual routines)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Performance during a 40-minute all-out cycling test	Mean power output measured during a 40-minute all-out cycling test	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Performance during a 15-minute all-out cycling test	Mean power output measured during a 15-minute all-out cycling test	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Total RNA in muscle tissue (before intervention)	Total RNA content in m. vastus lateralis (ug per mg tissue)	Before the intervention
Total RNA in muscle tissue (changes after two weeks)	Total RNA content in m. vastus lateralis (ug per mg tissue)	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training
Muscle fiber proportions (before intervention)	Muscle fiber proportions in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry	Before the intervention
Muscle fiber proportions (changes after two weeks)	Muscle fiber proportions in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training
Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (before intervention)	Cross-sectional area of muscle fibres in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry	Before the intervention
Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (changes after two weeks)	Cross-sectional area of muscle fibres in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training
Myonuclear number (before intervention)	Myonuclei per muscle fiber in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry	Before the intervention
Myonuclear number (changes after two weeks)	Myonuclei per muscle fiber in m. vastus lateralis measured using immunohistochemistry	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training
rRNA expression (before intervention)	rRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR	Before the intervention
rRNA expression (changes after two weeks)	rRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training
mRNA expression (before intervention)	mRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR	Before the intervention
mRNA expression (changes after two weeks)	mRNA abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using qPCR	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the initial two weeks of resistance training
Maximal concentric force production	Maximal concentric force production measured using a seated leg press test	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Sprint performance	Mean power output measured during a 10-second all-out cycling sprint	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Maximal oxygen consumption	Maximal oxygen consumption measured during an incremental cycling exercise test to exhaustion	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Maximal aerobic power output	Maximal aerobic power output measured as mean power output during the last minute of an incremental cycling exercise test to exhaustion	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Power output at lactate threshold	Power output at 4 mmol blood lactate concentration measured during an incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps)	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Gross efficiency	Contribution of total energy turnover to power output in the fresh and fatigued state	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Fractional utilization of VO2max (incremental test)	Fractional utilization of VO2max measured at 4 mmol blood lactate concentrations measured during an incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps)	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Fractional utilization of VO2max (15-minute performance test)	Fractional utilization of VO2max measured during a 15-minute performance test	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Hemoglobin mass	Hemoglobin mass measured using CO rebreathing (g)	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Blood volume	Blood volume measured using CO rebreathing	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Plasma volume	Plasma volume measured using CO rebreathing	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Red blood cell volume	Red blood cell volume measured using CO rebreathing	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention
Hematocrit	Hematocrit measured using centrifugation	Changes from before the intervention to immediately after the intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Endurance training volume	Self-reported endurance training volume measured as time-spent in different exercise intensity zones	Throughout study completion (daily), an average of ten weeks
Resistance training volume	Self-reported resistance training volume measured as load x repetitions	Throughout study completion (daily), an average of ten weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 16, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 26, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): February 26, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 12, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 18, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): November 19, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 1, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 26, 2021
• Last Verified: November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Cycling; Endurance performance; Skeletal muscle biology; Individualization; Muscle fiber type proportions; Ribosomal RNA
• Other Study ID Numbers: Trainome 2020#025-2

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No