Effects of Including Sprints During Low-intensity Cycling Exercises on Performance and Muscle/Blood Characteristics

November 18, 2020 updated by: Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Effects of Including 30-s Sprints During Low-intensity Cycling Exercises During a Training Camp on Performance and Muscle/Blood Characterisitcs

To investigate the effects of Including 30-s sprints during low-intensity cycling exercises during a training camp on performance and muscle/blood characterisitcs in elite cyclists

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Inclusion of sprint intervals during low-intensity training (LIT) sessions has been suggested as a potential mean to improve endurance performance in elite cyclists, facilitated by muscular or systemic physiological adaptations. So far, the effects of such training has been studied exclusively in context of short-lasting low-intensity sessions, representing a scenario with suboptimal ecological validity for such highly trained athetes.

This study will investigate the effects of including sprints during prolonged LIT-sessions sessions during a 14-day training camp focusing on LIT, followed by 10 days recovery (REC), on performance and performance-related measures in elite cyclists. During the training camp, a sprint training group will conduct 12x30-s maximal sprints during five LIT sessions, whereas a control group will perform distance-matched LIT-only. Overall, the training camp will lead to substantial increases in training load compared to habitual training in both intervention groups, followed by subsequent reductions during REC. Performance tests will be conducted before the training camp (T0) and after REC (T2). Muscle biopsies, hematological measures and stress/recovery questionnaires will be collected Pre (T0) and after the camp (T1).

The study was pre-registered at Norwegian Center for Research Data (14/08/2017, Norwegian): http://pvo.nsd.no/prosjekt/55322

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

18

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

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

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 40 years (ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • VO2max > 65ml/kg/min

Exclusion Criteria:

  • VO2max < 65ml/kg/min
  • Average endurance training per week >10hrs/wk during the four weeks leading up to the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Sprints during low-intensity cycling
Behavioral: Inclusion of sprints during low-intensity cycling during a 14-day training camp (high training load)
Inclusion of 12x30-s maximal sprints during five low-intensity cycling sessions with long duration (>fours hours per session). Five sessions will be performed as low-intensity cycling-only (Controll sessions, distance matched). All other sessions will be performed as low-intensity sessions and adjusted according to each participants training load goal to reach an increase of ~50% in load compared to habitual training.
Behavioral: Recovery for 10 days (low training load)
Habitual low-intensity cycling (>0.5-2 hours per session)
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Low-intensity cycling
Behavioral: Recovery for 10 days (low training load)
Habitual low-intensity cycling (>0.5-2 hours per session)
Behavioral: Low-intensity cycling during a 14-day training camp (high training load)
Five low-intensity cycling sessions (>four hours per session), distance-matched to sprint group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Performance during a 5-minute all-out cycling test
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, after REC)
Mean power output measured during a 5-minute all-out cycling test performed at the end of a ~2 hour long exercise protocol
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, after REC)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sprint performance
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, after REC)
Mean power output measured during four consecutive 30-s maximal sprints
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, after REC)
Maximal oxygen uptake
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Maximal oxygen consumption measured during an incremental cycling exercise test to exhaustion
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Maximal aerobic power output
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
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 (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Gross efficiency (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Contribution of total energy turnover to power output in the fresh and fatigued state incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Gross efficiency (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Contribution of total energy turnover to power output in the fresh and fatigued state incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Power output at lactate threshold (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Power output at 4 mmol blood lactate concentration measured during an incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Power output at lactate threshold (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Power output at 4 mmol blood lactate concentration measured during an incremental cycling exercise test (with 5 minute steps)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Fractional utilization of VO2max (incremental test)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
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 (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Fractional utilization of VO2max (5-min test)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Fractional utilization of VO2max measured during the 5-min test
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Protein abundance in skeletal muscle
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Protein abundances in m. vastus lateralis measured using western blotting
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Haemoglobin mass (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Hemoglobin mass measured using CO rebreathing (g)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Haemoglobin mass (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Hemoglobin mass measured using CO rebreathing (g)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Blood volume (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Blood volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Blood volume (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Blood volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Plasma volume (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Plasma volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Plasma volume (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Plasma volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Red blood cell volume (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Red blood cell volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Red blood cell volume (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Red blood cell volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Mean corposcular volume (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Mean corposcular volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Mean corposcular volume (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Mean corposcular volume measured using CO rebreathing
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Hematocrit (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Hematocrit measured using centrifugation
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Hematocrit (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Hematocrit measured using centrifugation
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Body mass (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Body mass (kg) measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Body mass (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Body mass (kg) measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Enzyme activity in skeletal muscle
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Enzyme activity in m. vastus lateralis measured using ELISA kits (I.e., CS and PFK)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Lean body mass (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Lean body mass (kg) measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Lean body mass (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Lean body mass (kg) measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Fat mass (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Fat mass (kg) measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Fat mass (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Fat mass (kg) measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Session rate of percieved exertion
Time Frame: Throughout the training camp (14 days)
Session rate of percieved exertion (sRPE) measured after each exercise involving sprints/control exercise using a 9-point scale ranging from "very, very demotivated" to "very, very motivated" (1 to 9)
Throughout the training camp (14 days)
Stress-recovery state (training camp)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Recovery state of participants measured using Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-36-R-Sport, 36 questions, 7-point scale ranging from 0/never to 6/always)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the training camp (T1)
Stress-recovery state (recovery/REC)
Time Frame: Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)
Recovery state of participants measured using Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-36-R-Sport, 36 questions, 7-point scale ranging from 0/never to 6/always)
Changes from before the intervention (T0) to immediately after the intervention (T2, i.e. after REC)

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Training load
Time Frame: From four weeks prior to the intervention and throughout the study, an average of 52 days
Training load calculated as time spent in different heart rate zones using the individualized TRIMP method
From four weeks prior to the intervention and throughout the study, an average of 52 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (ACTUAL)

October 23, 2017

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

December 23, 2017

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

December 23, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 12, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 18, 2020

First Posted (ACTUAL)

November 23, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ACTUAL)

November 23, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 18, 2020

Last Verified

November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Trainome 2017#011

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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