| Description |
Elite athletes are generally very well trained and thus, improvements in physiology and performance are difficult to attain. Some researchers suggest that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be the only modality by which these athletes could enhance endurance performance-associated variables. Despite its demonstrated effectiveness, adaptations following HIIT exercise may be limited by central rather than peripheral physiological factors. Small-muscle mass exercise like single-leg cycling (SLC) is one of the methods explored by researchers to overcome the central limitations occurring during HIIT. It has been demonstrated that 3-weeks of HIIT-SLC significantly enhances the metabolic and oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle in trained cyclists compared to traditional HIIT double-leg cycling. Speed skaters adopt a crouched skating position, giving them aerodynamic and biomechanical advantages. However, this position limits blood flow to the active leg muscles and elicits greater accumulation of blood lactate and deoxygenation in the quadriceps muscles, thereby potentially hindering maximal performance and training adaptations. The purposes of this study were to validate a novel training strategy, single-leg emphasis cycling (SLEC), and determine the influence of 3-weeks of HIIT-SLEC on physiological (lactate threshold) and performance (on-ice time-trial) measures in highly trained long track speed skaters. Ten trained speed skaters (24 ± 6 yr old, 8.4 ± 7.6 yr skating on National level) performed an incremental cycling test, a iv 1000-m on-ice time-trial, and a 30-s maximal cycling test before and after 3-weeks of HIIT-SLEC (2 sessions per week). Training sessions consisted of three single-leg 4-min intervals performed maximally followed by 1-min of double-leg active recovery, alternating both legs. Using our force measuring pedals, we determined that these participants could emphasize one leg and de-emphasize the other at a 3.9 to 1 ratio. Following 3-weeks of HIIT-SLEC, on-ice time-trial performance (78.0 ± 3.9 s vs. 77.2 ± 3.5 s, p = 0.006), LT1 (149.2 ± 31.6 W vs. 162.4 ± 36.3 s, p = 0.003), and LT2 (227.9 ± 37.8 W vs. 244.4 ± 42.0 s, p = 0.002) significantly increased. We conclude that a short period of HIIT-SLEC may provide a beneficial cross-training stimulus for highly trained speed skaters. |
