049 Current Trends in World Class Endurance Training

Vital with Paul Weber

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Individualization = Quality
The individual is a key variable in the dose-response equation, whether that dose is training, nutrition or recovery
Control your Intensity
Maintain your composure in training
Trend #1: Increase in training volume
Increase in training volume over a career, mainly through an increase in the amount of low intensity training.
Modern athletes are tolerating higher training volumes than previously recorded.
500-900 hours per year
9-17 hours/week
How are they doing that? Let’s find out.
Trend #2: Specific, precise training loads and better training quality
More precise and calculated training models
TID has trended toward a greater proportion of low intensity training
Controlling Intensity
"One of the trends observed by many of the scientists was more of the intense training being performed in a “controlled zone,” thereby allowing higher volume and/or frequency of sessions at competition-relevant speeds."
Individualization = Quality
**Individualized sweet spot for volume and intensity**
Load prescription, periodization, daily programming
Debriefing routines after training
Larger support staff who collaborate closely
Better tech drives more individualization
Precision in measuring intensity with power meters, measuring recovery with wearables
Data collection and analysis to guide training and recovery prescriptions
Injuries have become less frequent and allowed for more continuous training
Warm up more – raise your body temperature
Better load-management strategies from athletes and coaches (less frequent dramatic spikes in loading)
Trend #3: Better understanding of sport-specific demands and competition execution
Fueling to meet the demand
Including individualization of nutrition
Better pacing strategies
-more aware of physiological indicators of sustainability (e.g. heat, lactate, heart rate)
-more individualization of pacing strategy
Technology assisting our understanding of performance
-power meters
-GPS
-inertial movement units
Trend #4: More professional and healthier lifestyles
More vocational
More time for training and recovery, less time spent doing other things
This likely contributes to the lower injury rates
Suspected:
Fewer psychosocial stressors
Higher value for sleep
Resources:
https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/18/8/article-p885.xml
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01850-z
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31431273/
https://meridian.allenpress.com/jat/article/55/9/885/444131/Training-Load-and-Its-Role-in-Injury-Prevention
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.00564/full
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36930212/