Watts Doc #5: Can You Lift Heavy While Endurance Training?

4/21/2019

This episode begins with the mind-muscle connection of neural drive before diving into research on doing strength and endurance training concurrently, and how they interfere with each other. We then look at how the latest scientific research provides training solutions.

Show Notes
1980 Concurrent Training Study. Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance

2014 Concurrent Training Review, full text. Using Molecular Biology to Maximize Concurrent Training

Simplified schematic of PCG1-alpha pathway interference in mTOR pathway

5 Comments

Todd Kruger

4/22/2019 10:38:39 am

Great podcast guys. Just curious how you felt about the idea that strength training with heavy loads improves the strength of Type I fibers and improves fatigue resistance by reducing the number of fibers recruited for submaximal efforts. I think this was one of the finding by Ronnestad's study on the effects of strength training on endurance exercise.

Kolie

4/22/2019 01:28:28 pm

It does improve type 1 strength, but as for the rest I'm incredibly skeptical. There are a lot of excellent studies out there that conflict with Ronnestad's findings, particularly in trained cyclists dude to metabolic load, retention of type II fibers, and the like. Here's a good one with a fair discussion including assessment of Hickson's theory about lower % force necessary. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12920044_The_effects_of_strength_training_on_endurance_performance_and_muscle_characteristics

In a review like this one co-authored by Ronnestad (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301274212_Effects_of_Increased_Muscle_Strength_and_Muscle_Mass_on_Endurance-Cycling_Performance), they make the wrong comparisons, and other studies fail to control for important factors that would be addressed by the correct test group, better test method to find causal factors, or a standard training program.

Todd Kruger

4/22/2019 01:33:27 pm

Thx for the thoughtful reply. Any idea on the effect of maintenance weight sessions that seek to limit any gains made during the heavier lifting phase? These would be lighter in weight and way less stressful.

Kolie

4/22/2019 05:24:14 pm

We'll get into that when we do an episode on specific programming for sprinting and the like, but the short answer is I feel it's unnecessary, and keep up the protein.

Todd Kruger

4/23/2019 08:05:43 am

Great. Thx. Really looking forward to it. Started lifting as a way of addressing low Pmax and FRC values since they seem pretty imp in 'cross and xc racing.

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Watts Doc #5: Can You Lift Heavy While Endurance Training?

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