ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of intra-session concurrent endurance and strength training sequence on aerobic performance and capacity

M Chtara¹, K Chamari², M Chaouachi¹, A Chaouachi², D Koubaa², Y Feki⁴, G P Millet³ and M Amri¹

¹ Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, El Manar, Tunisia
² National Center of Medicine and Sciences in Sports (NCMSS), El Menzah, Tunisia
³ UPRES 37-59, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
⁴ Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Education Physique, Ksar Said, Tunisia

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
K Chamari
National Center of Medicine and Sciences in Sports, Physiology Department, Unité de Recherche "Evaluation, Sport, Santé", BP 263, Ave Mohamed Ali Akid, El Menzah 1004, Tunisia; karimchamari{at}gmx.net

Aim: To examine the effects of the sequencing order of individualised intermittent endurance training combined with muscular strengthening on aerobic performance and capacity.

Methods: Forty eight male sport students (mean (SD) age 21.4 (1.3) years) were divided into five homogeneous groups according to their maximal aerobic speeds (vV^·O₂MAX). Four groups participated in various training programmes for 12 weeks (two sessions a week) as follows: E (n = 10), running endurance training; S (n = 9), strength circuit training; E+S (n = 10) and S+E (n = 10) combined the two programmes in a different order during the same training session. Group C (n = 9) served as a control. All the subjects were evaluated before (T0) and after (T1) the training period using four tests: (1) a 4 km time trial running test; (2) an incremental track test to estimate vV^·O₂MAX; (3) a time to exhaustion test (t_lim) at 100% vV^·O₂MAX; (4) a maximal cycling laboratory test to assess V^·O₂MAX.

Results: Training produced significant improvements in performance and aerobic capacity in the 4 km time trial with interaction effect (p<0.001). The improvements were significantly higher for the E+S group than for the E, S+E, and S groups: 8.6%, 5.7%, 4.7%, and 2.5% for the 4 km test (p<0.05); 10.4%, 8.3%, 8.2%, and 1.6% for vV^·O₂MAX (p<0.01); 13.7%, 10.1%, 11.0%, and 6.4% for V^·O₂MAX (ml/kg^0.75/min) (p<0.05) respectively. Similar significant results were observed for t_lim and the second ventilatory threshold (%V^·O₂MAX).

Conclusions: Circuit training immediately after individualised endurance training in the same session (E+S) produced greater improvement in the 4 km time trial and aerobic capacity than the opposite order or each of the training programmes performed separately.

Keywords: maximal oxygen uptake; combined training; distance running performance; strength circuit training

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