Planing of Sport
Training
TOPIC 7 Microcyle design:
Intensity in endurance athletes
Professor: Juan Pablo Rey-López, PhD
jprey@[Link]
Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM)
Timing unit: Second semester 2024/25
SPECIAL TOPIC, WE WILL SEE:
Describe the major determinants of endurance performance.
Describe the intensity zones applied to endurance training.
Discuss laboratory and field tests that are considered the gold-standards to
prescribe intensity.
• Three physiological parameters have been used to explain much
of the variation in prolonged endurance (1 hour or more)
performance between athletes: maximum oxygen uptake;
exercise economy; and the highest sustainable fraction of
VO2max for a given distance, which is, in turn, related to the
transition between domains of exercise, or so-called
physiological ‘thresholds’ (di Prampero et al., 1986; Jones
et al., 2021; Joyner, 1991; Joyner et al., 2008; Lazzer et al., 2012;
Maunder et al., 2022; McLaughlin et al., 2010).
• Combined, these physiological parameters determine a
‘performance speed’ (di Prampero et al., 1986; Joyner, 1991),
which accounts for ∼72% of the variation in marathon
performance between athletes (di Prampero et al., 1986) and
∼88% of the variation in a 30 min time trial (TT) following 2 h of
moderate cycling (Maunder et al., 2022)
4 MAJOR DETERMINANTS OF
ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE
• VO2 MAX
• Highest sustainable fraction of VO2 max
• Exercise ECONOMY
• DURABILITY*
However, physiological variables often
deteriorate during prolonged exercise
(1-31% reduction of Critical Power, Critical
Speed)
Further information about durability
here:
Durability as an index of endurance
exercise performance: Methodological
considerations
Ben Hunter, Ed Maunder, Andrew M.
Jones, Gabriele Gallo, Daniel Muniz-
Pumares
The student must watch
Describing Training Zones-
Dr. Inigo San Millan
[Link]
euk
6 Intensity Zones
(Coates et al. 2023)
ANAEROBIC ALACTIC SYSTEM
VO2 MAX= OXIDATIVE PLUS
NON-OXIDATIVE METABOLISM
(ANAEROBIC LACTIC SYSTEM OR
GLYCOLISIS)
GLUCOSE
LOWER FAT COMSUMPTION AND
GLUCOSE
MAXIMAL FAT COMSUMPTION AND
GLUCOSE
FAT (PREDOMINANT SOURCE)
AND GLUCOSE
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
RECOMMENDATIONS for HEALTH IN
ADULTS
AT LEAST 75 MINUTES PER WEEK
AT LEAST 150 MINUTES PER
WEEK
1 MET-1.5 MET =
SEDENTARY
1 MET= 3.5 ml Oxygen
/kg/min
ABSOLUTE SCALE OF INTENSITY
(health related intensity cut-points)
are not valid for elite endurance
athletes.
• For an elite athlete (VO2max
of 75 ml/kg/min)
Running with an energy
consumption of 22 ml/kg/min
(more than 6 METS) is vigorous
intensity based on physical
activity recommendations for
health), but….IN A RELATIVE
SCALE IS NOT VIGOROUS
RELATIVE SCALE OF INTENSITY
Rey-Lopez JP et al. 2023
How to determine intensity zones
* Laboratory measurements:
Ventilatory thresholds
Lactate thresholds
* Field measurements:
Critical speed
Performance test
FIELD MEASUREMENTS
“Critical Speed is easy to to. You do a
short test (above 3 minutes) and a long
test (about 20 minutes) on different
days, when you are well-rested. For
example:
1) 5000 metres= 1200 seconds.
2) 1000 metres= 240 seconds.
Now, you must calculate Critical Speed
(CS):
5000-1000= 4000 meters.
1200-240= 960 seconds.
Divide 4000/960= 4.17 meters/second.