2023 Video Playbook - 22

Strength & Conditioning
believed, and the resulting interference effect is largely
dependent upon loading parameters, such as frequency,
intensity, time, and type (Wilson, 2012).
Lower aerobic endurance training volume, such
as distances of 3km or less or at 18 minutes in
duration was found not to inhibit strength endurance
performance in comparison to greater volume entailing
distances of 5 to 7km or at 30 to 42 minutes in duration
(Panissa, 2014). Weekly aerobic endurance training
volume was strongly correlated with decrements in
strength performance (Sousa, 2020).
Concurrent training can be beneficial in increasing total
daily caloric expenditure (Poehlman, 2002), which will
hasten their resting metabolic rate, and in turn, assist
with weight control (Pollock, 2000). Improvements in
hemodynamic response, arterial stiffness, muscular
strength (Cortez-Cooper, 2005), and submaximal
exercise capacity (Beckers, 2008) have been shown
among concurrent training samples. Additionally,
concurrent training has also been proven effective in
cardiovascular disease management (Meka, Katragradda,
Cherian, & Arora, 2008) and has been shown to restore
impaired aerobic endurance and strength in heart
transplant patients (Chtara, 2005). Jointly incorporating
aerobic endurance and strength training protocols is also
postulated to be effective in improving upper and lower
body strength, aerobic endurance, and balance in the
elderly (Toraman, Erman, & Agyar, 2004).
Further, a recent randomized controlled trial revealed
that the concurrent training group significantly reduced
peripheral and central diastolic blood pressure and
experienced greater increases in cardiorespiratory
fitness, upper and lower body strength, and lean
body mass in comparison to aerobic endurance and
resistance-trained groups over an 8-week period
(Schroeder, Franke, Sharp, & Lee, 2019). More specific
to performance, concomitant modalities of aerobic
endurance and resistance training have been shown
to produce greater improvements in endurance
performance and aerobic capacity (Chtara, 2005;
Rønnestad & Mujika, 2014).
Lower-volume, high-intensity strength training has
been shown to evoke greater improvements in both
aerobic endurance and strength performance than
moderate-intensity training (Rønnestad & Mujika, 2014).
Among endurance athletes, concurrent training entailing
heavy or explosive strength training has been shown
to improve running, cycling, and swimming economy
(Rønnestad & Mujika, 2014; Giandonato, 2011).
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Strength and conditioning professionals should be
cognizant of the varying physiological and biomechanical
demands of their athletes, especially those who are
22 | Training & Conditioning | Video Playbook 2023
engaged in competitive pursuits. For example, an
endurance athlete, such as a cross-country runner and
an American football player who regularly engages in
resistance training for physical preparation, ostensibly
possesses disparate fitness qualities, biomotor skills,
and metabolic profiles. These differences are likely to be
more pronounced at higher levels of competition. While
both athletes can and should be encouraged to engage in
concurrent training, preventing undesirable adaptations,
specifically reduced muscular power and strength,
can be attenuated by accounting for the quaternary of
loading parameters: frequency, intensity, time, and type,
colloquially known as the " FITT principle " .
Additionally, if sessions are to be performed
subsequently on the same day, priority should be given
to which fitness qualities and biomotor skills may be
insufficient or need improvement. Further, it should
be considered that performing aerobic endurance
training will deplete muscle glycogen stores needed
to facilitate repetitive high-intensity outputs. This
is critical especially if the athlete needs to learn,
practice, and ingrain technique on given movements
or drills, as fatigue can impede motor learning. Ideally,
same-day aerobic endurance and resistance training
sessions should be interpolated by a 4-to-8-hour
recovery interval to reduce the interference effect and
strength endurance performance. A review by Eddens,
van Someren, and Howaston (2018), reported that
resistance training followed by aerobic endurance
training is conducive to improving lower-body dynamic
strength, which is a worthy finding for athletes who
participate in endurance- or strength-oriented sports.
Preferably, aerobic endurance and resistance training
should be performed on different days. However, if
that is not possible, frequency, intensity, and volume
of both aerobic endurance and strength training
should be undulated throughout the year, especially
during the competitive season when the athlete
may be participating in races or events. Additionally,
fluctuations in loading parameters should account for an
athlete's nutritional and hormonal status, sleep quality,
available time, training and chronological age, and health
and injury status. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joseph Giandonato, MBA, MS, CSCS serves as an
Employee Well-being Coordinator at the University of
Virginia, where he assists with the design, delivery, and
oversight of programming associated with their awardwinning
wellness program. Additionally, Giandonato is
a faculty member with the World Instructor Training
Schools, an NCCA-accredited personal training
certification, through whom he's facilitated dozens of
certification courses since 2010.
2023 Video Playbook

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