Most fitness buffs share a fear of getting out of shape if they back off from their regular training schedule. That fear is not totally unwarranted. Studies have shown significant decreases in aerobic capacity and local muscular endurance following a complete layoff for as short a period of time as one to four weeks.
That’s a complete full stop. What about backing off the intensity of your workout only? What will the affect be? Studies have been launched to determine whether workouts of reduced length, intensity, or frequency can maintain aerobic capacity, strength and power. Twenty-four male swimmers, all competitive college athletes, all of whom had completed five months of intense training (averaging swimming 9,000 yards per day, six days a week) participated in one study focusing on this problem. Following the final competition at a championship meet, the swimmers were divided into three groups. Group one reduced their training routine to 3,000 yards per day, three days per week. Group two reduced their training routine to 3,000 yards per day, one day a week. Group three stopped swimming completely.
All of the swimmers were tested at the end of the five-month competition period (just before the beginning of the study) and then again during the study at the end of weeks one, two and four. Tests included the measurement of the swimmers’ strength in performing swimming motions (these were measured on dry land using a special resistance machine) swimming power (the ability to apply force during swimming; this was measured in the water using a different machine) and maximum aerobic capacity.
Effect of Reduced Training On Strength
Over the four weeks of reduced training, NONE of the three groups showed significant decreases in their strength while performing swimming motions.
Effect of Reduced Training on Aerobic Capacity
Over the course of the five-month training period, aerobic capacity for all athletes increased significantly. During the subsequent reduced-training period, group one, the ones who trained three days a week, maintained their increased aerobic capacity in spite of the fact that they were only swimming one-third as much per workout and swimming on only half as many days. Group two, who swam only one day a week, saw a drop in aerobic capacity to nearly what it was before the five months of competition training. It was no longer significantly higher.
Effect of Reduced Training on Power
Swimming power, not surprisingly, decreased for all the swimmers in all three groups of participants in the study. Interestingly, there were no significant differences in how much swimming power decreased between all three groups of the study. On average, subjects showed a decrease in power of 13.6 percent by the fourth week of the study. About half of that loss in swimming power occurred in the first of the four weeks of the study.
These results suggest that people who have trained themselves to achieve a high level of aerobic fitness can reduce training by 70 percent for four weeks without significantly losing aerobic capacity or strength. Power, the ability to deliver strength over time, decreases quickly with reduced training.
August 24, 2008
Please cite your source for this research. It’s quite an interesting article, & I wanted to track-back to it, but am unable to find the original study.
Thanks!
Coach Kim
August 25, 2008
This is great news, especially for people who experience a minor injury or other minor ‘thing’ that takes them away from their intensity for a short time!
Thanks for the article!
Shelley
p.s. Did you know in 2009 Your vitamins will be illegal?
August 26, 2008
What would be the difference between strength and power?
Power is strength over time? So the swimmers had reduced capacity to swim with the same strength over the same period of time, than in the regular training periods?
September 3, 2008
I’d also like to know the original source. So far it is just an intrigueing piece of information, yet under the question of reliability.
thanks in advance,
Uku Visnapuu
September 20, 2008
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