EFFECT OF TWO DIFFERENT LONG-SPRINT TRAINING REGIMENS ON SPRINT PERFORMANCE AND ASSOCIATED METABOLIC RESPONSES

Hanon, C, Bernard, O, Rabate, M, and Claire, T. Effect of two different long-sprint training regimens on sprint performance and associated metabolic responses. J Strength Cond Res 26(6): 1551-1557, 2012-The purpose of this study was to analyze 2 different long-sprint training programs (TPs) of equal total work load, completed either with short recovery (SR) or long recovery (LR) between sets and to compare the effects of 6 long-sprint training sessions (TSs) conducted over a 2-week period on a 300-m performance. Fourteen trained subjects performed 3 pretraining maximal sprints (50-, 100-, and 300-m), were paired according to their 300-m performance, and randomly allocated to an LR or SR group, which performed 6 TSs consisting of sets of 150, 200, or 250 m. The recovery in the LR group was double that of the SR group. During the third TS and the 300-m pretest and posttest, blood pH, bicarbonate concentration ([HCO3-]), excess-base (EB), and lactate concentration were recorded. Compared with a similar TS performed with SR, the LR training tends to induce a greater alteration of the acid-base balance: pH: 7.09 +/- 0.08 (LR) and 7.14 +/- 0.05 (SR) (p = 0.10), [HCO3-]: 7.8 +/- 1.9 (LR) and 9.6 +/- 2.7 (SR) (p = 0.04), and EB: -21.1 +/- 3.8 (LR) and -17.7 +/- 2.8 (SR) (p = 0.11). A significant improvement in the 300-m performance between pre-TP and post-TP (42.45 +/- 2.64 vs. 41.52 +/- 2.45, p = 0.01) and significant decreases in pH (p < 0.01), EB (p < 0.001) and increase in [La] (p < 0.001) have been observed post-TP compared with those pre-TP. Although sprint training with longer recovery induces higher metabolic disturbances, both sprint training regimens allow a similar 300-m performance improvement with no concomitant significant progress in the 50- and 100-m performance.