No Differences Between 12 Weeks of Block- vs. Traditional-Periodized Training in Performance Adaptations in Trained Cyclists

Nicki Winfield Almquist; Hanne Berg Eriksen; Malene Wilhelmsen; Håvard Hamarsland; Steven Ing; Stian Ellefsen; Øyvind Sandbakk; Bent R Rønnestad; Knut Skovereng

doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.837634

No Differences Between 12 Weeks of Block- vs. Traditional-Periodized Training in Performance Adaptations in Trained Cyclists

Front Physiol. 2022 Mar 1:13:837634. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.837634. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Nicki Winfield Almquist^{1

2}, Hanne Berg Eriksen¹, Malene Wilhelmsen¹, Håvard Hamarsland¹, Steven Ing², Stian Ellefsen¹, Øyvind Sandbakk², Bent R Rønnestad¹, Knut Skovereng²

Affiliations

¹ Section for Health and Exercise Physiology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway.
² Centre for Elite Sports Research, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 12 weeks load-matched block periodization (BP, n = 14), using weekly concentration of high- (HIT), moderate- (MIT), and low- (LIT) intensity training, with traditional periodization (TP, n = 16) using a weekly, cyclic progressive increase in training load of HIT-, MIT-, and LIT-sessions in trained cyclists (peak oxygen uptake: 58 ± 8 ml·kg^-1·min^-1). Red blood cell volume increased 10 ± 16% (p = 0.029) more in BP compared to TP, while capillaries around type I fibers increased 20 ± 12% (p = 0.002) more in TP compared to BP from Pre to Post12. No other group differences were found in time-trial (TT) performances or muscular-, or hematological adaptations. However, both groups improved 5 and 40-min TT power by 9 ± 9% (p < 0.001) and 8 ± 9% (p < 0.001), maximal aerobic power (W_max) and power output (PO) at 4 mmol·L^-1 blood lactate (W_4mmol), by 6 ± 7 (p = 0.001) and 10 ± 12% (p = 0.001), and gross efficiency (GE) in a semi-fatigued state by 0.5 ± 1.1%-points (p = 0.026). In contrast, GE in fresh state and VO_2peak were unaltered in both groups. The muscle protein content of β-hydroxyacyl (HAD) increased by 55 ± 58% in TP only, while both TP and BP increased the content of cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV (COXIV) by 72 ± 34%. Muscle enzyme activities of citrate synthase (CS) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) were unaltered. TP increased capillary-to-fiber ratio and capillary around fiber (CAF) type I by 36 ± 15% (p < 0.001) and 17 ± 8% (p = 0.025), respectively, while BP increased capillary density (CD) by 28 ± 24% (p = 0.048) from Pre to Post12. The present study shows no difference in performance between BP and "best practice"-TP of endurance training intensities using a cyclic, progressively increasing training load in trained cyclists. However, hematological and muscle capillary adaptations may differ.

Keywords: best practice; endurance training; hematological measures; periodization; skeletal muscle measures.