Introducing a Method to Quantify the Specificity of Training for Races in Speed Skating
- 9 May 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- Vol. 36 (7), 1998-2004
- https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000004271
Abstract
Roete, AJ, Stoter, IK, Lamberts, RP, Elferink-Gemser, MT, and Otter, RTA. Introducing a method to quantify the specificity of training for races in speed skating. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2022—The specificity of training for races is believed to be important for performance development. However, measuring specificity is challenging. This study aimed to develop a method to quantify the specificity of speed skating training for sprint races (i.e., 500 and 1,000 m), and explore the amount of training specificity with a pilot study. On-ice training and races of 10 subelite-to-elite speed skaters were analyzed during 1 season (i.e., 26 weeks). Intensity was mapped using 5 equal zones, between 4 m·s−1 to peak velocity and 50% to peak heart rate. Training specificity was defined as skating in the intensity zone most representative for the race for a similar period as during the race. During the season, eight 500 m races, seven 1,000 m races, and 509 training sessions were analyzed, of which 414 contained heart rate and 375 sessions contained velocity measures. Within-subject analyses were performed. During races, most time was spent in the highest intensity zone (Vz5 and HRz5). In training, the highest velocity zone Vz5 was reached 107 ± 28 times, with 9 ± 3 efforts (0.3 ± 0.1% training) long enough to be considered 500 m specific, 6 ± 5 efforts (0.3 ± 0.3% training) were considered 1,000 m specific. For heart rate, HRz5 was reached 151 ± 89 times in training, 43 ± 33 efforts (1.3 ± 0.9% training) were considered 500 m specific, and 36 ± 23 efforts (3.2 ± 1.7% training) were considered 1,000 m specific. This newly developed method enables the examination of training specificity so that coaches can control whether their intended specificity was reached. It also opens doors to further explore the impact of training specificity on performance development.Keywords
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Comparison of Activity Profiles and Physiological Demands Between International Rugby Sevens Matches and TrainingJournal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2016
- High Responders and Low Responders: Factors Associated with Individual Variation in Response to Standardized TrainingSports Medicine, 2014
- Thirty-Eight Years of Training Distribution in Olympic Speed SkatersInternational Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2014
- Physical demands of professional rugby league training and competition using microtechnologyJournal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2012
- Training for intense exercise performance: high‐intensity or high‐volume training?Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2010
- The Quantification of Training Load, the Training Response and the Effect on PerformanceSports Medicine, 2009
- The specificity of training prescription and physiological assessment: A reviewJournal of Sports Sciences, 2009
- Do Skill-Based Conditioning Games Offer a Specific Training Stimulus for Junior Elite Volleyball Players?Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2008
- Experimental evaluation of the power balance model of speed skatingJournal of Applied Physiology, 2005
- Quantifying training intensity distribution in elite endurance athletes: is there evidence for an “optimal” distribution?Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2004