Seiler’s Hierarchy*

of Endurance Training Needs

*With apologies to Maslow

Stephen Seiler
University of Agder
Kristiansand, Norway
What new «training technology» is currently
capturing your fancy? Beware of the Hype Curve
 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Endurance Training Needs

High Intensity Training (HIT)

Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
 (From survey data of ~2500
recreational
runners)

Source: Vickers and Vertosick, BMC Sports Science,

Medicine and Rehabilitation (2016) 8:26
Bente Skari
5 time World Champion,
O-gold, 46 WC victories
900
(Numbers)= best VO2 max test result each season
800 (71) (73)
(76) (73) (73) (74)
Data from Espen Tønnesen (70)
700
Olympiatoppen with permission (67)
600
NA
hours
Treningstimer

(65) (69)
500 (67)
Training

(67)
400
(65)
300

200

100

0
AGE > 18 år 19 år 20 år 21 år 22 år 23 år 24 år 25 år 26 år 27 år 28 år 29 år 30 år 31 år
I-sone 1 103 211 344 377 374,5 469,5 533,5 550 565 582,5 656 648 633 623
I-sone 2 176 135 84 45 70 60 52 78 93 70 54 59 44 47
I-sone 3 36,5 21 18,5 12,5 18,5 17,5 18 16,5 19 25 23,5 23,5 25 20
I-sone 4 18,5 30 31 22 26 40 34,5 40 48 50,5 37 29 47,5 43
I-sone 5 1,5 0,5 3 2,5 1,5 1 2,5 2,5 9 16,5 5,5 12
Sandbakk Ø, Holmberg HC, Leirdal S,
Ettema G. The Physiology of World Class
Sprint Skiers. Scand J Med Sci Sports.
2011 Dec;21(6):e9-16
Main differences in training were that the world class skiers trained ~30%
more volume (hours), and performed more specific speed work.
10
 Stay Healthy!
Elite British runners lose 49 days a year
to injury, on average (source, Barry Fudge
British Athletics’ Head of Endurance)

Mostly due to:

Achilles injuries
Calf strain
Stress fractures

Injury
Risk?

Chronic training volume

Acute training volume/chronic training volume

 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Training
Endurance Training Needs Taper

Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
 Rudolph Harbig Reindell and Waldomer Gershler Emil Zatopek
1939 1948ish

Gerschler’s Sessions: The purpose of each effort
was to get the pulse up to about 180 beats per
minute. After the effort, 90 seconds of recovery was
allowed to get the pulse back down to 120-125 beats
per minute. Then the next effort was undertaken. If
the recovery took longer than 90 seconds, the effort
had been too fast.
“When I was young, I was too
slow. I thought I must learn to
run fast by practicing to run fast,
so I ran 100 meters fast 20
times. Then I came back, slow,
slow, slow.” Emil Zatopek

Despite what you read on the internet or in fitness magazines,

interval training has been around a long time!
‘‘It is an important but unsolved question which
type of training is most effective: to maintain a
level representing 90% of the maximal oxygen
uptake for 40 min, or to tax 100% of the
oxygen uptake capacity for 16 min’’

(Åstrand & Rodahl, Textbook of Work

Physiology, 1970). Per Åstrand in 1963
Tolerable Accumulated Duration (min) 70

60

50

40 I’m cooked

30
64min 32min 16min

20

10

0
85 90 95 100
% HF max
Adaptations to aerobic interval training: interactive
effects of exercise intensity and total work duration.
S Seiler, K Jøranson, B V Olesen, K J Hetlelid
Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports 23:74-83, 2013

1975-2016
 4 training groups

1. LIT only 4–6 sessions/wk. Increase training time 15-20%

2. 4 x 16 – 2.wk-1: 4 x 16 min intervals + 2-3 LIT sessions.wk-1

3. 4 x 8 2.wk-1: 4 x 8 min intervals + 2-3 LIT sessions.wk-1

4. 4 x 4 – 2.wk-1: 4 x 4 min intervals + 2-3 LIT sessions.wk-1

Intensity prescription: Complete each interval session with the highest

AVERAGE intensity possible for the entire session!
EFFORT MATCHING MODEL
 Seiler S, Jøranson K, Olesen BV,
Hetlelid KJ. Adaptations To
Aerobic Interval Training:
Interactive Effects Of Exercise
Intensity And Total Work
Duration. Scand. J. Med Sci
Sports 23, 74-83, 2013.

Distribution of individual response to training by group-averaged change in

VO2peak (l/min), power at VO2peak (W), and Power at 4mM blood lactate
concentration (W).

Averaged response for each subject was categorized as negative to trivial:

<4% improvement, moderate: 4–9% improvement, or large:>9%
improvement. The distribution of individual responses was significantly
different among the four groups (P<0.05).
 Effects of intensity and duration in aerobic high intensity
interval training in highly trained junior cross country skiers
Sandbakk, Ø. et al.

J Strength and Cond. Res.

27(7):1974-80. 2013

Øyvind Sandbakk
 Methods
• Well trained junior XC skiers
• N= 20- 8 weeks high volume, low intensity
• Then divided into a long interval group (LIG) and
a short interval group (SIG) plus a control group
(CG) for
• CG= 2 additional low intensity sessions/wk
• SIG= 2 interval sessions/wk 94% HR max (2-
4min), (15-20 min total work), RPE 18
• LIG = 2 interval sessions/wk 91% HR max (5-10
min), (40-45 min total work), RPE 18
 * LIG
VO2VT
SIG
CG
VO2 max

*
7km hill run

12km *
rollerski
-2 0 2 4 6 8
Percent change
 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Training
Endurance Training Needs Taper

Well
Training Intensity Distribution (TID) established
Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
 5 intensity zones?
VT1 VT2
~2mM ~4mM

[La-] Z1 Z2 Z3 Z4 Z5 Z6+

55 72 80 87 93 100
25
Exercise Intensity (%HRpeak)
 3 intensity zones?
VT1 VT2
2mM 4mM

Z1 Z2 Z3
[La-] Z2 Z4

55 78 86 100
26
Exercise Intensity (%HRpeak)
How do elite marathoners distribute
their training intensity?

2:06-2:11 marathoners

Training data collected during 12-week

period prior to Olympic trials marathon

Billat et al. Physical and training characteristics of top-class marathoners.

Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2001: 33: 2089-2097.
 These top performers rarely trained at
marathon racing speed!

180
78%
160
Dsitance run in km

140
120
100
80
60 18%
40 4%
20
0
<Vmarathon Vmarathon v3000m /v10000m
Training intensity
 Elite Kenyan 5-10k runners?
90
80
Percent of weekly kilometers

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
under vLT vLT Over vLT

Intensity

Data redrawn from Table 3 in Billat et al. Training and bioenergetic characteristics in Elite Male
and Female Kenyan Runners. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 35(2), 297-304, 2003.
 Training Intensity Distribution
International Rowing Medalists
Basic endurance
60 High intensity
Training hrs/ month

50
40
30
20
10
0
70s 80s 90s
Fiskerstrand & Seiler, SJMSS 14:303-310, 2004
Seiler & Kjerland. Quantifying training distribution in
elite endurance athletes: is there evidence of an
optimal distribution? Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports.
16, 49-56, 2006.

90
% end. training sessions

80 75 Glenn Kjerland
70
60
50
40
30 19
20 7
10
0
X < VT1 VT1 < X > VT2 X > VT2
Intensity Zone
 Annual intensity distribution of 12 Olympic/
World champions- XC skiing
100
90
Percent of Endurance Training

80
70
60
Duration

50
40
30
20
10
0
Low Intensity Threshold High Intensity

Espen Tønnessen, Øystein Sylta,Thomas A. Haugen, Erlend Hem, Ida S. Svendsen, Stephen Seiler
The Road to Gold: Training and Peaking Characteristics in the Year Prior to a Gold Medal Endurance Performance. PLOS
One July 14, 2014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101796
Physiological Exposure Time (PET)

65% VO2 max

 Frequency of Sessions (FOS)
70 65% VO2 max

60
Percent of Sessions

50
40
30
20 75%
85% 90%
10 95%
0
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5
Intensity Zone
Esteve-lanao, Foster, Seiler, & Lucia. Impact of training intensity
distribution on performance in endurance athletes. Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research, 2007, 21(3), 943-949.
 2350
10 K X-Country Race Time (sec)

2300
2250
2200
Jonathon
2150 Esteve-Lanao
2100 80/10/10 *
2050 65/25/10
2000
Pre Post

* p< 0.05 vs 65/25/10 group

Esteve-lanao, Foster, Seiler, & Lucia. Impact of training intensity distribution on
performance in endurance athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2007, 21(3), 943-949.
Six weeks of a polarized training-intensity distribution leads to greater
physiological and performance adaptations than a threshold model in trained
cyclists. CM Neal et al. J. Applied Physiology 114:461-471, 2013

Testing Testing Testing

Baseline week week week
testing

Pre screening Polarized OR Polarized OR

and controlled Threshold detraining Threshold
detraining training (4wk) training model
(4wk) model (6wk) (6wk)

Well trained cyclists training 7-8 hr/wk for >6 months prior to study
Age= 37, PPP 4.7 W.kg-1
 Does polarized training improve
performance in recreational
runners?
Iker Muñoz1, Stephen
Seiler2, Javier Bautista1,
Javier España1, Eneko
Larumbe1,

ePublished ahead of print, Int. J. Sport

Physiology and Performance 2013
 Group PET Group BThET

(n = 15) (n = 15)

Age (yr) 34 ± 9 34 ± 7

Weight (kg) 71.4 ± 8.9 67.0 ± 10.4

Height (cm) 177± 5 173± 7

BMI 22.7 ± 2.4 22.2 ± 2.2

VO2max (ml·kg-1·min-1) 61.0 ± 8.4 64.1 ±7.3

HRmax (beats·min-1) 182 ± 11 187 ± 8

VT2 (%HRmax) 91 ± 3 91 ± 3

VT1 (%HRmax) 77 ± 3 79 ± 5

Training Experience (yr) 7.0 ± 3.2 5.6 ± 3.5

10k PRE Time (min) 39.3 ± 4.9 39.4 ± 3.9

 Group PET Group BThET

(n = 15) (n = 15)

Total Running Time (hr) 39.1 ± 7.9 36.3 ± 8.1

Total Time in Zone 1 (hr) 28.5 ± 6.3* 16.7 ± 6.2

Total Time in Zone 2 (hr) 5.3 ± 2.7* 13.9 ± 8.8

Total Time in Zone 3 (hr) 5.3 ± 1.7 5.6 ± 1.6

Total Time in Zone 1 (%) 72.9 ± 5.6* 46.8 ± 15.2

Total Time in Zone 2 (%) 13.5 ± 5.6* 37.3 ± 16.1

Total Time in Zone 3 (%) 13.6 ± 4.3 15.8 ± 4.1

Total TRIMPs 3299 ± 670 3691 ± 982

Mean TRIMPS/wk 330 ± 67 370 ± 98

 5%

PET
Group

3.5%

BThET

-10 -5 0 5 10 15
10k Performance Improvement (%)
 mean intensity distribution 78%
Z1, 11% Z2 and 11% Z3.
Zone 2 lower
than 11%
10k improvement was
PET 7.0±3.6%.
Group

BThET

higher % in Zone 2
than in zone 1 Six subjects from BThET 32%
Z1, 53% Z2 and 16% Z3.
-10.0 -5.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0
10k Performance Improvement (%) mean 10k improvement was
1.6±4%
 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Training
Endurance Training Needs Taper

General Periodization Details (Annual) Unclear but likely overrated

Well
Training VOL, Training Intensity Distribution (TID) established
HIT, and overall
TID likely have Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
interactive
effects
Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance
2012, 7, 242-250
 Cool Periodization Names
• Reverse
• Block
• Non-linear
• Fractal
• Conjugate Sequence
 Lots of scientific sounding ways to
say…..

• Variation?
• Variation?
(But not TOO much)
• Variation?
• Variation?
• Variation?
 Basic periodization of a champion XC skier
100
Training hours
90
Total sessions
Training sessions/ hours

80
IZ3-5 sessions
Espen Tønnessen
70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
 Basic training periodization of a
2-time gold medal winning rower
120

100

80
hours/ number

60

40

20

0
Oktober November Desember Januar Februar Mars April Mai Juni Juli August
Treningstimer 88,22 101,68 89,13 123,78 95,92 95,02 92,52 101,77 84,57 110,23 58,37
Treningsøkter 56 58 57 53 53 52 51 61 53 52 52

Annual Total (gold medal year)

Total training hours: 1041
Total training sessions: 598
Rowing kilometers: 4911
Average hours per week: 21.7
Average # sessions per week 12.5
 High intensity training sessions- champion rower
30
Data from Espen Tønnesen
25 Olympiatoppen with permission

20
Sessions

I-sone 5
15
I-sone 4
10 I-sone 3

0
Oktober November Desember Januar Februar Mars April Mai Juni Juli August

Typical effective training time per session:

Zone 3: 60 min (e.g. 3 x 20 min, 5 min rec)
Zone 4: 60 min (6 x 10 min, 5 min rec)
Zone 5: 20 min (e.g 4 x 4 min, 3 min rec)
 Annual training characteristics of 12 champion XC skiers

Overall intensity
distribution maintained
through season

Frequency of hard
sessions stable, but
intensity of HIT sessions
shifts towards more
Zone 5. Overall, training
becomes MORE polarized
near and during
competition season.

Tønnessen E, Sylta Ø, Haugen TA, Hem E, Svendsen IS, Seiler S (2014) The Road to Gold: Training and Peaking Characteristics in
the Year Prior to a Gold Medal Endurance Performance. PLoS ONE 9(7): e101796. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0101796
http://127.0.0.1:8081/plosone/article?id=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0101796
 Ingrid Kristiansen
5 World Records
World Champion
Data from Espen Tønnesen
Olympiatoppen with permission

Preparation Competition
70

60

50
Treningstimer

40

30

20

10

0
November Desember Januar Februar Mars April Mai Juni Juli August September Oktober
I-sone 1 34,00 38,00 46,50 46,50 41,50 31,00 30,50 35,00 30,50 29,00 29,50 16,50
I-sone 2 4,00 7,00 8,00 7,00 5,00 5,00 1,00 3,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 3,00
I-sone 3 0,50 1,00 1,50 3,00 3,50 4,00 1,50 1,00 1,50 1,50 3,00 3,00
I-sone 4 1,00 1,50 2,00 2,00 2,00 1,00 1,00 1,50 1,50 1,50 1,00
I-sone 5 1,00 1,00 0,50 0,50 2,00 2,00 1,50 1,50 0,50
 Contributors to a
multicenter training study
 2016 Innovation Award winning study!

Øystein Sylta, PhD student- University of Agder

Kristiansand, Norway
Baseline characteristics in all training groups (N=63). Values are mean (SD).
All Traditional Hybrid Reversed
(N=63) (N=23) (N=20) (N=20)
Age (years) 37.7 (7.8) 37.3 (9.3) 38.2 (6.8) 37.7 (7.2)
Body weight (kg) 79.9 (7.9) 80.3 (7.4) 79.7 (8.9) 79.7 (7.8)
Cycling experience 5.5 (4.2) 5.8 (4.5) 6.3 (4.1) 4.4 (3.8)
(years)
Training volume last 9.7 (3.3) 9.9 (3.5) 9.3 (3.1) 9.7 (3.4)
year (h.wk-1)
Power@40min TT 3.6 (0.4) 3.5 (0.4) 3.6 (0.4) 3.6 (0.5)
(w.kg-1)
Power@4mM (w.kg-1) 3.6 (0.5) 3.5 (0.4) 3.6 (0.3) 3.6 (0.6)
PPO (w.kg-1) 5.3 (0.6) 5.2 (0.5) 5.4 (0.7) 5.2 (0.7)
VO2 PEAK (ml.kg-1.min-1) 61.3 (5.8) 61.9 (5.8) 61.3 (6.0) 60.5 (5.7)
VO2 PEAK (L.min-1) 4.9 (0.5) 4.9 (0.5) 4.9 (0.5) 4.8 (0.4)
There were no significant differences among groups. One-way between-groups ANOVA
analysis.
 Interval session prescription
Zone Session Intensity control
All HIT sessions were recommended to be executed
Zone 3 4 x 16min, 2min rest as «all out», BUT:
1 - Within the session structure (eg. only 2min rest)
2 – With even or progressive power, without failure
Zone 4 4 x 8min, 2min rest
3 – Be able to complete all 24 HIT sessions in this
prescribed way

Zone 5 4 x 4min, 2min rest

HIT training characteristics of sessions in all subjects during the
intervention period.

4x16 4x8 4x4

(N=63) (N=63) (N=63)
Power (w) 276 (25)* 308 (29)* 342 (33)*
Power (w.kg-1) 3.5 (0.4)* 3.9 (0.4)* 4.3 (0.4)*
Power % 4mM (%) 97 (8)* 106 (8)* 118 (9)*
Blood lactate (mmol.L-1) 4.7 (1.6)* 9.2 (2.4)* 12.6 (2.7)*
HRmean (% HRpeak) 86 (3)* 88 (2)* 89 (2)*
HRmax (% HRpeak) 89 (2)* 91 (2)* 94 (2)*
RPE average 15.0 (1.1)* 16.2 (0.8)* 17.1 (0.9)*
RPE peak 16.6 (1.1)* 17.7 (0.8)* 18.6 (0.7)*
sRPE (1-10) 30min post session 6.3 (1.0)* 6.9 (1.0)* 7.7 (1.2)*

*P<0.001 vs other groups, one-way repeated measures ANOVA.

 Volume and intensity periodization - ALL GROUPS
15

10
Training volume (h . wk-1)

8
RESTED

5
7

TIRED
0 6
Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Other
No differences among groups. One-way between-groups ANOVA analysis.
 HIT periodization- TRADITIONAL group

3
Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5
HIT volume (h . wk-1)

0
Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13
 HIT periodzation – HYBRID group

3
HIT volume (h . wk-1)

0
Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13

Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5

 HIT periodization- REVERSED group

Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5

HIT volume (h . wk-1)

0
Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13
RESULTS
Chi-square test for independence indicated no significant association between periodization groups and response distribution.

No clear evidence that specific HIT periodization order makes a predictable difference,
but no reason to leave the approach you are using if it is working either!
 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Training
Endurance Training Needs Taper

Sports-specific and Not established, but likely modest

micro-periodization schemes

General Periodization Details (Annual) Unclear but likely overrated

Well
Training VOL, Training Intensity Distribution (TID) established
HIT, and overall
TID likely have Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
interactive
effects
Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
 Does this change make a consistent difference
in the adaptive response?

HI Th LI
M T W T F S S
Highly AM LI LI Rest LI HI Th LI 3 1 7
Trained PM HI LI HI LI Rest LI Rest

Highly AM LI LI HI LI LI Th LI 3 1 7
Trained PM HI LI Rest HI Rest LI Rest

Redrawn after an example provided by J. Stanley

et al. 2013 Sports Med. and lecture video.

There is some new evidence supporting block training schemes,

and microcycle manipulation may make a difference over
time, but little research has been done on this so far.
 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Endurance Training Needs

Training Stimuli Potentially important effects

Enhancement but individual and condition specific
(i.e. Altitude, Heat)

Sports-specific and Not established, but likely

modest
micro-periodization schemes

General Periodization Details (Annual) Unclear but likely overrated

Well
Training VOL, Training Intensity Distribution (TID) established
HIT, and overall
TID likely have Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
interactive
effects
Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
Almost all International medal winning endurance athletes have done some training
at altitude (typically 2000-2500m). So, optimization of blood oxygen delivery by stimulating
enhanced red blood cell production may be critical at the world class level. BUT, this is the last
few percent, not the foundation of training, AND there is big individual response variation
and substantial risk of a negative training outcome.

Young athletes and their coaches should do all the other things right, and build a good
endurance training platform before investing lots of time and money on altitude camps.
Heat acclimatization is very important if competitions are held under hot conditions.
Fortunately, a 5-7d acclimatization period is consistently shown to improve
heat removal capacity and heat tolerance. However, effects of «heat adaption» on
performance under normal ambient conditions are probably trivial.

http://www.csipacific.ca/wp-content/pdfs/pp/performance-point-phys-1305-heat.pdf
 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of
Training
Endurance Training Needs Taper
Race/ Potentially decisive
Pace Training if everything else is done right
Training Stimuli
Potentially important effects
Enhancement but individual and condition specific
(i.e. Altitude, Heat, Energy availability)

Sports-specific and Not established, but likely

modest
micro-periodization schemes

General Periodization Details (Annual) Unclear but likely overrated

Well
Training VOL, Training Intensity Distribution (TID) established
HIT, and overall
TID likely have Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
interactive
effects
Well
Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
Pacing and racing are sometimes very different. Optimal pace for a given distance
requires both sensitivity to perceptual signals, and practice. Pack racing does not always
involve doing what is «optimal» for the fastest individual time. Therefore specific
«race» training may require a different strategy……

However, both pacing for optimal performance time and race training for optimal race
placement both build on your maximal capacity, which is a function of your committment
To the lower levels of the training hierarchy!
 Name this racer…
2008 2012 2016 Percent
Change
from 2008
5000m SB 13:09 12:56 12:59 1-1.5%

Last 1k 2:27.5 2:25.2 2:25.6 1.3%

Last 400m 56.1 52.9 52.8 5.9%

 Seiler´s Hierarchy Strength of Evidence/Effect
of Potentially decisive if you have one isolated competition...
Training
Endurance Training Needs Taper
and everything else is done right

Race/Pace Potentially decisive

Training if everything else is done right
Training Stimuli Potentially important effects
Enhancement but individual and condition specific
(i.e. Altitude, Heat, Energy availability)

Sports-specific and Not established, but likely

modest
micro-periodization schemes

General Periodization Details (Annual) Unclear but likely overrated

Well
Training VOL, Training Intensity Distribution (TID) established
HIT, and overall
TID likely have Well
High Intensity Training (HIT) established
interactive
effects
Well
Total Frequency/ Volume of training (VOL) established
 Showing up fit for fight on race day can be worth 0.5-3%, and a lot of research
has been done on the tapering process. Here is a nice article that discusses
that contemporary research, but also some other views (if it ain’t broke don’t fix it).

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/the-art-and-science-of-the-taper

All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.