Program Design and

Technique for Aerobic

Endurance Training
Chapter 20
Essentials of Strength and Conditioning
Chapter Objectives
• Discuss factors related to aerobic endurance performance
• Select aerobic endurance training mode, frequency, duration, and
intensity
• Apply program design variables based on the sport season
• Address cross-training, detraining, tapering, and supplemental resistance
training when designing an aerobic endurance training program
 Making Sense of Everything
• Aerobic Threshold - A relatively low level of intensity marked by light
breathing and the feeling that you could maintain the effort for a few hours.
• Where the level of lactate in the blood first starts to rise
• Occurs around 60% of aerobic capacity or 60-85% of max heart rate or 80% of lactate
threshold.
• Lactate Threshold – intensity at which lactate concentration in the blood
increases abruptly.
• Maximal lactate steady state – maximal lactate production equals maximal
lactate clearance
Factors Related to Aerobic
Endurance Performance

• Maximal aerobic capacity

• As the duration of an aerobic endurance event increases, so does the
proportion of the total energy that must be met by aerobic metabolism.
• There is a high correlation between VO2max and performance in aerobic
endurance events.
• Lactate threshold
• An athlete’s lactate threshold appears to be a better indicator of his or her
aerobic endurance performance than VO2max.
• Exercise economy
• A measure of the energy cost of activity at a given exercise velocity
• An improvement in exercise economy can enhance maximal aerobic power
(VO2max) and lactate threshold
Designing an Aerobic
Endurance Program
• Step 1: exercise mode
• The specific activity performed by the athlete: cycling, running,
swimming, …
• The more specific the training mode is to the sport, the greater the
improvement in performance.
• Step 2: training frequency
• The number of training sessions conducted per day or per week.
• The frequency of training sessions will depend on
the interaction of exercise intensity and duration, the training status of
the athlete, and the specific sport season.
Designing an Aerobic
Endurance Program

• Step 3: training intensity

• Adaptations in the body are specific to the intensity of the training
session.
• High-intensity aerobic exercise increases cardiovascular and
respiratory function and allows for improved oxygen delivery to the
working muscles.
• Increasing exercise intensity may also benefit skeletal muscle
adaptations by affecting muscle fiber recruitment.
• Heart rate
• The most frequently used method for prescribing aerobic exercise intensity
3: Training Intensity

Target heart rate calculations Example

• Karvonen method • Age: 25 yrs
• [(HRmax – HRrest) * % ] + HRrest • APMHR: = 190.5 bpm
• Percentage of maximal heart • RHR: 65 bpm
rate method • Desired intensity: aerobic
• Age-predicted maximum threshold
heart rate: 208 – (.7*age) [(190.5 bpm–65 bpm)*.7]+65bpm
• Target heart rate (THR) = = 153 bpm
(APMHR × exercise intensity) 190.5 bpm * .81 = 154 bpm
3: Training Intensity

• Ratings of perceived exertion

scales
• Can be used to regulate intensity
of aerobic endurance training
across changes in fitness level
• May be influenced by external
environmental factors
3: Training Intensity

• Metabolic equivalents (METs)

• One MET is equal to 3.5 ml·kg–1·min–1 of oxygen consumption and is
considered the amount of oxygen required by the body at rest.
• Speed/Time
• Swimmers/runners choose a specific pace
• Power measurement
• Cyclists may use power-measuring cranks and hubs to regulate
exercise intensity.
• Metabolic rate is closely related to mechanical power production.
Heart Rate, RPE and Power Training Zones
Based off of VT
HR vs. Watts/Pace/METs
•What are the positives and
negatives of utilizing both as
training tools?
Designing an Aerobic
Endurance Program

• Step 4: exercise duration

• Exercise duration is the length of time of the training session.
• The duration of a training session is influenced by the exercise intensity
• ^ exercise duration  v exercise intensity
• Step 5: exercise progression
• ^ frequency, intensity, and duration
• Frequency, intensity, or duration should not increase by more than 10% each
week
• When it is not feasible to increase frequency or duration, progression can
occur with intensity manipulation.
• Progression of intensity should be monitored to prevent overtraining.
Designing an Aerobic Endurance Program
Aerobic Training Intensity
Long, Slow Distance Training
• Adaptations from this exercise
include the following:
• Enhances the body’s ability to
clear lactate
• Causes an eventual shift of Type
IIx fibers to Type I fibers
• Intensity is lower than that of
competition, which may be a
disadvantage if too much LSD
training is used.
Pace/Tempo Training
• Steady pace/tempo training: 20
to 30 minutes of continuous
training at the lactate threshold
• Intermittent pace/tempo training:
series of shorter intervals with
brief recovery periods
• Objectives
• Develop a sense of race pace and
enhance the body’s ability to
sustain exercise at that pace
• Improve running economy and
increase lactate threshold
Aerobic Training Intensity
Interval Training
• Work:rest ratio should be 1:1.
• Allows athletes to train at
intensities close to VO2max for a
greater amount of time
• Increases VO2max and enhances
anaerobic metabolism
• Should be used sparingly, and
only when training athletes with
a firm aerobic endurance training
base
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
• Work:rest ratio should be 1:5
• Uses repeated high-intensity
bouts interspersed with brief
recovery periods.
• Athletes need to spend several
minutes above 90% of VO2max
for an optimal stimulus.
• May be effective for improving
running economy and running
speed.
• Typical interval lasts 20-90
seconds.
Fartlek Training

• Combines other methods of

training
• Easy running (~70%
VO2max) combined with .
hills or short, fast bursts .
(~85-90% VO2max)
• Can be adapted for cycling
and swimming .
• Benefits are likely to include
• Enhanced VO2max
• Increased lactate threshold
• Improved running economy
and fuel utilization
Application of Program Design
to Training Seasons
• Off-season (base training)
• Begin with long duration and low intensity. Gradually increase
intensity and, to a lesser extent, duration.
• Preseason
• Focus on increasing intensity, maintaining or reducing duration, and
incorporating all types of training.
• In-season (competition)
• Program should be designed around competition, with low-intensity
and short-duration training just before race days.
• Postseason (active rest)
• Focus on recovering from the competitive season while maintaining
sufficient fitness.
Special Issues Related
to Aerobic Endurance Training
• Cross-training
• A mode of training that can be
used to maintain general
conditioning in athletes during
periods of reduced training due to
injury or during recovery from a
training cycle.
• Tapering
• Systematic reduction of training
duration and intensity combined
with an increased emphasis on
technique work and nutritional
intervention.
• Objective: attain peak
performance at the time of
competition.
• Detraining
• Detraining occurs when the
athlete reduces the training
duration or intensity or stops
training altogether due to a break
in the training program, injury, or
illness.
• In the absence of an appropriate
training stimulus, the athlete
experiences a loss of the
physiological adaptations brought
about by training.
Special Issues Related
to Aerobic Endurance Training
• Resistance training
• Benefits might be derived from
performing resistance training
during aerobic endurance
training.
• Improvement in short-term exercise
performance
• Faster recovery from injuries
• Prevention of overuse injuries and
reduction of muscle imbalances
• It can improve hill climbing,
bridging gaps between
competitors during breakaways,
and the final sprint.
• Altitude
• The height above sea level
ranging from >500 m to >5,500 m
(1,600 feet to 18,000 feet)
• Acclimatization may occur
between 12 and 14 days at
moderate altitudes up to 2,300 m
(7,500 feet), but can take up to
several months.
• In order to see an ergogenic
effect, athletes need a hypoxic
dose ≥12 hours/day for a
minimum of three weeks at
moderate altitude.
HW4: Aerobic Plan

• Create a 10K training program for yourself

• Estimate your current aerobic fitness. (i.e. report/estimate your VO 2max)
• Create a realistic goal time based on your current fitness level.
• You will need to include your VO2max
• Determine how many weeks you will need to train.
• Create a periodized training program.
• Include different intensities of training (and the corresponding pace time
based on your VO2max)
• Use the Compendium of physical activity to help determine intensity at different paces
• Remember, 1 MET = 3.5 ml/kg/min