Here’s a piece out of Australia published in this months Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. It is looking at the effect of concurrent resistance and endurance training on certain parameters for endurance cyclists (full reference at the bottom of the page).

Participants completing the study numbered 14 and were all well trained male cyclists who had been involved in competition for at least 12 months and had not taken part in any resistance training for at least 6 months. Participants were divided into a control group and test group with 7 in each and were tested during the non competitive period of the season. Testing consisted of 1 repetition maximum (RM) squat test, a graded exercise test during which a VO2 max score and peak power output score were obtained and a 30km dynamic cycling test (CT30) and were undertaken in the week before and after the 6 week training program.

The CT 30 test is a 30-km time trial that includes a 250m sprint at the 4, 14 and 24-km mark and a 1-km sprint at the 9, 19 and 29 km marks. During the training program, participants underwent 3 resistance training sessions per week for 6 weeks with one session focused on strength, one on power and one on muscle hypertrophy (appendix 1).

No significant differences were found between groups on any of the tests as a result of the training program that was prescribed. A few possible reasons given for a lack of improvement were given. The prescribed volume may have had an extended overreaching effect reducing the impact of the training and this potentially combined with too short a period of time from the end of training to repeat testing (lag time) meant that recovery and adaptation were unable to take place. It was suggested that there was maybe a lack of specificity to resistance training and, due to the nature of the CT30 test, pacing strategy in the test may have had an effect. The authors conclude by stating that resistance training is unlikely to dynamic endurance cycling performance.

Draw your own conclusions from the piece and by all means give it a read, it would be interesting to hear from some of you that may not agree with dropping resistance training from an endurance cyclists training program.

• Levin, G.T., McGuigan, M.R. & Laursen, P.B. (2009). Effect of concurrent resistance and endurance training on physiologic and performance parameters of well trained endurance cyclists. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(8) pp. 2280-2286.

Appendix 1

Strength – Lunges, squats, stiff leg deadlifts, seated calf raises, inclined crunches

Power – Jump squat, single leg jump squat, clean grip deadlift, single leg calf raise, back extension

Hypertrophy – Single leg leg press, knee extension, knee flexion, standing calf raises, abdominal crunches

I want to start with stating that I studied for 3 years to achieve my BSc in sport science and physiology, 3 years part-time to achieve my MSc in strength and conditioning and committed plenty of time to gaining my UKSCA accreditation; this may mean I have a slightly biased opinion but I will offer it anyway.   I recently stumbled upon the 1st4sport levels 1-3 certificates for strength and conditioning which will ‘qualify you to coach the skills and techniques of strength and conditioning, as identified in the Practical Syllabus.  This includes the use of free weights to develop sports performance’ that is delivered in association with the RFU.

I welcome the education of coaches to the benefits of strength and conditioning and the growth of the profession within the UK and I think that this qualification will achieve both of these.   I also acknowledge that by putting forward an individual to such a course may represent a more viable option than paying for a specific S+C coach for a club or team.  The main difficulty I have is that the UKSCA accreditation is still young, as is the industry itself and that teams, clubs and individuals may have difficulty in distinguishing between an accredited coach and a 1st4sport coach, which may mean that coaches then need both qualifications to ensure recognition.   This qualification has been introduced by the RFU and that there is another delivered by the FA….will all sports need you to have a qualification from their governing body and will sports then prioritise their certificate as a requirement for employment?  Finally I massively advocate the scientific approach to the field and believe that such a background better equips a practitioner for program design.   I am not underestimating the need to be an excellent coach and to communicate effectively with athletes and other coaches, what I don’t want to see is the industry becoming watered down by qualifications you almost have to attend just to gain.

My personal view is that, and I reiterate that it may be because it’s the educational route I chose, coaches should be confident that the accreditation and eventually the master practitioner awards are the ones necessary for recognition within the UK.   I think work needs to be done to ensure that this is and remains true.