Dr. Tommy Lundberg, a leading expert from the Karolinska Institute, discusses the intriguing effects of concurrent training, where resistance and endurance workouts intersect. He reveals that combining these training methods often yields no negative impact on muscle growth and can even enhance endurance performance. Lundberg also delves into how different training volumes affect outcomes, injury prevention strategies, and the surprising role of resistance training in endurance adaptations. Additionally, he touches on the research challenges associated with exercise responses, including insights into gender and training.
Concurrent training can enhance overall athletic performance by integrating resistance and endurance training without significant negative impacts on strength gains.
Recent studies challenge the belief that endurance work diminishes muscle hypertrophy, suggesting that concurrent training may even improve muscle growth when structured effectively.
The effectiveness of resistance training for injury prevention is mixed, requiring a tailored approach that balances training volume, intensity, and recovery for optimal performance.
Deep dives
Understanding Concurrent Training
Concurrent training refers to the combination of endurance and resistance exercises within the same training program. The discussion emphasizes that adding strength training to endurance routines can be beneficial without necessarily hindering performance. It challenges the long-held belief that endurance work diminishes strength gains, noting recent findings that concurrent training can enhance running economy and overall power output, particularly in endurance athletes. This nuanced understanding opens up new approaches for athletes looking to optimize their training regimens.
Historical Context of Concurrent Training
Historically, the idea that endurance training interferes with strength gains stemmed from early research, such as the classic 1980 study by Bob Hickson, which illustrated negative impacts when high volumes of both training types were combined. However, more recent studies have shifted this perspective, indicating that when structured effectively, concurrent training can enhance outcomes like muscle hypertrophy and strength. This evolution in understanding encourages athletes and coaches to reconsider how they integrate different training modalities. It also highlights the need for balance, indicating that an excessive volume of training in either area can lead to diminishing returns.
Impact on Muscle Hypertrophy
Research indicates that concurrent training does not significantly hinder muscle hypertrophy compared to resistance training alone, with some studies suggesting that the combination can even enhance muscle growth. This is particularly true when resistance training is performed explosively or at high loads while maintaining lower volumes. The findings suggest that strength adaptations may remain intact or improve when endurance is also included in the training program. This challenges the traditional model that viewed hypertrophy as solely the result of resistance training without the influence of concurrent endurance efforts.
Explosive Strength and Its Adaptations
The discussion around explosive strength indicates that resistance training aimed at improving high-velocity strength yields better results when not fatigued by endurance work immediately beforehand. Studies have illustrated that explosive strength may experience some interference from endurance training, particularly in already trained athletes. Nonetheless, adding resistance training seems to maintain or improve endurance performance through enhanced running economy and power output in the latter stages of competition. These revelations underscore the importance of understanding the specific demands of one's sport when designing training regimens.
Considerations for Injury Prevention
While resistance training is often considered beneficial for injury prevention, its effectiveness is mixed and seen as complementary to well-structured endurance training. It is widely recognized that a proper balance between volume, intensity, and recovery plays a crucial role in preventing overuse injuries. Substituting a portion of endurance training with resistance training can offer protective benefits, although it is crucial to carefully consider individual training loads and adaptation trajectories. Thus, a tailored approach is essential for both recreational and competitive athletes to foster long-term health while maximizing performance.
Clinical Implications of Anti-Inflammatory Use
Recent research highlights the negative impacts of long-term use of anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen on muscle hypertrophy in athletes, indicating reduced gains when combined with resistance training. This underscores the importance of understanding the systemic effect of such drugs on muscle adaptation pathways, particularly regarding inflammation. Athletes who regularly consume these medications may inadvertently hinder their strength training results by blocking necessary inflammatory responses associated with muscle repair and growth. Therefore, it's recommended to approach anti-inflammatory use prudently and understand its broader consequences on training outcomes.
Dr Glenn McConell chats with Dr Tommy Lundberg from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. He is an expert on resistance training (RT) and has focussed on the effect of concurrent training on exercise adaptations. That is, does doing concurrent resistance and endurance training affect the responses to resistance and endurance training compared to doing either alone. His research has specifically focused on the effects of endurance training on resistance training adaptations although we also discussed the effect of resistance training on endurance training adaptations. It appears that in many people concurrent training has either no interfering effect or may even be beneficial. However there is some limited research that endurance training, although not affecting hypertrophy, may reduce strength and/or speed of contraction. He has also done a lot of work on biological males been involved in female sports (which will be converted in a future podcast). I found it a very interesting chat. Enjoy! X: @TLexercise.
0:00. Introduction
3:03. Tommy’s background
5:25. Aland Islands
7:25. What is concurrent training?
9:40. Resistance training (RT) can benefit endurance performance
13:35. Does RT affect injuries?
15:05. The amount/volume of training and concurrent training
18:32. Little effect of endurance training on hypertrophy but might effect strength
21:30. Glenn’s frustrations at the gym
24:15. Single-leg research studies vs whole body exercise
31:20. AMPK and metabolism etc
34:00. Potential mechanisms involved
35:40. Interference of endurance on strength hasn’t been clearly shown
38:00. RT can improve endurance performance and economy
41:10. Specificity of RT adaptations
45:55. Running straight after the gym
48:55. How much RT is enough/sufficient/optimal
51.20. Benefits of circuit training
53:05. Endurance exercise interfering with strength/contraction speed
54:20. Relationship between muscle size and strength
59:05. Explosive RT best for endurance exercise
1:04:35. Order of the concurrent training
1:06:35. Arterial stiffness/health and concurrent training
1:10:25. Team sports and concurrent training
1:12.08. Different sports a concurrent training
1:13:05. Mechanisms: gene expression etc
1:16:22. Fatigue and concurrent training
1:17:40. If short on time what exercise would you recommend?
1:19:55. Sex differences?
1:20:45. Age effects?
1:21:20. Controversies in the field
1:24:25. Things that influencers can get wrong
1:25:45. Other areas that he is investigating
1:27:50. Anti inflammatories can reduce resistance training gains
1:30:08. Takeaway messages
1:31:14. Outro
Inside Exercise brings to you the who's who of research in exercise metabolism, exercise physiology and exercise’s effects on health. With scientific rigor, these researchers discuss popular exercise topics while providing practical strategies for all.
The interviewer, Emeritus Professor Glenn McConell, has an international research profile following 30 years of Exercise Metabolism research experience while at The University of Melbourne, Ball State University, Monash University, the University of Copenhagen and Victoria University.
He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and recently edited an Exercise Metabolism eBook written by world experts on 17 different topics (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9).
Connect with Inside Exercise and Glenn McConell at:
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ResearchGate: Glenn McConell
Email: glenn.mcconell@gmail.com
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Not medical advice
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