THE INFLUENCE OF RESISTANCE TRAINING ON ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE IN FEMALE ENDURANCE CYCLISTS 1502

Most research investigating the influence of resistance training on endurance performance has utilised male subjects. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of resistance training on endurance performance in female endurance cyclists. Twenty-one endurance-trained female cyclists, aged 19-42 years, were randomly assigned to a resistance training (n=14) or a control group (n=7). Resistance training (2×/wk) consisted of five sets to failure (4-8RM) of parallel squats for twelve weeks. Prior to the training period, subjects completed an incremental cycle test to determine both their lactate threshold (LT) and peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2). Endurance performance was assessed by average power output during a one hour cycle test (OHT). Leg strength was measured in a concentric squating action. Resting muscle was sampled by needle biopsy from m. vastus lateralis and analysed for fibre type diameter, fibre type percentage and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity. These tests were repeated post-training. Following the twelve-week training program there was a significantly greater increase in 1 RM squat strength for the experimental group (20.9%) than for the control group (4.3%) (P<0.05). There were however, no significant changes in OHT performance, LT, peak VO2 or muscle fibre characteristics in either group (P>0.05). In contrast to previous studies on males, the present data suggest that an increase in leg strength may not improve cycle endurance performance in female endurance cyclists.