Dato che negli ultimi giorni si è tornato a discorrere dell'annoso dilemma: palestra si, palestra no, ma quale palestra?, mi sono ritagliato un po' di tempo per fare un approfondimento con gli strumenti a mia disposizione. Ho quindi cercato qualche contributo nelle banche dati di medicina dello sport, tirando fuori degli articoli interessati.
Disclaimer: a mio avviso si tratta di articoli tecnici che come tali (questo vale per qualsiasi materia) si rivolgono a specialisti del settore e, IMHO, dalla loro lettura non se ne esce professori o specialisti. A ciascuno il suo mestiere, insomma. Tuttavia, una lettura di tali articoli consente anche a un ignorante come il sottoscritto di potersi fare un'idea.
Per motivi di copyright non ho allegato gli articoli alla discussione, ma mi sono limitato a riportare riferimenti e conclusioni. Magari Vi faccio un temino per le vacanze di natale
Come noterete quasi tutti i contributi sono di Rønnestad, il quale pare essersi occupato approfonditamente del tema. Tuttavia, nello stesso senso ne ho trovati molti altri.
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Autori: Kris Beattie, Brian P. Carson, Mark Lyons, and Ian C. Kenny
Titolo: The Effect of Maximal- and Explosive-Strength Training on Performance Indicators in Cyclists.
Estremi pubblicazione: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2017, 12, 470 -480
Conclusioni: twenty weeks of maximal- and explosive-strength training can significantly improve maximal strength and bike-specific explosive strength qualities, absolute WV ·O2max, lean, and lower-limb-lean in competitive road cyclists.
Dettagli per quanto riguarda WVO2max: CE and WVO2maxare accepted as the 2 most important performance indicators in
elite road cycling.4 In this study, the CE changes were not significantly different either between or within groups. These results support previous research that noted similar nonsignificant16,20 changes in CE. Absolute WV · O2max (W) has strong associations with mean power during 16.1-km (r = .99)7 and 40-km (r = .90)8 flat
time trials in competitive road cyclists, whereas WV · O2max normalized to body mass (W/kg) is believed to be a stronger indicator of climbing ability.9 These strong relationships are most likely due to the fact that WV ·O2max is a composite variable of maximal oxygen consumption, CE, and anaerobic function (ie, sprinting ability). In this study, the strength-training group showed a significant improvement (8.5% ± 3.0%) in absolute WV · O2max (see Figure 4). However, the control group showed no significant changes in WV · O2max after 20 weeks. Because there were no significant changes to VO2max in the intervention group (in fact, there was a moderate but nonsignificant decrease), the improvements in WVO2max most likely resulted from an accumulation of improvements in CE (1.2%) and anaerobic factors such as maximal strength (10.4%), explosive strength (11.2%), and bike-specific explosive-strength (8.4%). This aligns with previous findings in distance-running literature, where an anaerobic capacity running test (ie, velocity in the maximal anaerobic running test, or VMART) was found to be strongly associated with VV ·O2max (r = .85),31 emphasizing the anaerobic systems contribution in providing energy production at VO2max. Aside from CE and WV · O2max, there were no significant within- or between-groups differences in W2 mmol/L BLa or W4 mmol/L BLa. It is important to note that a limitation to this study was that each participants endurance training (volume or intensity), nutrition, or randomization of groups was not controlled (see the Methods section).
Autori: B. R. Rønnestad1, I. Mujika
Titolo: Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review
Estremi pubblicazione: Scand J Med Sci Sports 2014: 24: 603612
Conclusioni: Recent research on highly trained athletes indicates that strength training can be successfully prescribed to enhance endurance performance (Table 1). For cycling performance, heavy strength training with maximal velocity during the concentric phase is preferred, while both heavy strength training with maximal velocity during the concentric phase and explosive strength training have additive effects on running performance. The primary explanation for improved endurance performance is most likely adaptations within the strengthtrained muscle including postponed activation of less efficient type II fibers, improved neuromuscular efficiency, conversion of fast-twitch type IIX fibers into more fatigue-resistant type IIA fibers, and improved musculo-tendinous stiffness. Importantly, no negative effects of adding strength training to an endurance training program have been reported. The effects of strength training on endurance athletic performance have been the subject of a long debate among athletes, coaches, and sport scientists. Incorporation of strength training in endurance athletes preparation has gradually received more attention during the last two decades with studies showing divergent findings. Some of this discrepancy seems to be related to the mode of strength training. In general a coach and athlete can employ with confidence concurrent endurance and strength training to improve athletic endurance performance. To optimize the effect of added strength training to cycling performance, athletes should undertake heavy strength training with maximal velocity during the concentric phase should be the training mode to recommend (instead of explosive strength training), while both explosive- and heavy strength training with maximal velocity during the concentric phase appear to have an additive effect on running performance.
Autori: Bent R. Rønnestad, Joar Hansen and Håvard Nygaard
Titolo: 10 weeks of heavy strength training improves performance-related measurements in elite cyclists.
Estremi pubblicazione: journal of sports sciences, 2017, vol. 35, no. 14, 14351441
Conclusioni: In conclusion, performing only 10 weeks of concurrent endurance and strength training resulted in improved 30-s Wingate sprint and a tendency towards superior improvement in power output at 4 mmol · L−1 [la−] in elite cyclists. From the present study, 10 weeks is sufficient time to observe improvements in elite cyclists. However, 10 weeks with strength training are not always possible and further studies should look closer into how performance markers change from the onset of strength training. Maybe fewer weeks with strength-training also leads to performance improvements?.
Autori: B. R. Rønnestad1, J. Hansen1, I. Hollan2, S. Ellefsen1
Titolo: Strength training improves performance and pedaling characteristics in elite cyclists.
10 weeks of heavy strength training improves performance-related measurements in elite cyclists.
Estremi pubblicazione: Scand J Med Sci Sports 2015: 25: e89e98
Conclusioni: Heavy strength training should, based on the results from the present study, be included in training for improve elite cycling performance. The present findings are in agreement with previous findings in moderate to welltrained cyclists (Rønnestad et al., 2010b, 2011a; Sunde et al., 2010). The study of Aagaard et al. (2011) is the only previous study investigating the effects of combining endurance and strength training in elite cyclists. They found superior improvements in cycling performance after concurrent training compared with endurance training only. The present study adds on this knowledge by indicating that the performance improvement in elite cyclists may be related to earlier achievement of peak torque during the pedal stroke.