title: Effects of a seven day overload-period of high-intensity training on performance and physiology of competitive cyclists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Competitive endurance athletes commonly undertake periods of overload training in the weeks prior to major competitions. This investigation examined the effects of two seven-day high-intensity overload training regimes (HIT) on performance and physiological characteristics of competitive cyclists.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a matched groups, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight male cyclists (mean ± SD, Age: 33±10 years, Mass 74±7 kg, VO2 peak 4.7±0.5 L·min-1) were assigned to a control group or one of two training groups for seven consecutive days of HIT. Before and after training cyclists completed an ergometer based incremental exercise test and a 20-km time-trial. The HIT sessions were ∼120 minutes in duration and consisted of matched volumes of 5, 10 and 20 second (short) or 15, 30 and 45 second (long) maximal intensity efforts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the short and long HIT regimes led to significant (p<0.05) gains in time trial performance compared to the control group. Relative to the control group, the mean changes (±90% confidence limits) in time-trial power were 8.2%±3.8% and 10.4%±4.3% for the short and long HIT regimes respectively; corresponding increases in peak power in the incremental test were 5.5%±2.7% and 9.5%±2.5%. Both HIT (short vs long) interventions led to non-significant (p>0.05) increases (mean ± SD) in VO2 peak (2.3%±4.7% vs 3.5%±6.2%), lactate threshold power (3.6%±3.5% vs 2.9%±5.3%) and gross efficiency (3.2%±2.4% vs 5.1%±3.9%) with only small differences between HIT regimes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seven days of overload HIT induces substantial enhancements in time-trial performance despite non-significant increases in physiological measures with competitive cyclists.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Science, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Physical Effort Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: School of Health Science, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Brendan J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: Physical Effort Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Guglielmo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Science, The Eastern Institute of Technology, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Carl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Paton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption