title: Methods of Monitoring Training Load and Their Relationships to Changes in Fitness and Performance in Competitive Road Cyclists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the dose-response relationships between different training-load methods and aerobic fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Training data from 15 well-trained competitive cyclists were collected during a 10-wk (December-March) preseason training period. Before and after the training period, participants underwent a laboratory incremental exercise test with gas-exchange and lactate measures and a performance assessment using an 8-min time trial (8MT). Internal training load was calculated using Banister TRIMP, Edwards TRIMP, individualized TRIMP (iTRIMP), Lucia TRIMP (luTRIMP), and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE). External load was measured using Training Stress Score (TSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Large to very large relationships (r = .54-.81) between training load and changes in submaximal fitness variables (power at 2 and 4 mmol/L) were observed for all training-load calculation methods. The strongest relationships with changes in aerobic fitness variables were observed for iTRIMP (r = .81 [95% CI .51-.93, r = .77 [95% CI .43-.92]) and TSS (r = .75 [95% CI .31-.93], r = .79 [95% CI .40-.94]). The strongest dose-response relationships with changes in the 8MT test were observed for iTRIMP (r = .63 [95% CI .17-.86]) and luTRIMP (r = .70 [95% CI .29-.89).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training-load quantification methods that integrate individual physiological characteristics have the strongest dose-response relationships, suggesting this to be an essential factor in the quantification of training load in cycling.
authors.forename: Dajo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abt
authors.forename: Matthijs K C
authors.initials: MKC
authors.lastname: Hesselink
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Akubat
mesh_terms: D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid
keywords: cycling; endurance; heart rate; power output; training impulse