ECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP31
INTRODUCTION: Exercise training is ubiquitous in contemporary research, is used to enhance performance in athletes, to test the interaction of training with other interventions, and to deliver clinical benefits across diverse populations. It is unknown how many studies apply foundational exercise training and periodisation principles such as a taper in these studies. Failing to correctly apply these training principles can drastically influence exercise test outcomes and therefore potentially contribute to yet unidentified Type I and type II errors. The objective of this study was therefore to map the literature to determine the scope of the problem by the number of studies that accurately apply and document periodisation as well as key training principles like progressive overload, specificity, individualisation, and reversibility. METHODS: A search of Scopus with search terms "exercise training" OR "physical training" OR "endurance training" OR "resistance training" OR "strength training" OR "high intensity interval training" OR HIIT OR "aerobic training" OR "combined training" OR "concurrent training" was conducted on articles published between 2000 and 2026. Outputs were downloaded as a .csv and mention of the key training principles was conducted on the title and abstract using a custom extraction tool in Python with a Triage score for keyword hits calculated as the number of principles listed as present plus type of training intervention signal hits. A high Triage score indicates studies clearly stated the type of training intervention with specific mention of training principles and was stratified as Red (<5), Amber (5-9) and Green (≥10). RESULTS: : A total of 88422 studies were included in the analysis. Studies were predominantly focussed on performance outcomes from training. Of these studies, only 9% returned a Green Triage rating, 18% Amber, and 73% Red. CONCLUSION: The overwhelming majority of exercise training studies identified in this initial scoping activity do not include keyword reference to most training principles. This lack of reporting, and potentially therefore adherence to training principles is known to occur in oncology research (1) and appears to be more widespread. The influence of failing to design high quality training in research can be illustrated via the effect of periodisation and the inclusion of a taper in a training program. A taper can enhance performance by up to 2-3% (2) and thus be the difference between a successful or unsuccessful training intervention, or clinical outcome. At the very least the interpretation of study results without clear exercise training context is severely compromised. The next stage of this research will examine full-text of studies to identify the full extent of the problem. [1] Bosquet et al., 2007 / [2] Bland et al., 2021
Read CV Robert AugheyECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP31
INTRODUCTION: Tapering is a key pre-competition strategy used in swimming, typically involving a planned reduction in training volume while maintaining intensity to optimise recovery and performance. Although generic tapering guidelines are well established, coaches may elicit improved performance gains through more athlete specific taper programming. Therefore, this study employed a randomised controlled trial design to determine whether an alternative tapering approach elicited greater performance improvements than a generic tapering strategy in competitive swimmers. METHODS: Thirty-nine state-level swimmers (n = 23 males, n = 16 females) completed a seven-week coach prescribed training period prior to a taper period leading into the 2025 Queensland and Victorian Short Course State Championships. Average training load across the preparatory period was calculated, and participants were then randomly assigned to one of three taper intervention: Group A (Generic Taper) - 40% volume reduction over 2 weeks with training intensity and frequency maintained; Group B (Volume Manipulation Group) - 60% volume reduction over 2 weeks with intensity and frequency maintained; and Group C (Time Manipulation Taper 2) - 40% volume reduction over 3 weeks with intensity and frequency maintained. ANOVA was used to determine differences in performance between groups. RESULTS: On average, group A completed 6.3% more, group B completed 29.6% less and group C completed 2.8% more volume than prescribed. Relative performance improved by 1.75 ± 2.36% in group A, by 3.22 ± 2.51% in group B and by 2.90 ± 1.86% in group C. After adjusting for event type, there was no statistical effect of intervention group on performance change following the taper (p = 0.26). Compared with group A, the performance change following the taper differed by 1.43% (95% CI [-0.95 to 3.81], p = 0.32) in group B and by 1.06% (95% CI [-1.52 to 3.65], p = 0.58) in group C. The difference between groups B and C was 0.37% (95% CI [-2.11 to 2.84], p = 0.93). Although between-group differences were not statistically significant, mean performance improvements in groups B and C were larger than group A. CONCLUSION: All taper strategies resulted in performance improvements, with only small numerical differences between the generic and alternative taper conditions. There was substantial inter-individual variation in performance change following the taper, which may have influenced findings. Practically, these findings suggest that maintaining intensity and frequency while reducing volume can support performance improvements. Notably, similar performance gains were observed in group B despite larger reductions in training volume, indicating that comparable outcomes may be achieved with substantially less overall training load. However, further work is required to determine whether more precise individualisation improves outcomes beyond a generic approach.
Read CV Sheree FarrellECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP31
INTRODUCTION: Pacing strategy is a key determinant of performance in endurance sports. However, in race walking, systematic evidence regarding distinct pacing strategy types and their relationship with competitive outcomes remains limited. This study aimed to identify typical pacing strategy profiles in elite women’s 20 km race walking and to examine their predictive value for top-level performance. METHODS: Publicly available split-time data from the women’s 20 km race walking events at the Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships between 2019 and 2025 were collected. Athletes with complete 1-km split data across the 20 km distance and valid finishing results were included (n = 237). For each athlete, pacing curves were standardized using within-subject Z-score normalization across the 20 splits. K-means cluster analysis (k = 4) was applied to identify pacing strategy profiles. Differences in finishing positions among pacing types were assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the probability of finishing in the top 8, with competition type (Olympic Games vs. World Championships) included as a covariate. RESULTS: Four distinct pacing strategy profiles were identified:(1) Progressive reverse J-shaped strategy, characterized by a conservative start, stable mid-race pace, and pronounced end spurt;(2) Positive-split conservative strategy, marked by a relatively fast early pace followed by a substantial decline;(3) Mid-race surge parabolic strategy, showing an increase in speed during the middle phase with subsequent fatigue;(4) High-risk fast-start strategy, characterized by an aggressively fast opening pace followed by a marked slowdown and limited finishing acceleration. Significant differences in finishing positions were observed among pacing strategies (p < 0.001). The progressive reverse J-shaped strategy demonstrated the best competitive outcomes (median finishing position = 5; 69% of athletes finished within the top 8). Logistic regression analysis revealed that, compared with the positive-split conservative strategy, the progressive reverse J-shaped strategy was associated with a substantially higher likelihood of finishing in the top 8 (OR = 56.53, 95% CI: 17.05–187.41, p < 0.001), and this association remained significant after adjusting for competition type. CONCLUSION: Distinct pacing strategy profiles exist in elite women’s 20 km race walking, and these profiles are strongly associated with competitive performance. A progressive reverse J-shaped pacing strategy significantly increases the probability of achieving top-level results, and this advantage remains stable across different world-class competitive contexts.
Read CV yue duanECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP31