The effects of a supplementary high intensity muscle endurance resistance training programme on Comrades Marathon performance
Date
2007
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Abstract
In this study, the aim was to determine the effects of a high intensity muscle endurance resistance intervention programme as a supplement to normal running training for Comrades Marathoners. A sample voluntary population of 115 subjects were initially distributed at random into two groups of approximately equal size, namely the control (CT) group and the experimental (RST) group. Originally, the CT group constituted 57 subjects, whilst the RST group constituted 58 subjects. However, four subjects from the CT and one subject from the RST group failed to complete the pre-intervention test battery, thereby eliminating themselves from the study. The sample size was therefore reduced to 110 subjects, resulting in 53 subjects in the CT group and 57 in the RST group. Subjects were males between the ages of 25 to 50 years who had successfully completed a minimum of five Comrades Marathons (at least three up runs and two down runs). All subjects completed a PAR-Q as well as an informed consent form prior to participating in the pre-intervention test battery. The pre-and post-intervention test batteries comprised of physical characteristics measurements (age, body mass, height, body fat percentage and percentage of fat-free mass) and physical performance measurements (10km run, 400m-sprint, Wingate anaerobic cycle test, one-minute sit-up test, one-minute press-up test and lower back-leg dynamic strength test).
The pre-intervention test battery results indicated comparable, non-significant (p> 0.05) differences between the control and experimental groups' physical characteristics and physical performance parameters. The statistical analyses of the control and experimental groups' previous Comrades Marathon completion times proved to be non-significantly (p> 0.05) different and therefore comparable. Subsequent to the pre-intervention test battery, the experimental group was subjected to the intervention programme for 34 weeks. The experimental group completed the intervention programme twice a week in addition to their normal marathon running training, whilst the control group continued with their normal Comrades Marathon running training. Thereafter both .the groups underwent the post-intervention test battery.
The control group's post-intervention physical characteristics and physical performance parameters remained relatively similar, with non-significant (p> 0.05) differences. The control group's average 10km run time was non-significantly (p> 0.05) reduced by 2.1%. The experimental group experienced significant (p< 0.05) changes to both their physical characteristics and physical performance parameters. These changes included: a post-intervention decrease of percentage of body fat by 22.6%; an increase of percentage of fat-free mass by 4.8%; a reduction of 10km run time by 12.1%; a reduction of 400m-sprint time by 28.5%; an increase in Wingate anaerobic cycle test results by 16.3%; an improvement in one-minute sit-up test results by 27.8%; an improvement in one-minute press-up test results by 32.4%; an increase of lower body dynamic strength by 28.9%; and, most importantly, a reduction in their Comrades Marathon completion times by 9.2%. In addition to this, the intervention programme helped the experimental group to reduce their 21.1km and 42.2km
completion times. The intervention programme increased the structural/musculoskeleta! joint integrity and stability of the members of the experimental group. It is proposed that the increased structural/musculoskeletal joint integrity and stability reduced the total incidence of overuse injury experienced by the experimental group by 43.3% as compared to the control group. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the high intensity muscle endurance resistance programme that was used to supplement the primary running training of Comrades Marathon runners (experimental group) did help improve their Comrades Marathon completion times.
Description
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of philosophy in the Department of human Movement Science in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2007.
Keywords
Isometric exercise., Marathon running--Training., Exercise--Physiological aspects.