A short training programme for the rapid improvement of both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in aerobic and anaerobic metabolism produced by a newly devised short training programme. Five young male volunteers trained daily for 2 weeks on a cycle ergometer. Sessions c onsisted of 15-s all-out repetitions with 45-s rest periods, plus 30-s all- out repetitions with 12-min rest periods. The number of repetitions was gra dually increased up to a maximum of seven. Biopsy samples of the vastus lat eralis muscle were taken before and after training. Performance changes wer e evaluated by two tests, a 30-s all-out test and a maximal progressive tes t. Significant increases in phosphocreatine (31%) and glycogen (32%) were f ound at the end of training. In addition, a significant increase was observ ed in the muscle activity of creatine kinase (44%), phosphofructokinase (10 6%), lactate dehydrogenase (45%), 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (60%) an d citrate synthase (38%). After training, performance of the 30-s all-out t est did not increase significantly, while in the maximal progressive test, the maximum oxygen consumption increased from mean (SD) 57.3 (2.6) ml . min (-1) . kg(-1) to 63.8 (3.0) ml . min(-1). kg(-1), and the maximum load from 300 (11) W to 330 (21) W; all changes were significant. In conclusion, thi s new protocol, which utilises short durations, high loads and long recover y periods, seems to be an effective programme for improving the enzymatic a ctivities of the energetic pathways in a short period of time.