Comparison of Aerobic Capacity Changes as a Result of a Polarized or Block Training Program among Trained Mountain Bike Cyclists

Paulina Hebisz, Rafał Hebisz and Maja Drelak
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Paulina Hebisz: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Rafał Hebisz: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Maja Drelak: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: This study compared the effectiveness of a block training program and a polarized training program in developing aerobic capacity in twenty trained mountain bike cyclists. The cyclists were divided into two groups: the block training program group (BT) and the polarized training program group (PT). The experiment lasted 8 weeks. During the experiment, the BT group alternated between 17-day blocks consisting of dominant low-intensity training (LIT) and 11-day blocks consisting of sprint interval training (SIT), and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), while the PT group performed SIT, HIIT, and LIT simultaneously. Before and after the experiment, the cyclists performed incremental tests during which maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max), maximal aerobic power (Pmax), power achieved at the first ventilatory threshold (P VT1 ), and at the second ventilatory threshold (P VT2 ) were measured. VO 2 max increased in BT group (from 3.75 ± 0.67 to 4.00 ± 0.75 L∙min −1 ) and PT group (from 3.66 ± 0.73 to 4.20 ± 0.89 L∙min −1 ). In addition, Pmax, P VT1 , and P VT2 increased in both groups to a similar extent. In conclusion, the polarized training program was more effective in developing the VO 2 max compared to the block program. In terms of developing other parameters characterizing the cyclists’ aerobic capacity, the block and polarized program induced similar results.

Keywords: block periodization; polarized training; maximal oxygen uptake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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