Correcting Common Misunderstandings About Endurance Exercise

Exercise Science and Coaching: Correcting Common Misunderstandings About Endurance Exercise


Andrew N. Bosch, PhD

UCT/ MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town and Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Boundary Road, Newlands 7700, South Africa. E-mail: abosch@sports.uct.ac.za

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching Volume 1 • Number 1 • 2006

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Many coaches who work with endurance athletes still believe in old concepts that can no longer be considered correct. Prime amongst these are the understanding, or misunderstanding, of the concepts of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), lactate threshold, training heart rate, and dehydration and fluid requirements during prolonged exercise.

Knowing the VO2 max of an athlete is not particularly useful to the coach, and the exact VO2 max value of any particular athlete can vary considerably as fitness changes. Race performance is a more useful measure on which to base training schedules.

Lactic acid production, far from being an undesirable event, is of great importance and is actually beneficial to the athlete. The lactate concentration during exercise, and the lactate turnpoint, are both widely measured. The nature of the information that these measures can provide about training and training status, however, is still based on information from the 1980s, although more current information is available and many of the original concepts have been modified.

Heart rate is often used to prescribe training intensity, but it is important to understand the limitations inherent in its use. If used correctly, it is a useful tool for the coach.

Similarly, many athletes and coaches still believe that it is necessary to maintain a high fluid intake to avoid dehydration and prevent associated collapse. These beliefs are incorrect, but modern exercise science has been able to advance the knowledge in this area and provide more accurate information.

Exercise science continues to progress and can offer much to the coach willing to accept new and changing ideas.

Key words: Anaerobic threshold; Endurance training; hydration; lactic acid; maximal oxygen uptake; training heart rate

A Review of Hydration

A Review of Hydration

Douglas S. Kalman, PhD, RD and Anna Lepeley, MS, CSCS, CISSN
Strength and Conditioning Journal
Vol 32 No 2 April 2010
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SUMMARY

THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE GUIDELINES AND CONSIDERATIONS OF HYDRATION APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS POPULATION GROUPS AND RESPECTIVE CONDITIONS. AN AREA OF INTEREST AND CONTROVERSY WITH HYDRATION IS THE IMPACT OF ADDING PROTEIN, AS COMPARED WITH CARBOHYDRATE OR THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO, ON OVERALL HYDRATION AND PERFORMANCE STATUS.