The physiology of LTAD: scientific principles, testing & optimisation

Dr Barry Fudge - UK Athletics Physiologist – ANI 2011

UKA Physiologist

• Employed by English

Institute of Sport

• Deliver 100% UKA

• Based in Loughborough

at the NPC

• Responsibility for all event

groups but primarily

endurance

• Diet

• Hydration

• Physiology – training load

• Genetics

• Physical activity & lifestyle

• Haematology

• Develop Technology

PhD work program… Kenya running phenomenon

Key points

• It doesn’t matter if you are born in Africa,

the Caribbean or Northern Ireland

• If you indentify talent

• And create the correct environment to

nurture that talent

• You can win major titles/medals

Overview

“Correct” genetic

potential

“Correct” environmental

interaction

Progression of key

determinants

Refinement of environment

Marginal gains

Scientific

Principles

Testing

Optimisation

Scientific Principles

Genetics

The HERITAGE Family Study

(Bouchard et al., 1998)

heritabilities for VO2max ranged

from 51-59%

Genetics??

Onywera et al, 2006

Kenya

Ethiopia

Scott et al, 2003

mtDNA lineages • mtDNA is highly mutable and is inherited in a

matrilineal fashion

• Accumulation of linked complexes of polymorphisms down different lines of descent

• Can trace the ancestry of individuals and populations

mtDNA lineages - Ethiopia

Controls =

Athletes =

L1 L2 L3A M E1 E2

Mitochondrial Eve

3594

223

278

311

129

148

187

188

189

230

320

390 various10400

249

various various

10398

CRS

311

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Perc

en

tag

e (

%)

L1 L2 L3A M E1 E2

19% 19%25%27%14%7%16% 9%14%19% 22%8%

What about specific genes?

Section main points

• The “correct” genotype for elite performance is of course fundamental

• Africans not likely to be any different to “our” genetics

• It is the interaction of each genetic element with the environment that is likely to be important

Scientific Principles

Environment

PhD - Environment

• Diet and energy balance (DLW)

• Fluid intake and hydration balance

• Electrolyte balance

• Training load and physiological responses

• Daily physical activity patterns (i.e. recovery)

Results • Fudge B.W., Westerterp K.R., Kiplamai F.K., Onywera V.O., Boit M.K., Kayser B., and Pitsiladis Y.P. (2006). Evidence of

negative energy balance using doubly labeled water in elite Kenyan endurance runners prior to competition. British

Journal of Nutrition 95(1): 59-66.

• Fudge B.W., Easton C., Wilson J., Irwin L., Clark J., Haddow O., Kayser B., Pitsiladis Y.P. (2007). Estimation of oxygen

uptake during fast running using accelerometery and heart rate. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39 (1):

192-198.

• Easton C., Fudge B.W., Pitsiladis Y.P. (2007). Rectal, telemetry pill and tympanic membrane temperatures during

exercise in the heat. Journal of Thermal Biology 32 (2): 78-86.

• Fudge B.W., Easton C., Kingsmore D., Kiplamai F.K., Onywera V.O, Westerterp K.R., Kayser B., Noakes T.D., and

Pitsiladis Y.P. (2008). Elite Kenyan endurance runners remain well hydrated day-to-day with ad libitum fluid intake.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 40 (6): 1171-1179.

• Beis L., Fudge B.W., Noakes T., Pitsiladis Y.P. (2011). Food and macronutrient intake of elite Ethiopian distance

runners. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 8(7).

• Ingham S.A., Hardman S.L., Fudge B.W., Pringle J.S., Richmond V.L. (Manuscript in preparation, 2011). Parameters

derived from an incremental step-wise and ramp-wise graded rowing exercise test and 2000-m rowing ergometer

performance. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports.

• Ojiambo R.M., Mohammad Y., Fudge B.W., Kingsmore D., Parisotto R., Magnus L., Pitsiladis Y.P. (Manuscript

submitted, 2010). Haematological profiles of elite east-African runners over a 7 year period. Medicine and Science in

Sports and Exercise.

• Beis L., Fudge B.W., Noakes T., Pitsiladis Y.P. (Manuscript submitted, 2011). Drinking behaviours of elite male runners

during marathon competition. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

• Ross R., Fudge B.W., Gibson A., Ojiambo R.M., Wilson J., Pitsiladis Y.P. (Manuscript submitted, 2011). Evaluation of

the Cosmed K4b2 portable metabolic system during fast running outdoors. Medicine and Science in Sports and

Exercise.

• Ojiambo R., Gibson A.R., Ross R., Konstabel K., Casajus J.A., Fudge B.W., Easton C., Reilly J.J., Pitsiladis Y.P.

(Manuscript in preparation, 2011). Comparative evaluation of the ActiTrainer and GT3X ActiGraph accelerometer

outputs during structured activities in adolescents.

• Ingham S.A., Fudge B.W., Pringle P., Jones A.J. (Manuscript in preparation, 2011). Oxygen uptake kinetics and the

optimal warm-up strategy for elite 800m running performance.

• Fudge B.W., Scott R.A., Pitsiladis Y.P. (Manuscript in preparation, 2011). Polymorphisms within the ADRB1, ADRB2,

ADRB3, genes and their association with the determinants of endurance success in East African runners.

• Fudge B.W., Scott R.A., Pitsiladis Y.P. (Manuscript in preparation, 2011). Polymorphisms within the 5HT, NOS3 and

BDKRB2 genes and their association with the determinants of endurance success in East African runners.

Sub- section main points

• Kenyan athletes have a conducive

environment for developing as an

endurance runner:

• Diet

• Hydration

• Rest/recovery

• Training is simple

Altitude – East Africa

The British/USA Way

Performance – LHTH & LHTL Bonetti & Hopkins, Meta-analysis of sea level

performance following adaptation to hypoxia.

Sports Medicine 39: 107-27, 2009

Hypoxia & Genetics

• Text

Vogt & Hoppeler, 2010

Altitude Adaptation…Bekele

Run Altitude (m) Distance (km) Average HR (bpm) Average speed (km/h) Average Speed (min:mile)

Rift Valley Plains 1400-1600 15 139 14.9 06:32

Forest 3000-3200 18 141 14.7 06:27

Sub-section main points

• Typically the best endurance runners in

the world are based at

altitude...regardless of origin

• Altitude training may be a vehicle to

optimally modify the aerobic phenotype

• But by no more than the limit set by an

individuals genotype...not a magic

bullet!

Training Volume

The Kenyan Way

Onywera et al, 2006

The Ethiopian Way

Scott et al, 2003

The East African Way…

• For 40 weeks/year (5 days/week) for 10 years

• Min: 2 x 5 km/day

• Max: 4 x 5 km/day

• Equivalent to:

• Min: 20,000 km or 12,430 miles

• Max: 40,000 km or 24,860 miles

• Before they leave school

10 y/10 000h rule Practice makes perfect

Sub-section main points

• Running/walking to school is an

important part of east African life

• And has an important role to play in

developing (the physiology of) world-

class athletes

• All world-class athletes must undertake a

substantial period of development at

some point regardless of origin

Section summary

• World-class athletes at some point must

undergo a substantial period of

development regardless of origin

• Altitude training may help endurance

athletes realise their true aerobic

potential

Optimisation

Refinement of Environment

Altitude model aims

Type Aim Duration

A Improve general fitness – especially

aerobic capabilities

21-28 days

B To prepare for high intensity training

following altitude

21-28 days

C Improve competitive performance 17-21 days

High enough for blood

adaptation

Low enough to train when

quality required

Optimal training camps

Multiple altitude locations are required

Optimal Camp Venues

Multiple altitude exposures are necessary

Theory in to Practice

Theory in to Practice

Physiology – Avoiding Pitfalls

Section summary

• UKA endurance runners have a unique

opportunity to live and train at altitude

• The program is year round which allows

the opportunity to complete different

types of altitude training (i.e. A, B and C)

• Fully supported program (medicine,

science, etc)

Testing

Genetic & Environmental Interaction

Why test (endurance runners)?

• Identify key determinants of endurance

running performance

• Identify strengths and weaknesses of

individual athletes - benchmarking

• Monitor progression in key determinants

of endurance running performance

• General progression

• Interventions

• Programme accountability

Determinants of endurance running performance…

Midgley et al, 2007

VO2max Fractional Utilisation

(%VO2max)

Economy (VO2/speed)

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

1992 1994 1996 1998 2001 2003

VO

2 m

ax

(m

l/k

g/

min

)

Year

0 % change Jones, 2006

Paula Radcliffe

20 % change Jones, 2006

Paula Radcliffe…Running Economy

160

170

180

190

200

210

1992 1994 1996 1998 2001 2003

Oxy

gen

Up

take

(m

l/kg

/km

)

Year

20 % change Jones, 2006

Paula Radcliffe…Thresholds

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

1992 1994 1996 1998 2001 2003

LT/L

TP S

pe

ed

(km

/h)

Year

LT

LTP

Altitude Intervention

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

He

art

Ra

te (

beats

/min

)

Blo

od

[L

a]

(mM

)

Speed (km/h)

[La]-Mar-11 [La]-Dec-10 [La]-Jan-08 [La]-Mar-07

HR-Mar-11 HR-Dec-10 HR-Jan-08 HR-Mar-07

Section summary

• Testing is important

• Benchmarking

• Progression

• Programme accountability

• Should be completed regularly

• But not so much that it impinges on the

training programming

Optimisation

Marginal Gains – Warm Down

Slides courtesy of Dr Steve Ingham, Head of

Physiology, EIS (with modifications).

Rest

Adapt

Train

Eat/Drink Blood flow/

Nutrients/

Mechanical (inc neural)/

metabolic stimulus

No further

stress

Hormonal, immune

response/

inflammation/

breakdown/

gene

transcription/ growth

How do you get fit?

-ve

P

erf

orm

an

ce

+

ve

Time (hours, days)

Present the same stimulus to the body

Reduced disturbance to homeostasis

BUT will result in smaller adaptive response

So you have train more/harder

Recovery treatments are popular...

Repeated bout effect

Recovery Treatments

Bailey et al., 2007

Time (h)

Pre-exercise 0h 1h 24h 48h 168h

Perc

eiv

ed

So

ren

ess (

1-1

0)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10CryotherapyControl

†

†

†

*

*

*

*

Bailey et al, 2007 Influence of cold-water immersion on indices of muscle damage following

prolonged intermittent shuttle running. J Sports Sci. 2007 Sep;25(11):1163-70.

Ice baths – reduce soreness

10-15° C

water 10-15 mins

Time (h)

Pre-exercise 24h 48h 168h

Iso

metr

ic M

VC

(N

m.k

g-1

)

0.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Cryotherapy

Control

†*

*#

†

Bailey et al, 2007 Influence of cold-water immersion on indices of muscle damage following

prolonged intermittent shuttle running. J Sports Sci. 2007 Sep;25(11):1163-70.

Muscle strength – maintain strength

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

Perfomance trial

VO2max VT Femoral artery diameter

Maximal Strength

Muscle endurance

Pe

rce

nta

ge

ch

an

ge (

%)

Test parameter

Control

Cooled

†

† † †

†

Yamane et al., 2006 Post-exercise leg and forearm flexor muscle cooling in humans attenuates

endurance and resistance training effects on muscle performance and on circulatory adaptation. Eur J

Appl Physiol. 2006 Mar;96(5):572-80. Epub 2005 Dec 22.

But reduces long term adaptation!!!

Section summary

• Injury rate is high, probably

due to impact

• Recovery treatments are

popular

• Recovery treatments are not

encouraged out of

competition

• Increased physiological

loading is now the emphasis

• Maximum adaptation is the

focus not maximum training

General Summary

“Correct” genetic

potential

“Correct” environmental

interaction

Progression of key

determinants

Refinement of environment

Marginal gains

Scientific

Principles

Testing

Optimisation

Thanks for inviting me!

Thanks for listening!

Questions & discussion