Optimizing Training: Dose-Response Considerations for Enhanced Athletic Performance

In the world of sports science, understanding the dose-response relationship is crucial for optimizing training programs and maximizing athletic performance. Dose-response refers to the relationship between the "dose" of training (e.g., sets, reps, intensity) and the "response" (e.g., strength gains, power development). By applying research-backed dose-response considerations, coaches and athletes can tailor training programs to achieve specific goals and avoid overtraining.

Strength Training

To maximize muscle strength, research suggests implementing a resistance training regime that spans more than 23 weeks, with 5 sets per exercise, 6-8 repetitions per set, at an intensity of 80-89% of the 1 repetition maximum (1RM), and 3-4 minutes of rest between sets. This extended training period ensures consistent exposure to strength-building stimuli, fostering long-term athletic development. The specific combination of sets, repetitions, and rest intervals optimizes the balance between exertion and recovery, facilitating muscular adaptation and growth.   

Power Development

For enhancing lower-limb power, particularly in jumping and explosive movements, strength training lasting over eight weeks is recommended, with moderate intensity, three sets, and five repetitions appearing most effective.   

Balance Training

To optimize balance training, implement a regime that spans 11-12 weeks, with 3 sessions per week, 4 exercises per session, 2 sets per exercise, and each exercise lasting 21-40 seconds.   

Training Intensity vs. Volume

Focus on intensity rather than volume when designing training programs. Research indicates that the intensity of training has a greater impact on strength development than the volume of training.   

Specificity of Training

The training stimulus should be matched to the desired outcome. For example, heavy load training is more effective for developing maximum strength, while lighter loads are more effective for improving vertical jump performance.   

Velocity-Based Training

Velocity-based training (VBT) is a method that uses velocity to measure and regulate the intensity of training. Velocity loss (VL), the percentage decrease in velocity from the first repetition to the last repetition of a set, is a key parameter in VBT. A lower velocity loss may be more efficient for strength development, but a moderate loss (20-30%) might lead to greater overall gains.   

• Use a velocity loss of 20-30% for maximizing strength adaptations.   

• Use a lower velocity loss (0-10%) for maintaining strength with a lower training volume, particularly useful during competitive seasons when training time is limited.   

Monitoring Training Load and Stress

Keep daily training load (TL) and strain values within the optimal ranges to minimize stress and potential immune system suppression. For example, for elite female futsal players, the optimal daily TL range is between ~343 and ~419 Arbitrary units. Values above or below these ranges were associated with increased stress symptoms. Tracking stress symptoms through questionnaires like DALDA (Daily Analysis of Life Demands in Athletes) and monitoring SIgA (Salivary Secretory Immunoglobulin A) levels can provide valuable insights into an athlete's overall well-being.   

Training Cycle Length

Use shorter training cycles (8 weeks) for maximizing physiological improvements, ideally during the off-season or pre-season when competition demands are low.   

Individualized Approach

Importantly, age, level (major vs minor league), maturation, and general condition of the athlete influence training adaptations and should be considered in long-term athletic development.   

By understanding and applying dose-response considerations, coaches and athletes can optimize training programs, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of overtraining. Remember that individual factors play a significant role in training adaptations, and a personalized approach is often necessary to achieve optimal results.

PASS's Services:

• Annual Guidebooks: PASS publishes annual guidebooks for various sports, summarizing the latest research and providing practical recommendations for training and performance optimization.

• Custom Reports: PASS offers custom reports that delve deep into specific performance challenges, providing tailored solutions based on the latest scientific evidence.

• Researcher Exchange: PASS facilitates workshops and Q&A sessions with leading sports scientists, allowing coaches and athletes to gain valuable insights and connect with experts in the field.

The potential of sports science to revolutionize training and performance is vast, but it remains largely untapped in many areas of athletics. By embracing research-backed principles and utilizing the services of organizations like PASS, coaches and athletes can unlock new levels of performance, reduce the risk of injuries, and achieve their full potential.

About PASS | Practical Application of Sport Science:

PASS helps top sports teams make better decisions using science. The teams ask questions like: “how to manage workload; how to improve decision-making; what is an optimal periodization program”. PASS takes a deep dive into all relevant research articles, figures out what's useful, and gives the teams specific advice they can immediately implement – only things that have been scientifically proven.

Explore the resources available at PASS (https://sportscience.pro/) and discover how sports science can transform your approach to training and performance.