Cardiorespiratory fitness

Quantum mechanics

Athletes

Endurance training

Time trial

Heart rate

Physics

Blood pressure

Psychology

Physical fitness

Physical therapy

Meta-analysis

Internal medicine

Physical strength

Jump

Vertical jump

Medicine

Physical medicine and rehabilitation

Strength training

Anthropometry

Frontiers in Physiology

Combining training of muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness within a training cycle could increase athletic performance more than single-mode training. However, the physiological effects produced by each training modality could also interfere with each other, improving athletic performance less than single-mode training. Because anthropometric, physiological, and biomechanical differences between young and adult athletes can affect the responses to exercise training, young athletes might respond differently to concurrent training (CT) compared with adults. Thus, the aim of the present systematic review with meta-analysis was to determine the effects of concurrent strength and endurance training on selected physical fitness components and athletic performance in youth. A systematic literature search of PubMed and Web of Science identified 886 records. The studies included in the analyses examined children (girls age 6-11y, boys age 6-13y) or adolescents (girls age 12-18y, boys age 14-18y), compared CT with single-mode endurance (ET) or strength training (ST), and reported at least one strength/power- (e.g., jump height), endurance- (e.g., peak V̇O2, exercise economy), or performance-related (e.g., time trial) outcome. We calculated weighted standardized mean differences (SMDs). CT compared to ET produced small effects in favor of CT on athletic performance (n=11 studies, SMD=0.41, p=0.04) and trivial effects on cardiorespiratory endurance (n=4 studies, SMD=0.04, p=0.86) and exercise economy (n=5 studies, SMD=0.16, p=0.49) in young athletes. A sub-analysis of chronological age revealed a trend towards larger effects of CT vs. ET on athletic performance in adolescents (SMD=0.52) compared with children (SMD=0.17). CT compared with ST had small effects in favor of CT on muscle power (n=4 studies, SMD=0.23, p=0.04). In conclusion, CT is more effective than single-mode ET or ST in improving selected measures of physical fitness and athletic performance in youth. Specifically, CT compared with ET improved athletic performance in children and particularly adolescents. Finally, CT was more effective than ST in improving muscle power in youth.

The Effects of Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training on Physical Fitness and Athletic Performance in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis