Adaptation

The training of technical skills affects the development of adaptation by improving metabolic processes. Adaptation can be improved by:

1. Increasing the fuel available to the intramuscular energy sources (creatine phosphate for the ATP-CP system and glycogen for glycolysis)
2. Increasing activities of the enzymes participating in the production and utilization of energy sources (creatine phosphokinase and myokinase for ATP-CP reactions and phosphofructokinase for glycolysis)
3. Increasing the levels of tolerance to the byproducts of metabolism (lactic acid) which contaminates muscles and blood and shut down the productivity of glands and motor nervous centers

Training for sprinting adaptation should result in the improvement of:

1.  Anaerobic Alactate Power, which abilities to maximize and utilize ATP-CP reactions
2. Anaerobic Lactate Capacity, which abilities to gradually utilize muscle glycogen through glycolysis and produce lactic acid and contain it in muscles and blood above the individual’s critical levels (16-18mm/l)
3. Anaerobic Lactate Power, which abilities to maximize glycolytical reactions within critical time of glycolysis (35-50sec)


Anaerobic Alactate Power

Anaerobic alactate power can be improved via training the ATP-CP system. The duration of intensive exercises (Vmax-submax) should be framed within the period of time that the participation motor units would respond with the high technical activity (6-12sec) and the number of repetitions within the set could bring about depletion of CP (creatine phosphate) available for efficient and productive contractions (2-4reps). In order to accomplish volume stress during skills learning processes, the total volume should be broken in sets, which numbers will depend on the levels of fatigue and quality of execution the neuromuscular system responds to.

The response can be seen as a result of performance at the beginning of each set, or within repetitions of the sets. The stress of the sets should also provide significant depletion of ATP-CP energy sources in working muscles. Practically, this can occur after the 2-3 sets of 2-4 reps of intensive (Vmax-submax), short duration (6-15sec) exercises. The resting intervals between reps (3-5min) and sets (6-10min) should provide time for the restoration of energy sources. At least 3-4min are required to restore 50% of creatine phosphate following 6sec of intensive activity and about 8min after 15sec of similar activity.

The resting interval between sets is also directed to recovery and the improvement of neuromuscular conductivity:

1. neural drive to the muscles
2. synchronization of the motor units
3. recruiting of firing units at any time
4. activation of muscle contractile receptors
5. inhibition of the protective mechanisms of the muscles

The rest should also result in attainment of supercompensation levels for the target athletic abilities on the time of execution of the second set. The adaptation training for improvements of Anaerobic Alactate Power should go along with the development of max-submax efforts (speed, starts, acceleration and transition skills, max strength and explosive power).


Anaerobic Lactate Capacity

Anaerobic lactate capacity, in the terms of metabolism, can be defined as the abilities to gradually perform high volume and intensity efforts (pulse over 180bpm) and accumulate lactic acid in the muscles and blood beyond critical levels (16-18mm/l). Adaptation occurs as the result of improving potentials to utilize glycolysis and better resistance to fatigue and byproducts of metabolism.

The training effect can be achieved via regulation of variables of the stress:

1. Intensity of efforts, which can be expressed in the form of running speed, which stress should demand for production of contractile energy via anaerobic glycolysis (V=65% and up).
2. Duration of efforts, which for a single bout should provide conditions (time) to accumulate lactic acid beyond aerobic/anaerobic threshold (4-6mm/l), but in quantities lesser than the individual critical levels (16-18mm/l). This can be achieved after the execution of 6-12sec (60-150m) of high intensity efforts (V=75% and up), or 30-90sec (200-600m) of moderate intensity efforts (V=60-70%)
3. Duration of recovery between repetitions, or within execution of intervals, which should insure high levels of glycolysis, just allowing, during a break in efforts of exertion, insignificant reduction in the levels of lactic acid (pulse rate can drop by 15-20%). The following intensive effort should be initiated on the base level of the preceding metabolism. The recovery period is short (20-60sec) and can be in the form of passive rest or jogging.
4. Frequency of efforts (number of repetitions or sets), which can be determined from needs for improving adaptation and learning of instructions, tactics and technique.


Anaerobic Lactate Power

Anaerobic lactate power, characterizes athletic abilities to generate intensive and powerful efforts under conditions close to and beyond lactic acid critical levels (16-18mm/l and pulse over 200bpm/min), utilizing metabolism of glycogen via anaerobic glycolysis. The better conditioned athletes are able to tolerate such conditions without notable decreases in quality of performances for 35-50sec. Respectively, the training assignments should organize the training in such a way that the duration and intensity of exercising could force muscles to metabolize glycogen via anaerobic glycolysis (35-5-sec / 200-400m / V=80-90%). The rest between repetitions also regulates conditions of the target metabolism.

The rest interval should provide significant reduction of lactic acid in the blood. The rate of this reduction is 1mm per 2min. In order to insure the power of metabolism and quality of execution of the following, the resting interval should provide at least 70% reduction of lactic acid. Usually, 50% reduction coincides with a reduction in pulse rate to the plateau level (120bpm). Therefore, the stress which brings about the critical level of lactic acid accumulation (16-18mm/l) can require in well trained athletes 20-25min of recovery in order to reduce the lactic acid level by 70% (to 4-5mm/l). Usually, such a condition coincides with pulse rate dropping under 100bpm/min).

Improvement of adaptation results in better utilization of glycolytic energy and in increasing the volume of quality work, performed within critical time of glycolysis. The total training load can be relatively low, while intensity should be very high.