Training-overtraining: influence of a defined increase in training volume vs training intensity on performance,...

The influence of an increase in training volume (ITV; February 1989) vs intensity (ITI; February 1990) on performance, catecholamines, energy metabolism and serum lipids was examined in two studies on eight, and nine experienced middle- or long-distance runners; seven participated in both studies. During ITV, mean training volume was doubled from 85.9 km.week-1 (pretrial phase) to 174.6 km within 3 weeks. Some 96%-98% of the training was performed at 67 (SD 8)% of maximal performance. During ITI, speed-endurance, high-speed and interval runs increased within 3 weeks from 9 km.week-1 (pretrial phase) to 22.7 km.week-1 and the total training distance from 61.6 to 84.7 km.week-1. The ITV resulted in stagnation of running velocity at 4 mmol lactate concentration and a decrease in total running distance in the increment test. Heart rate, energy metabolic parameters, nocturnal urinary catecholamine excretion, low density, very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations decreased significantly; the exercise-related catecholamine plasma concentrations increased at an identical exercise intensity. The ITI produced an improvement in running velocity at 4 mmol lactate concentration and in total running distance in the increment test; heart rate, energy metabolic parameters, nocturnal catecholamine excretion, and serum lipids remained nearly constant, and the exercise-related plasma catecholamine concentrations decreased at an identical exercise intensity. The ITV-related changes in metabolism and catecholamines may have indicated an exhaustion syndrome in the majority of the athletes examined but this hypothesis has to be proven by future experimental studies.