A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Annual Training Characteristics Between Junior, Developmental, and Elite-Level...

To compare annual training characteristics and periodization of physical training and shooting between junior, developmental, and elite-level biathletes.

A retrospective cross-sectional design was used to compare 24 biathletes (12 women) equally distributed across the Norwegian junior (JUN, 20.3 [1.0] y), developmental (DEV, 24.3 [1.3] y), and elite (ELITE, 26.2 [1.6] y) national teams. Inclusion criteria were having a top-10 performance in Junior World Championships, International Biathlon Union Cup, and International Biathlon Union World Cup for the 3 groups, respectively. Training data from the 2021-22 season were categorized by endurance intensity (low- [LIT], moderate-, and high-intensity training), exercise mode, strength, and speed. Shooting data included shots fired during rest, LIT, moderate-intensity training, high-intensity training, and competitions.

Total annual physical training volume was 21% and 14% higher in ELITE (703 [53] h) than JUN (582 [112] h) and DEV (615 [86] h, both P < .05), respectively, mainly due to more LIT and moderate-intensity training (both P < .05). ELITE and DEV performed 37% and 25% more shots than JUN (12,779 [1757] and 11,638 [1782], respectively, vs 9301 [2042]), mainly caused by more shots during LIT (both P < .05). The only differences in annual periodization of physical training and shooting between developmental levels were that ELITE performed higher physical training volumes (17.2 [1.5] vs 13.3 [3.6] h/wk) and fired more shots (377 [70] vs 199 [73] shots/wk) during the general preparation period compared with JUN (both P < .05).

This study provides novel reference data on the training characteristics of high-level biathletes across developmental levels, demonstrating that higher volumes of both physical and shooting-specific training distinguish elite senior athletes from their junior counterparts. However, individual year-to-year progression patterns should be explored in future longitudinal studies.