Performance and cardiac evaluation before and after a 3-week training camp for 400-meter sprinters - An observational, non-randomized study.

Abstract

ObjectiveTo study the performance and cardiovascular function after a 3-week training camp in athletes competing in an anaerobically dominant sport.MethodsTwenty-three competitive 400-m athletes were enrolled in this non-randomized study, 17 took part in a 3-week training camp in South-Africa (intervention), but one declined follow-up assessment, while 6 pursued in-door winter training in Sweden and served as controls. Electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, blood test analyses, maximal exercise tolerance test, and a 300-m sprint test with lactate measurements ([La]peak) were performed before and after the training camp period.ResultsAt baseline, there were no clinically significant pathological findings in any measurements. The training period resulted in improved 300m-sprint performance [n = 16; running time 36.71 (1.39) vs. 35.98 (1.13) s; pConclusionsIntense physical activity at training camp improved the performance level, likely due to improved anaerobic capacity indicated by higher [La]peak. There were no clinically significant adverse cardiac changes after this period of predominantly anaerobic training.