Fatigue & Altitude Training - Part 2 & 3
Part 2
Fatigue & Altitude Training
Part 2 & 3
We can only produce force if our central nervous system drives it. If the brain cannot, then our ability to activate muscles is affected. The perception of exercise becomes harder, creating the feeling that there is nothing left in the tank.
If training concurrently, I would try to minimise fatigue. High training volume affects the central nervous system. For example, Tour de France cyclists have been shown to remain below baseline even after three days of recovery.
Training should have a beneficial cost. I would consider how to develop work capacity without creating excessive negative consequences. We do not want to overcook athletes. If we undercook, we can always add a little more. If we overcook, we often have to start again.
On-feet capacity is essential for team sports, but excessive running volume can interfere with force production, strength development, and hypertrophy.
Team sports require both explosive power and endurance, yet these qualities sit at opposite ends of the performance spectrum.
Athletes need a basic level of conditioning to maximise high-intensity efforts and avoid gassing out during competition. Ideally, developing athletes over a longer period provides a broader performance range, often referred to as speed reserve. Instead of operating with twelve speed gears, athletes build a larger foundation and develop many more gears, with the potential to add further capacity over time.
Part 3
Different training methods allow us to develop fitness without creating excessive fatigue, such as cardio output training and extensive tempo work. We can also build the capacity of athletes to cope with fatigue more effectively.
Training in a fatigued state should not be avoided, but I would plan carefully where it sits within the programme. I do not want athletes accumulating so much fatigue that performance levels begin to drop.
Athletes should not exist in a middle zone of no-man's land, where they are not training anything particularly well. The work is either not intense enough to create performance adaptations or not easy enough to stimulate recovery.
Altitude
Teams with sufficient resources at events such as the Women's World Cup have used altitude training or environmental chambers with heat and humidity exposure to gain a performance advantage.
At altitude, fatigue is primarily central rather than peripheral. If the brain does not receive sufficient oxygen, it limits the body's capacity to continue working. It is central fatigue that causes athletes to stop, rather than muscular fatigue alone.
If you have the budget, resources, or access to an environmental chamber, I would train at altitude. If you want to read more about altitude training, the practicalities, and potential performance benefits, then this is a good place to start.
Read more about altitude training:
View Altitude Training Resource:
