Training volume and amateur cyclists’ health: a six-month follow-up from coinciding with a high-demand cycling event

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to analyse the longitudinal association of amateur cycling training volume with health by comparing the proximity of participation in a high-demand cycling event. Variations in cycling training volume, behavioural cardiometabolic risk factors, and physical and psychosocial health were examined. Cyclists decreased their training volume by approximately 40% and their total physical activity volumes by approximately 20%, while controls maintained (~5%). A time*group interaction was found for men’s physical conditioning, body mass index and anxiety and, independent of gender, for behavioural cardiometabolic risk factors. Variation in cycling training volume was positively correlated with variation in physical conditioning and total physical activity and negatively correlated with variation in body mass index. The high level of cycling training volume developed at the time coinciding with a high demand cycling event predisposes to better physical health and behavioural cardiometabolic risk factors, without negatively affect psychosocial health, compared with six month later.

KEYWORDS:

• Exercise
• endurance training
• health
• physical activity
• physical performance

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge all the subjects who participated in this study. The authors also gratefully acknowledge all the clubs involved in the dissemination of the invitations among their cyclist.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by Gobierno de Aragón (reference number S25-D17) and by FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 “Construyendo Europa desde Aragón”. M.A.O. is supported by the Departamento de Innovación, Investigación y Universidad del Gobierno de Aragón y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional – Programa Operativo FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 “Construyendo Europa desde Aragón” (reference number PUI/2018-336). J.B. is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education (grant number FPU13/05130) and by the Departamento de Innovación, Investigación y Universidad del Gobierno de Aragón y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional – Programa Operativo FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 “Construyendo Europa desde Aragón” (reference number PUI/2018-337). J.R. is supported by Universidad de Lleida, Cátedra ASISA (reference number: X18010). D.M. is supported by the Biomedical Research Networking Center on Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES) and FEDER funds from the European Union (reference number CB16/10/00477). The funders had no role in study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing the report; and the decision to submit the report for publication. There was no external financial support.