Optimising the quality of interval training in distance runners: Comparison of perceptual inter-repetition recovery techniques with standardised temporal and heart rate methods

Andrew Edwards , Maria Bentley, Michael Mann, Tim Seaholme

Prepared for Sport and Recreation New Zealand by UCOL Institute of Technology,

2008

Sport and Recreation New Zealand

Andrew Edwards

email: a.m.edwards@ucol.ac.nz

The aims of the study were to examine the validity of the new 7-point Perceptual Recovery (PR) scale for well-trained male runners during interval training, examine the test-retest reliability of self-paced interval running performance when individuals’ use the new PR scale, investigate the effectiveness of the PR scale as an individualised recovery method to sustain performance quality throughout interval training sessions and compare the quality of interval training between different inter-repetition recovery methods.

The main finding of part one of the project was that performance times across both PR scale training sessions were very similar but the duration of recoveries differed markedly. The key observation of part two of the study was that performance times and were optimised in the individualised trials compared to the generic recovery strategy.

The findings of this study provide additional evidence to support the importance of using individualised strategies to optimise interval training performances. The training principles utilised in this study are also practical to a wide range of athletic capabilities from recreational to elite level. This may subsequently help widen the depth and breadth of high performance distance running in New Zealand and around the world.

Keywords:

Performance; Althletic capability; Individualised strategy

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Experimental

Manawatu-Whanganui

High performance, Sport

Men

Capability, Coaching, Performance

Running/jogging

996

July 3, 2013

July 18, 2013