Acute Neuromuscular, Physiological and Performance Responses After Strength Training in Runners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Strength training (ST) is commonly used to improve muscle strength, power, and neuromuscular adaptations and is recommended combined with runner training. It is possible that the acute effects of the strength training session lead to deleterious effects in the subsequent running. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to verify the acute effects of ST session on the neuromuscular, physiological and performance variables of runners.

Methods: Studies evaluating running performance after resistance exercise in runners in the PubMed and Scopus databases were selected. From 6532 initial references, 19 were selected for qualitative analysis and 13 for meta-analysis. The variables of peak torque (P_T), creatine kinase (CK), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), countermovement jump (CMJ), ventilation (VE), oxygen consumption (VO₂), lactate (La) and heart rate (HR) were evaluated.

Results: The methodological quality of the included studies was considered reasonable; the meta-analysis indicated that the variables P_T (p = 0.003), DOMS (p < 0.0001), CK (p < 0.0001), RPE (p < 0.0001) had a deleterious effect for the experimental group; for CMJ, VE, VO₂, La, FC there was no difference. By qualitative synthesis, running performance showed a reduction in speed for the experimental group in two studies and in all that assessed time to exhaustion.

Conclusion: The evidence indicated that acute strength training was associated with a decrease in P_T, increases in DOMS, CK, RPE and had a low impact on the acute responses of CMJ, VE, VO₂, La, HR and submaximal running sessions.

Keywords: Aerobic performance; Competitive training; Running; Strength training.

Fig. 1

Acute effects of resistance training include increased muscle damage, kinematic alteration, greater energy expenditure, greater neural fatigue, reduced muscle glycogen supply; which lead to worse recovery, less submaximal muscle contractility and less available energy substrate; resulting in a loss of quality of the running session. Finally, this repeated decline in quality can chronically impair the development of endurance capacity (Adapted from Doma et al. [10], with permission

Fig. 2

Article search and selection strategy

Fig. 3

Funnel plot of risk of bias of studies included in the meta-analysis

Fig. 4

Acute effects of strength training session on neuromuscular variables in subsequent running session: a Peak torque (P_T) b Countermovement jump (CMJ)

Fig. 5

Acute effects of strength training session on physiological variables in subsequent running session: a Oxygen consumption (VO₂) b Lactate (La) c Ventilation (VE) d Creatine kinase (CK) e Heart rate (HR) f Delayed muscle pain (DOMS) g Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) h Respiratory exchange (RER)