Perspectives of World-Class Endurance Coaches on the Evolution of Athlete Training and Performance

Øyvind Sandbakk¹, Sophie Herzog², Kerry McGawley³, David B Pyne⁴, Rune Kjøsen Talsnes⁵, Grégoire P Millet⁶, Guro Strøm Solli⁷, Stephen Seiler⁸, Paul B Laursen^{9

10}, Thomas Haugen¹¹, Espen Tønnessen¹¹, Randy Wilber¹², Carl Foster¹³, Teun van Erp¹⁴, Trent Stellingwerff¹⁵, Hans-Christer Holmberg^{16

17

18}, Silvana Bucher Sandbakk⁸

Affiliations

¹ School of Sport Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
² Myra Center for Athlete Development AS, Bærum, Norway.
³ Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden.
⁴ Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ Centre for Elite Sports Research, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
⁶ Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁷ Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nord University, Bodø, Norway.
⁸ Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
⁹ Sports Performance and Athlete Development Environments (SPADE), University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
¹⁰ Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹¹ School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
¹² United States Olympic Committee, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
¹³ Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, USA.
¹⁴ Team Tudor Pro Cycling, Schenkon, Switzerland.
¹⁵ Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, Victoria, BC, Canada.
¹⁶ Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
¹⁷ School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
¹⁸ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum C5, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

PMID: 41248624
DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2025-0317

Perspectives of World-Class Endurance Coaches on the Evolution of Athlete Training and Performance

Øyvind Sandbakk et al. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2025.

. 2025 Nov 17;21(1):98-105.

doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2025-0317. Print 2026 Jan 1.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Sport Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
² Myra Center for Athlete Development AS, Bærum, Norway.
³ Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden.
⁴ Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ Centre for Elite Sports Research, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
⁶ Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁷ Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nord University, Bodø, Norway.
⁸ Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
⁹ Sports Performance and Athlete Development Environments (SPADE), University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
¹⁰ Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹¹ School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
¹² United States Olympic Committee, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
¹³ Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, USA.
¹⁴ Team Tudor Pro Cycling, Schenkon, Switzerland.
¹⁵ Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, Victoria, BC, Canada.
¹⁶ Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
¹⁷ School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
¹⁸ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum C5, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

PMID: 41248624
DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2025-0317

Abstract

Purpose: To provide insights into the key practices driving the evolution of endurance training and performance.

Methods: A total of 78 world-class coaches (73 men, 5 women), representing 14 endurance sports, and 18 nations, participated in a digital survey comprising open-ended questions about recent trends and projected future developments.

Results: Qualitative thematic analysis revealed 8 key drivers of change: (1) individualized and sport-specific training strategies, (2) precision in training execution, (3) load-management procedures, (4) strategic use of environmental stressors, (5) optimized nutrition, (6) holistic recovery practices, (7) health and injury prevention, and (8) equipment and technology-driven innovation. To provide a clearer conceptual framework, these themes were grouped into 3 overarching categories: training methodologies (themes 1-4), recovery and health management (themes 5-7), and technological innovation (theme 8).

Conclusions: World-class endurance coaches describe a continuing shift toward more individualized training strategies, characterized by detailed sport-specific considerations, training plans aligned with physiological profiles, greater precision in training execution, refined load management, and strategic use of environmental stressors. In this context, advanced monitoring technologies are viewed as essential for optimizing training adaptations while minimizing the risk of maladaptation and injury. Coaches also emphasized the importance of enhanced health and recovery strategies to support training adaptations, including sleep quality, stress management, life balance, and targeted nutritional interventions, particularly carbohydrate availability. Finally, the rapid development of new equipment and technologies is transforming training and coaching practices, thereby contributing to improved endurance performance.

Keywords: endurance sports; injury prevention; monitoring technology; nutrition; recovery; training-load management.

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Perspectives of World-Class Endurance Coaches on the Evolution of Athlete Training and Performance

Affiliations

Perspectives of World-Class Endurance Coaches on the Evolution of Athlete Training and Performance

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources