Table 2.
Descriptions of athlete training programmes and control activity levels as reported by studies
| References | Controls | Athletes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activity levels | Aerobic capacity (mL·min·kg) | Sport | Training frequency | Training volume | Training intensity | Training years | Aerobic capacity (mL·min·kg) | |
| Child et al. [33] | Sedentary | 35.0 ± 5.0 | Runners | – | – | – | 6 athletes ≥ 10 |
56.0 ± 8.0 |
| D’Andrea et al. [35] | Sedentary | – | Swimmers | 15–20 h/week. 3 h/day swimming and 3 h /week LDR | – | 70–90% heart rate maximum | > 10 | – |
| Giada et al. [42] | Not engaged in training program | 23.0 ± 3.0 | Cyclists | – | 213 ± 89 km/week in previous 6 months | – | 21 ± 12 | 43.0 ± 7.0 |
| Kozakova et al. [44] | Untrained | – | Runners, triathletes | – | – | – | 28 ± 15 | – |
| Lee et al. [45] | < 2 h of aerobic exercise per week | 33.8 ± 5.0 | Cyclists, triathletes, speed-skaters | > 6 h/week for the last 3 years | – | ≥ 50% of session performed at ≥ 60% | ≥ 3 | 47.9 ± 4.3 |
| Lindsay and Dunn [46] | Sedentary | – | Runners | – | 48 ± 25.76 km/week | – | 20 ± 13 | – |
| Maufrais et al. [50] | No regular training habits | – | Runners, triathletes, cyclists | > 8 h/week | – | – | 24 ± 12 | – |
| Northcote et al. [54] | Sedentary lifestyle. Participation in golf, walking and bowls | – | Runners | – | 47 ± 23 miles/week | – | 36 ± 7 | – |
| Nottin et al. [55] | Sedentary | – | Cyclists | 10.5 ± 2.3 h/week | 11000 ± 3000 km/year | – | 22 ± 5 | – |
| Sagiv et al. [57] | Untrained | 31.1 ± 2.4 | Aerobic athletes | – | – | – | ≥ 18 months | 42.1 ± 2.1 |
| Nishimura et al. [53] | Sedentary | – | Bicyclists | 1–2 h/day, 4–5 days/week | – | – | 27 ± 2 | – |
| Baldi et al. [29] | No participation in endurance sports previous 2 years. Some participation in recreational sports | 31.5 ± 5.9 | Endurance athletes | – | – | – | 21 ± 9 | 49.7 ± 6.8 |
| Bouvier et al. [31] | Sedentary or moderately active subjects | 26.0 ± 5.0 | Orienteers, runners | 3–7 h/week | – | Strenuous | 15–25 years of age | 41.0 ± 7.0 |
| Carrick-Ranson et al. [32] | ≤ 60 per week of endurance type training in last 12 months | 27.0 ± 4.0 | Cyclists, runners, dual/triathletes | 4 × 45 min/week (at least 3 h/week) over the previous 12 months | – | – | ≥ 1 | 45.0 ± 5.0 |
| Di Bello et al. [36] | Sedentary lifestyles | – | Runners | 1–2 h/day, 5 days/week | – | – | – | – |
| Galetta et al. [40] | Sedentary lifestyles with no regular exercise. < 45 mL·min·kg | 38.0 ± 7.1 | Runners | 1–2 h of activity/day, 5 days/week. LDR 3 days and walking weight training 2 days |
– | – | ≥ 40 | 63.7 ± 3.4 |
| Galetta et al. [39] | < 35 mL·min·kg | 28.0 ± 4.1 | Runners | > 5 times/week | – | Vigorous | 37 ± 5 | 45.7 ± 3.4 |
| Gates et al. [41] | No regular aerobic exercise | 29.0 ± 10.0 | Aerobic athletes | > 5 times/week | – | – | 24 ± 4 | 37.0 ± 6.9 |
| Gates et al. [41] | No regular aerobic exercise | 33.0 ± 4.9 | Aerobic athletes | > 5 times/week | – | – | 19 ± 3 | 51.0 ± 8.0 |
| Jungblut et al. [43] | No sporting participation in previous 6 months | 27.0 ± 4.7 | Runners | – | 40 miles/week for at least previous 6 months | – | ≥ 6 months | 44.0 ± 6.3 |
| Schmidt et al. [58] | Habitually active with no prior participation in structured exercise training | 29.0 ± 4.9 | Soccer players | 1.5 ± 0.6 1-h session/week | 26 ± 12 matches (2 × 35 min) per year | – | 52 ± 11 | 34.1 ± 5.0 |
| Seals et al. [59] | No regular training habits for several years | 29.6 ± 3.43 | Runners | – | 43 ± 18 miles/week | – | 10 ± 6 | 50.4 ± 4.8 |
| Molmen et al. [52] | Exercise < 2 times per week in previous year | 35.0 ± 5.0 | Cross-country skiers | > 5 times/week | – | – | ≥ 25 | 49.5 ± 4.5 |
| Cottini et al. [34] | Sedentary | – | Aerobic athletes | – | – | – | – | – |
| Olsen et al. [56] | Sedentary for at least the last 5 years | 29.6 ± 3.1 | Runners | 4–6 days/week | 49 ± 12 km/week | Moderate to high | 29 ± 8 | 46.9 ± 7.0 |
| Fleg et al. [38] | No regular participation in endurance exercise. within 1 SD of age-adjusted sedentary values of BLISA men | 30.2 ± 5.0 | Runners | – | 160 (median) km/month | – | 16 (median) | 47.2 ± 5.9 |
| Miki et al. [51] | Untrained | – | Cyclists | – | – | – | 29 | – |
| Matelot et al. [48] | ≤ 2 h of physical activity throughout life and never involved in competitive sport | 33.0 ± 4.3 | Runners, cyclists | 7 ± 4 h/week | – | – | 39 ± 4 | 47.3 ± 7.1 |
| Donal et al. [37] | < 2 h of training per week | – | Cyclists | > 8 h/week | – | – | ≥ 5 | 47.8 ± 5.7 |
| Bohm et al. [30] | ≤ 3 h/week | 37.0 ± 6.0 | Runners, rowers, triathletes | > 10 h/week | – | – | 29 ± 8 | 60.0 ± 5.0 |
| Grace et al. [7] | No participation in any formal exercise | – | Triathletes, athletics, sprint cyclists, racquet sports | – | – | – | Lifelong | – |
| Maufrais et al. [49] | No regular training habits | 33.3 ± 7.2 | Cyclists | 9 ± 2 h/week | – | – | 31 ± 11 | 42.3 ± 5.9 |
| Maessen et al. [47] | < 10 MET-h/week over the last 20 years | 31.6 ± 4.8 | Endurance athletes | 7.1 (median) h/week | 60 (median) MET-h/week | ≥ 20 (lifelong) | 48.0 ± 8.9 | |
Data are presented as mean ± SD unless otherwise stated
BLISA Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, LDR long-distance running, MET metabolic equivalent of task, SD standard deviation, maximal oxygen uptake