Concurrent strength and endurance training in females increases parameters associated with maximal strength and endurance capacity

1. In this systematic review, concurrent strength and endurance training were just as effective at increasing upper and lower body strength as strength training alone. Additionally, concurrent training was just as effective at increasing endurance capacity as endurance training alone.

2. Furthermore, concurrent strength and endurance running training was more effective at increasing fast-force production than just running training alone.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

Strength and endurance exercise is necessary for the general population and competitive athletes. It is well-established in the literature that concurrent strength training boosts endurance parameters, but the reverse may be different. Research shows that concurrent training may cause an “interference” effect on neuromuscular strength adaptations. However, this interference effect has only been clearly outlined in males, whereas confounding conclusions exist for females. These puzzling verdicts are accompanied by a lack of factors that may account for these results, such as menstrual hormonal fluctuations or oral contraceptive use. This systematic review aimed to identify the effects of concurrent strength and endurance training on strength and endurance parameters.

Of the 3,065 articles screened, 14 randomized controlled trials were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed English studies with randomized participants that included females of reproductive age with normal weight or overweight who were completing a ≥ 8 weeks strength and/or endurance training regimen. Exclusion criteria were obesity, male gender, and a lack of strength and endurance parameters. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The effects on strength were reported in various ways, but commonly as either maximal strength testing or fast-force production. Effects on endurance were mainly reported as either endurance capacity (VO2 peak/VO2 max) or aerobic capacity (VO2¬ max). The primary outcome measure was changes in these strength or endurance parameters with response to concurrent exercise compared to unimodal training or no training.

The results demonstrated that concurrent strength and endurance training was as effective at increasing maximal strength as strength training alone. Furthermore, fast-force production—rapidly producing muscular force, which is relevant for athletic activities—was greater in females with a concurrent strength and running regimen than in running-only. Similarly, a concurrent training regimen was equally effective at increasing endurance parameters as an endurance-only regimen. However, a strong conclusion regarding the “interference” effect cannot be drawn due to the limited number and low-moderate quality of studies included. Nonetheless, this systematic review provided missing insights on concurrent training in females and revealed the need for more research on this topic.

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