Development of biathletes‘ muscular power in hypoxic conditions

One of the most widely discussed aspects of training high performance athletes is their training in hypoxic conditions. Various research data demonstrate a diversity of training methods and effect on athletes’ power in hypoxic conditions. The effectiveness of training depends on the altitude, duration, period of training camps, and directions of physical activities applied. Therefore, the problem of athlete training, ways of organizing training camps, and search for measures are relevant to sports science. The aim of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of biathletes‘ muscular power development program in hypoxic conditions. The analysis involved members of Lithuania Biathlon Junior (aged 18–19) National team (n=4, sports experience – 5–7 years). The athletes lived and trained at the altitude of 1750 m above sea level for 21 days. The camp mesocycle consisted of four 5-day microcycles. During microcycle 1 and 2, athletes performed a physical activity of smaller amount and intensity compared to their typical training conditions, whereas the parameters of microcycle 3 and 4 reached the usual level of training activity. In order to develop biathletes‘ special muscular power, a repetitive training type of anaerobic glycolytic muscle development was applied. Athletes’ functional capacity was tested on day four before and day nine after the training camp. The following factors of the test were evaluated: rates of physical development, functional capacity of cardiovascular system, capacity of a single muscle contraction, anaerobic alactatic capacity of muscles, capacity of a special 10s, 30s, and 60s maximum effort performance, morphological composition of blood, concentration of lactate (La) in blood. The results of analysis revealed that a 21-day training camp at the altitude of 1750 m above sea level had a positive impact on functional capacity (p<0,05) of biathletes’ cardiovascular system. Altitude training improved a morphological composition of blood and tolerance to lactate. Special muscular power development in mixed anaerobic alactatic and glycolytic energy production zone with a 30s maximum effort performance on roller skis had a positive impact on athletes’ capacity in different energy production zones. A substantial increase in muscular power rates was noticed during 10, 30, and 60 s tests (p<0,05) - 10s duration rates increased by 9,6% (from 12,5 to 13,7 W/kg, p<0,05); 30s duration mixed anaerobic alactatic and glycolytic capacity increased by 8,8% 9p