Time course of training-induced changes in maximal exercise of short duration in men and women

The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that gender differences are present in the extent and time course of exercise training-induced changes in maximal 10- and 90-s performance test. Thirty-six sedentary subjects (19 women and 17 men) were submitted to 15 weeks of training involving both continuous and interval ergocycle exercise sessions, while 13 other subjects (5 women and 8 men) served as a control group. Maximal power output after 10 s (P-10) and 90 s (P-90) of cycling exercise was measured before and at each 5-week interval of the 15-week training period in both groups. Significant (p<0.01) training-induced increases in performance were noted after 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 15 weeks of training for P-10, and after 5 and 10 weeks for P-90 in both genders. P-10 and P-90 were significantly increased in both genders (about 25% in men and 35% in women) following the 15-week training program and overall absolute increases were not statistically different between men and women. Slight increases (about 5%) in performance tests were observed in control subjects, but only during the first 5-week interval. P-10 and P-90 of women expressed as a percentage of that of men remained the same throughout the 15-week program. No significant relationship between pre-training values of P-10 and their responses to training was found in men and women. In conclusion, results of the present study indicate that women have the same capacity to increase maximal short-term performance in response to training in comparison to men.