Time for physiological adaptations

Eric Lambi said:

Hello rec.bicycles.racing,

I have read in several places that it takes 7+ days for
the physiological adaptations from a hard training session
to manifest themselves. I was curious if those with an
exercise physiology background could verify that this is
the case? I presume it is actually different for each
individual, but am curious if there is any basis in fact
for this 7+ day claim.

Thanks,

Eric Lambi eric.lambi_AT_lmscae.com (replace _AT_ with @)

I have no exercise physiology background, per se.
But there are several processes going on during a
hard training session, and it seems simplistic to
think they all go on during a fixed schedule. For
instance, there is doubtless some tissue damage
during a hard training schedule. The amount of
damage, it seems to me, would depend upon many
variable of the training session, such as duration
and relative degree of aerobic/anaerobic activity.
High resistance training would seem to have a
greater risk of muscle damage which would go on for
some time. Anabolic processes go on too, though I
wouldn't assume that muscle hypertrophy of different
muscles procedes at the same pace. There are changes
going on in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the
blood going on. I would also guess that the rate of
this adaptation could be altered by nutritional
status, rest, massage, and all kinds of
imponderables. Now, maybe someone who knows what
they're talking about will comment. ;-)

Steve

I would think it depends upon what you're asking the body
to change. Build new muscle? new mitochondria? Learn new
motor paths to fire muscles? Sequester fluids to increase
plasma volume?

A week? Yeah ... sounds good to me!

jw milwaukee (Lots of ex phys classes while in nursing
school, now ICU RN).