Long-Term Development of Training Characteristics in Elite Endurance Athletes: A Scoping Review

Background: Understanding the long-term development of training characteristics and performance-determining factors is essential for evidence-based talent development practices in endurance sports. However, the scientific evidence base for current practices remains limited, with most studies focusing on short-term interventions or cross-sectional comparisons. Methods: This scoping review synthesizes evidence describing the long-term development of training characteristics and performance-determining factors in male and female endurance athletes reaching elite/international or world-class levels. Training volume, intensity distribution, and the development of submaximal and maximal performance indices are systematically analyzed across seven sports and seven countries. Results: A non-linear, year-to-year increase in training volume was found for most athletes, resulting in a subsequent plateau. Improvements in submaximal variables (lactate/anaerobic threshold and work economy/efficiency) and maximal performance indices (peak speed/watt during performance testing) are consistently reported. However, the development of VO₂max was inconsistent across studies. No evidence was found regarding possible sex differences in the development of training or performance-determining factors. Female athletes constituted only ۲۷% of participants across included studies, highlighting a significant research gap. Conclusion: Talent development practices in endurance sports are built upon limited scientific evidence. There is an urgent need for additional long-term studies based on systematic monitoring of athletes from a young age utilizing high-precision, reproducible measurements of training and performance-determining factors.

کلیدواژه ها:

Endurance athletes ، Talent development ، Training volume ، Performance-determining factors ، Long-term development ، VO₂max