PhD A.I. Golovachev
PhD V.I. Kolykhmatov
PhD S.V. Shirokova
All-Russian Research Institute of Physical Culture and Sport, Moscow

Keywords: ski races, elite athletes, competitive activity, training process, climatic, geographical and chronobiological aspects, physical working capacity, model, final training stage.

Introduction. It can be assumed that achievement of the strategic objective - successful performance at the XXIII (2018) Winter Olympics in PyeongChang (Republic of Korea) - will largely depend on the effectiveness of the chosen methodological direction and optimization of the training process design. Therefore, the new Programme of the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation indicates the need to study the trends in the development of skiing in view of the chronobiological, climatic and geographical aspects of the region where the XXIII (2018) Winter Olympics will be held.   

Objective of the research was to identify the dynamics of the functional state of Russian female racing skiers whose performance throughout the competitive period of 2015-2016 remained of concern.

Research methods and structure. Athletes were offered to undergo an examination program that we had carried out before to get the most complete picture of their physical fitness level [1-4].

Based on the research conducted at the beginning of the pre-season (BPS, 28-29.05.2015),  the coaching staff designed training programs aimed at eliminating the established limiting factors. Low «basic» physical fitness level reflected in short working time in the endurance test (1st test, the average working time in the team was less than 15 minutes), an insufficient level of VO2 max (absolute and  relative values), anaerobic threshold indicators (running speed and oxygen consumption during AT), and anaerobic capacity (2nd test, MAC-60) was the most important limiting factor.

Results and discussion. Three and a half months later the following dynamics of the main components of physical fitness formation was identified:

Performance time in the 1st test (general endurance) increased by 1.53 minutes on average (14.53 - 16.36 minutes), team leaders kept running for over 18 minutes, 4 other athletes - around 17 minutes. All 8 people reached the planned level of model characteristics; 2 more athletes were close to them.

A high level of physical working capacity (PWC) at the end of the pre-season was driven by a statistically significant increase of power and efficiency of the oxidative energy system functioning  (aerobic capacity) and the positive dynamics of the lactic acid energy system activity (anaerobic capacity):

1) the level of studied aerobic capacity indices for the team leaders was as follows:

– oxidative energy system capacity (VO2 max/kg) - 62-68 ml/kg;

– threshold running speed (AT speed) - 4.05-4.40 (15.0-15.8 km/h);

– threshold speed oxygen consumption rate (AT consumption) - 56-60 ml/kg;

– oxygen uptake (oxygen utilization coefficient) – 3.7-4.2%.

2) the level of studied anaerobic capacity indices was as follows:

– maximum lactate concentration in test I (step load to failure) - 8.5-14.1 mmol/l;

– working capacity in test 2 (MAC-60) – 32.62-37.66 kgm/min/kg;

– maximum lactate concentration in test II (MAC-60) – 11.0-16.1 mmol/l.

Functional state growth (the first PF component) was recorded against the background of the following dynamics of speed and strength characteristics of arms and legs (the second PF component): 

– explosive force of arms increased by 0.9% (0.304-0.306 kgm/kg);

– speed and strength endurance of arms increased by 2.1% (0.187-0.191 kgm/s/kg);

– explosive force of legs tended to decrease: force gradient decreased (J absolute - by 2.7%; J relative - by 5.0%);

– maximum leg force (Fmax) decreased by 5.9% (114.7-107.9 kg);

– push-off speed increased (the time to reach maximum force decreased) by 1.0% (0.209-0.211 s).

Implementation readiness (assessed by the muscles contractibility rate - achieving the maximum rate with zero resistance and maximum working capacity at the highest possible resistance in 6-second critical muscle work performed similar to MAM-6 test):

– reduction of the maximum movement frequency by 1.9% (181.3-184.9 rev/min);

– increase of the speed of achieving peak levels (reduction of the time of achieving maximum frequency) by 0.9% (16.2-16.4 s);

– a slight decrease in the maximum capacity by absolute value (Wmax, absolute) by 0.6% (703.3-707.6 W);

– increase of the maximum capacity by relative value (Wmax, relative) by 0.8% (11.68-11.77 W/kg); with reduced MT.

It should be noted that the team leaders reached the level of 14 W/kg again - the level of the world ski sprint leaders.

The maximum capacity increase (Wmax/kg) occurred against the background of increasing load resistance by 3.7% (7.0-7.3 kP) and the coefficient of force potential realization (CFR) by 5.6% (11.52-12.16%).

The findings suggest that the chosen design of the training process has contributed primarily to the athletes’ general endurance improvement. This is reflected in the growth of power and economizing capacities of the oxidative energy system. At the same time a large amount of the cyclic load accompanied by an increase in the aerobic capacity to some extent caused stabilization of the activity of the lactic acid energy system and the lack of anaerobic capacity growth assessed by the value of mechanical output. It was intended to further implement redistribution of the functioning activity of the oxidative and lactic acid energy systems by participating in a number of competitions of the World Cup series and reaching the peak functionality (especially in the anaerobic glycolysis activity) between the third and fourth competition units in the middle of February - beginning of March 2016, within the time frame corresponding to the Olympic Games.

Solution of the second task of our research was associated with studying the schedules for the peak functionality of the elite racing skiers being attained by the time of the FIS competitions in PyeongChang (Republic of Korea) at the place and in the period of the XXIII (2018) Winter Olympics. A comparative analysis of the functionality variations in the athletes of two groups engaged in the final training stage in accordance with the two-stage (group I) and one-stage (group II) models of PyeongChang-customized trainings was conducted.

Before arriving at the FIS competition in PyeongChang the Group I athletes had the final training stage (FTS) in Amut (the Khabarovsk Territory, at the altitude of 1,100 m, time difference with Moscow – 7 hours) during 11 days and arrived in PyeongChang 4-5 days before the first race. After participation in the World Cup series (and World Youth Championship) the Group II athletes underwent recovery microcycles with personal trainers in their locations and arrived in PyeongChang on March 3^rd, 2016, 7-8 days before the first race.  

The mean group data on the duration of the athletes’ stay in PyeongChang on different days before and during the FIS competitions were formed for a comparative analysis. Oxygen saturation – the indicator used for the integrated assessment of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems reflecting the overall functionality – during the specified time are presented in Table 1, and their dynamics is shown on Figure 1.    

It turned out that it was possible to define the level of differences in the functional state of the groups starting from March 7^th, 2016, on the 2^nd day of staying in PyeongChang for the Group I athletes and the 4^th – 5^th day for the Group II athletes. Within the specified time 2 days before the first race the oxygen saturation level in Group II was higher than in group I by 1.5% (р<0.05). One day before the start the oxygen saturation rate in group I (3^rd day of staying in PyeongChang) was insignificantly higher compared with group II. On the day of the start (the first race for men 10 km long) the oxygen saturation level in group I peaked and was higher by 0.75% compared with that reached by group II, р<0.05. Similar differences in the studied parameters between the groups remained during the 2^nd day of the competition before the 30 km race, р<0.05.

Table 1. Differences in oxygen saturation (in the morning) in racing skiers with different final training stage scenarios at the site of the main start in PyeongChang

Figure 1. Oxygen saturation dynamics in racing skiers with different final training stage scenarios on different days and during the competition in PyeongChang on March 3rd – 10th, 2016  

Conclusions. The findings suggest that the general rule for the two groups with different final training stage scenarios and timing of arrival to the place of the main start was the following: 

– the time of reaching the peak functionality on the 5^th day of staying in climatic and geographical conditions of PyeongChang, which was due to passing through an acute stage of re-acclimatization for group I (a descent from 1,100 m of Amut, Khabarovsk Territory), and the end of the desynchronosis phase caused by the 6-hour difference between PyeongChang and Moscow for group II;    

– sustaining a higher peak functionality in group I (after ITS at middle altitudes of the Amut Mountain) compared with group II (staying in PyeongChang at 780 m altitude) for two days of competitive activity.

As a result of the findings obtained by studying chronobiological, climatic and geographical aspects of the final training stage venues it seems appropriate to us to further explore various options of one-stage and two-stage models of arrival to the site of the main start using not only the advantages of the Khabarovsk Territory but also those of the Kamchatka Territory and the Sakhalin Region (Yuzhno Sakhalinsk). 

References

1. Golovachev A.I. Sovremennye podkhody k otsenke skorostno-silovykh kachestv i bystroty dvizheniy v lyzhnom sporte [Modern approaches to the assessment of speed-strength and speed of movement in skiing]. Sbornik dokladov Pervogo mezhdunarodnogo foruma «Rossiya – sportivnaya derzhava!» [Collected reports 1st International Forum "Russia - Sports Power!"]. Moscow: Luzhniki publ., 2010, pp. 204-207.
2. Golovachev A.I. Dinamika skorostno-silovykh kachestv i bystroty dvizheniy u vysokokvalifitsirovannykh lyzhnikov-gonshchikov v godichnom tsikle podgotovki [Dynamics of speed-strength qualities and speed of movements in elite racing skiers in annual training cycle]. Vseros. nauch.-prakt. konf. «Aktualnye voprosy podgotovki lyzhnikov-gonshchikov vysokoy kvalifikatsii» [Proc. res.-pract. conf. "Actual problems of training of elite racing skiers"]. Smolensk, 2011, pp. 45-53.
3. Golovachev A.I. Programma kompleksnykh obsledovaniy v lyzhnykh gonkakh [Complete physical examination plan in ski racing]. Itogovy sbornik Vseros. nauch.-prakt. konf. «Zaklyuchitelny etap podgotovki k XXII Olimpiyskim zimnim igram v g. Sochi: sostoyanie i perspektivy» [Final Proc. res.-pract. conf. "The final stage of training for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi: Status and Prospects"]. Moscow, 2012, pp. 22-38.
4. Golovachev A.I., Butulov E.L., Gorbunova E.A., Shirokova S.V., Kondratov N.N. Nauchno-metodicheskoe obespechenie rossiyskikh lyzhnikov-gonshchikov i biatlonistov pri podgotovke k XXII Olimpiyskim zimnim igram 2014 goda v Sochi (Rossiya) [Scientific and methodological support of Russian racing skiers and biathletes in training for the XXII Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi (Russia)]. Vestnik sportivnoy nauki, 2013, no. 5. pp. 16-21.

Corresponding author: malta94@mail.ru

Abstract

The article considers the elite racing skiers’ pre-season training process prior to the XXIII (2018) Winter Olympics in PyeongChang (Republic of Korea) and the potential for the process being customized to the individual chronobiological, climatic and geographical aspects of the places of the final pre-season training. The study offers schedules for the peak functionality of the elite racing skiers being attained by the time of the FIS competitions in PyeongChang (Republic of Korea) at the place and in the period of the XXIII (2018) Winter Olympics. The study was designed based on a comparative analysis of the functionality variations in the athletes of two groups engaged in the final training stage; the training being designed as required by the two-stage (Group I, Intensive Training Stage [ITS] at middle altitudes of the Amut Mountain in the Khabarovsk Territory) and one-stage (Group II, ITS in PyeongChang at 780 m altitude) models of PyeongChang-customized trainings.