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Handcycling: training effects of a specific dose of upper body endurance training in females

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate a handcycling training protocol based on ACSM guidelines in a well-controlled laboratory setting. Training responses of a specific dose of handcycling training were quantified in a homogeneous female subject population to obtain a more in depth understanding of physiological mechanisms underlying adaptations in upper body training.

Methods

22 female able-bodied participants were randomly divided in a training (T) and control group (C). T received 7-weeks of handcycling training, 3 × 30 min/week at 65 % heart rate reserve (HRR). An incremental handcycling test was used to determine local, exercise-specific adaptations. An incremental cycling test was performed to determine non-exercise-specific central/cardiovascular adaptations. Peak oxygen uptake (peakVO2), heart rate (peakHR) and power output (peakPO) were compared between T and C before and after training.

Results

T completed the training sessions at 65 ± 3 % HRR, at increasing power output (59.4 ± 8.2 to 69.5 ± 8.9 W) over the training program. T improved on handcycling peakVO2 (+18.1 %), peakPO (+31.9 %), and peakHR (+4.0 %). No improvements were found in cycling parameters.

Conclusion

Handcycling training led to local, exercise-specific improvements in upper body parameters. Results could provide input for the design of effective evidence-based training programs specifically aimed at upper body endurance exercise in females.

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Abbreviations

C:

Control group

HR:

Heart rate

T:

Training group

PO:

Power output

VO2 :

Oxygen uptake

% HRR:

% of the heart rate reserve

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all subjects who have taken part in the research and in particular Ben Sijtsma and Faes Kerkhof for their help during the project. We would like to thank Double Performance for their assistance with the handcycle set-up (http://www.double-performance.nl) and we would like to thank Rick Mulder for the technical support. There were no funding sources for the present article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK

    Florentina J. Hettinga

  2. Center of Human Movement Sciences and Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center of the University of Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Florentina J. Hettinga, Mark Hoogwerf & Lucas H. V. van der Woude

Authors
  1. Florentina J. Hettinga
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  2. Mark Hoogwerf
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  3. Lucas H. V. van der Woude
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florentina J. Hettinga.

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There are no conflicts of interest for any author on this article.

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Communicated by Guido Ferretti.

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Hettinga, F.J., Hoogwerf, M. & van der Woude, L.H.V. Handcycling: training effects of a specific dose of upper body endurance training in females. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1387–1394 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3395-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3395-x

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