Effects of dominant somatotype on aerobic capacity trainability

Purpose:This study examined the association between dominant somatotype and the effect on aerobic capacity variables of individualised aerobic interval training.Methods:Forty one white North African subjects (age 21.4±1.3 years; V˙o2max = 52.8±5.7 ml kg−1min−1) performed three exercise tests 1 week apart (i) an incremental test on a cycle ergometer to determine V˙o2maxand V˙o2at the second ventilatory threshold (VT2); (ii) a VAM-EVAL track test to determine maximal aerobic speed (vV˙o2max); and (iii) an exhaustive constant velocity test to determine time limit performed at 100%vV˙o2max(tlim100). Subjects were divided into four somatometric groups: endomorphs-mesomorphs (Endo-meso; n = 9), mesomorphs (Meso; n = 11), mesomorphs-ectomorphs (Meso-ecto; n = 12), and ectomorphs (Ecto; n = 9). Subjects followed a 12 week training program (two sessions/week). Each endurance training session consisted of the maximal number of successive fractions for each subject. Each fraction consisted of one period of exercise at 100% ofvV˙o2maxand one of active recovery at 60% ofvV˙o2max. The duration of each period was equal to half the individual tlim100 duration (153.6±39.7 s). After the training program, all subjects were re-evaluated for comparison with pre-test results.Results:Pre- and post-training data were grouped by dominant somatotype. Two way ANOVA revealed significant somatotype-aerobic training interaction effects (p<0.001) for improvements invV˙o2max, V˙o2maxexpressed classically and according to allometric scaling, and V˙o2at VT2. There were significant differences among groups post-training: the Meso-ecto and the Meso groups showed the greatest improvements in aerobic capacity.Conclusion:The significant somatotype-aerobic training interaction suggests different trainability with intermittent and individualised aerobic training according to somatotype.