Time course adaptations in cardiac and skeletal muscle to different running programs

The effects of chronic "steady-state" and high-speed interval running were investigated on time-course changes in certain biochemical properties of cardiac and skeletal muscle fiber types of rats. Nine weeks of the interval program resulted in significant increased (15%) in both cardiac enlargement and ATPase activity of myofibrils; whereas increases in these parameters were only transient and not significant at the termination of the program involving steady-state running. Neither program induced appreciable alterations in citrate synthase and phosphofructokinase activity in cardiac muscle. In fast-twitch white fibers, "steady-state" training induced only a transient 45% increase in citrate synthase activity in contrast to a progressive twofold change with interval training. Both programs resulted in similar increases (45-50%) in citrate synthase activity in fast-twitch and slow-twitch red fibers. However, the patterns of increase for both fiber types differed between the two programs. These findings suggest that training programs incorporating elements of both "steady-state" incline and high-speed interval running can potentially induce respiratory enzyme adaptations in the greatest spectrum of rodent skeletal muscle fibers in addition to inducing adaptations to enhance contractile potential in cardiac muscle.