Comparison of Training Volumes in Different Elite Sportspersons According to Sex, Age, and Sport Practised

Abstract

Training is a complex process that depends, among other factors, on the intensity and volume of training. The objective of this study was to analyse the volume of training in several sports as a function of sex and age. The study sample consisted of 302 sportspersons (men, n=132; women, n=170) who participated in the 16th Games of the Small States of Europe (1st to 6th June 2015) in representing nine countries. The subjects practised the following sports: artistic gymnastics, athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, golf, judo, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball, and were classified by sex, sport, and age (younger: <= 20 years; intermediate: from 21 to 30 years; older: >= 31 years). They responded to five questions about their training volume and the annual number of competitions in which they participated. A one-way ANOVA with a Bonferroni post hoc test was used to establish differences by sex, sport, and age group. Three-way ANOVAs (sex [men, women] x age [3 levels: younger, intermediate, older] x sport [11 sports]) were performed to determine any relationships between the variables. Neither interactions between the groups nor differences depending on sex were found in the training volumes, but the older the sportsperson, the lower the training volume (days per week, and total time per week). The sports with the greatest training volumes were artistic gymnastics and swimming, while those with the most competitions per year were basketball and volleyball.