Cited by 347Muscle metabolism and nutritionSports Performance and TrainingCardiovascular and exercise physiology

Interference between concurrent resistance and endurance exercise: Molecular bases and the role of individual training variables

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Fyfe, Jackson J., Bishop, David J., Stepto, Nigel K.·2014·Sports Medicine

Abstract

Concurrent training is defined as simultaneously incorporating both resistance and endurance exercise within a periodized training regime. Despite the potential additive benefits of combining these divergent exercise modes with regards to disease prevention and athletic performance, current evidence suggests that this approach may attenuate gains in muscle mass, strength, and power compared with undertaking resistance training alone. This has been variously described as the interference effect or concurrent training effect. In recent years, understanding of the molecular mechanisms mediating training adaptation in skeletal muscle has emerged and provided potential mechanistic insight into the concurrent training effect. Although it appears that various molecular signaling responses induced in skeletal muscle by endurance exercise can inhibit pathways regulating protein synthesis and stimulate protein breakdown, human studies to date have not observed such molecular 'interference' following acute concurrent exercise that might explain compromised muscle hypertrophy following concurrent training. However, given the multitude of potential concurrent training variables and the limitations of existing evidence, the potential roles of individual training variables in acute and chronic interference are not fully elucidated. The present review explores current evidence for the molecular basis of the specificity of training adaptation and the concurrent interference phenomenon. Additionally, insights provided by molecular and performance-based concurrent training studies regarding the role of individual training variables (i.e., within-session exercise order, between-mode recovery, endurance training volume, intensity, and modality) in the concurrent interference effect are discussed, along with the limitations of our current understanding of this complex paradigm.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s40279-014-0162-1

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  • High-volume endurance exercise blunts macroscopic strength and hypertrophy adaptations, a phenomenon known as the "interference effect".

    “Since Hickson’s foundational observations in 1980, sports scientists have recognized that high-volume endurance exercise blunts macroscopic strength and hypertrophy adaptations, a phenomenon known as the “interference effect” [128,129].”
  • The energetic stress of endurance training activates AMPK, which subsequently phosphorylates TSC2 to directly inhibit mTORC1, thereby immediately halting acute muscle protein synthesis.

    “For decades, the molecular rationale for this interference was attributed exclusively to a conflict of translational efficiency: the energetic stress of endurance training activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which subsequently phosphorylates TSC2 to directly inhibit mTORC1, thereby immediately halting acute muscle protein synthesis [129,130].”
  • When human participants perform concurrent training, the acute post-exercise accumulation of specific ribosomal transcripts and nucleolar signaling cascades is significantly blunted compared to resistance training alone.

    “Fyfe, Hawley, and Stepto conducted rigorous in vivo investigations demonstrating that when human participants perform concurrent training, the acute post-exercise accumulation of specific ribosomal transcripts and nucleolar signaling cascades is significantly blunted compared to resistance training alone [129,136].”
  • Fyfe et al. (2014) review challenges the notion that concurrent training interferes with resistance training adaptations.

    “However, a comprehensive review by Fyfe et al. (2014) challenges the notion as to whether concurrent training interferes with resistance training adaptations.”
  • The molecular bases for skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism and hypertrophy training adaptations are different and can be potentially antagonistic.

    “Notably, although NO3− supplementation has been reported to enhance the adaptations to sprint interval training [62,147], the molecular bases for skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism and hypertrophy training adaptations are different and can be potentially antagonistic [148,149].”

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Authors
Fyfe, J. J., Bishop, D. J., & Stepto, N. K.
Affiliations
Victoria University (AU)
Corresponding author
Fyfe, Jackson J.
Venue
Sports Medicine
Published
2014-04-12
Volume
44
Issue
6
Pages
743-762
ISSN
  • 0112-1642 (ISSN-L)
  • 1179-2035
OpenAlex
W2076115872
Cited by
347
References
192
Citations by year
2026: 42 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 4
FWCI
2.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Victoria University Research Repository (Victoria University) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
Keywords
concurrent training, interference effects, resistance training, endurance exercise, muscle hypertrophy, skeletal muscle protein synthesis, protein degradation, training specificity, exercise order, exercise intensity, exercise modalities, muscle strength and power
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Energy Metabolism, Humans, Hypertrophy, Muscle Proteins, Physical Education and Training, Physical Endurance, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Fibers, Skeletal, Muscle Strength, Resistance Training

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