Paradisis, G. P., & Cooke, C. B., (1999). Some adaptations to sprint training on sloping surfaces. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31(5), Supplement abstract 785.

This study assessed the value of uphill, downhill, and combined sprint training on kinematic factors of sprint running and power output in cycle ergometry. Ss (N = 35) were assigned to one of four groups: uphill-downhill training, uphill, downhill, and flat-surface groups. All groups sprinted maximally for 480 m three times per week for four weeks. After four weeks, the sprinting volume was increased to 560 m for a further four weeks.

Only the combined uphill-downhill training group's sprinting performance changed with training. None of the power indexes from the cycle ergometry were altered. This showed that sprinting performance changes are affected by sprint-specific training, and in that training, variation in activities (uphill and downhill running) around the criterion performance (flat-sprinting) produced more performance improvement than pure-specific training.

Implication. Sport-specific training that provides content variety on both sides of a criterion performance produced better improvements than criterion-only sprint-training.

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