Effects of sprint cycle training on human skeletal muscle

Eleven men sprint trained two to three times per week for 6 wk to investigate possible exercise-induced slow-to-fast fiber type conversions. Six individuals served as controls. Both groups were tested at the beginning and end of the study to determine anaerobic performance and maximal oxygen consumption. In addition, pre- and postbiopsies were extracted from the vastus lateralis muscle and were analyzed for fiber type composition, cross-sectional area, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) content. No significant changes were found in anaerobic or aerobic performance variables for either group. Although a trend was found for a decrease in the percentage of type IIb fibers, high-intensity sprint cycle training caused no significant changes in the fiber type distribution or cross-sectional area. However, the training protocol did result in a significant decrease in MHC IIb with a concomitant increase in MHC IIa for the training men. These data appear to support previous investigations that have suggested exercise-induced adaptations within the fast fiber population (IIb-->IIa) after various types of training (endurance and strength).