Concurrent Training: Can You Improve Strength and Endurance at the Same Time?

By Corey Beasley

Concurrent training is defined by using  resistance and endurance training within the same training program. For example, if you do a skill practice, lift weights and go for a run, then repeat these efforts throughout the week, you are training concurrently. This can be advantageous for combat athletes, if used correctly, but can also lead to overreaching if the plan is unorganized.  Below you will find a few articles and infographics to help you understand what concurrent training is, related studies and develop strategies proven to maximize results, when using this style of training.

 Photo credit: @ylmsportscience

Article --> How To Maximize Concurrent Training

Simultaneously training for strength and endurance is a highly debated topic among strength professionals.  This article summarizes studies, explains factors involved and provides some great strategies for implementing this style of training with success. Read More >>

 Photo credit: @ylmsportscience[/caption]

Article --> Concurrent Strategies in Strength Training, Part 1

Part 1 of 3 is a great intro to concurrent training pros and cons.  This article is mainly geared toward strength athletes, but offers some great points and pros/cons for this style of training.  Most importantly, they explained how athletes respond differently to various set/rep schemes and the program needs to be customized for each person to ensure recovery and desired adaptation. Read More >>

 Photo credit: @ylmsportscience[/caption]

Article --> Combining Strength And Cardio Training: Does It Work?

This article summarizes studies discussed in the previous posts, but also introduces how this style of training is used in coordination with skill/sport specific training sessions.  For wrestlers, grapplers and fighters, this is important concept to understand, so athletes are able to adapt and recover from training. Read More >>

 Photo credit: @ylmsportscience[/caption]

Article --> Using Molecular Biology to Maximize Concurrent Training

Understanding concurrent training from a molecular biologist.  This is a bit technical, but provides a lot of great details about how various training affects our body.  They also provide 6 science based recommendations to use when using this style of training. Great foundational info for anyone wanting details of whats happening inside our body and how adaptations occur. Read More >>

 Photo credit: @ylmsportscience[/caption]

Article --> Concurrent Training – The Effect of Intensity Distribution

Patrick Ward discusses a recent study and walks us through his thought process while reviewing the data.  Studies provide great data, but often have variables that can affect results.  Patrick does a good job of explaining who was used, intensities, volume and other factors that need to be considered. Read More >>

Article --> Concurrent Training: Implications for Freestyle Wrestling Performance – Striving for Optimal Training Practice

Carmen Bott does an incredible job highlighting the physiological profile of an elite wrestler, reviews studies, offers programming strategies and provides ideas for future studies for further understanding of concurrent training for combat athletes.  Read More >>

Combat athletes are constantly juggling skill, strength and endurance sessions, so understanding the principles above and applying them intelligently into your schedule, can really help improve athletic qualities, while avoiding common mistakes.  Combat athletes are notorious for overreaching and training hard.  Hopefully some of this information will help you understand what factors are involved and how to manipulate the variables to achieve your desired results.