Evaluating the Efficacy of Sport-Specific Physical Adaptations in National Youth Track and Field Athletes in Ho Chi Minh City Across a Training Macrocycle

Abstract

Background: Monitoring physiological and physical adaptations throughout successive training cycles represents a fundamental component of the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) framework, particularly during adolescence when biological maturation substantially influences athletic performance. This study investigated changes in physiological characteristics and sport-specific physical performance among elite youth track and field athletes training at the National Sports Training Center, Ho Chi Minh City, following a general preparatory training cycle.

Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted involving 15 elite youth track and field athletes (10 males and 5 females; aged 15–17 years). Participants completed a comprehensive battery of 19 validated field-based assessments before and after the training cycle. Measurements included anthropometric characteristics, maximal strength (one-repetition maximum [1RM]), explosive power (countermovement jump [CMJ] and standing long jump), and aerobic endurance estimated indirectly using the 20-m shuttle run (Beep Test) for predicted VO₂max. Within-group changes were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests, with statistical significance established at p< 0.05.

Results: Following the training intervention, both male and female athletes demonstrated statistically significant improvements in maximal and explosive strength variables, including squat, deadlift, snatch, and standing long jump performances (p< 0.05). Aerobic endurance, assessed by the Beep Test, also improved significantly in both sexes (p< 0.05). Conversely, no significant changes were observed in anthropometric variables (height and body mass) or short-sprint performance over 30 m and 60 m (p> 0.05). Female athletes exhibited a significant reduction in body fat percentage following the training cycle (p< 0.05).

Conclusion: The general preparatory training program effectively promoted neuromuscular and cardiovascular adaptations in elite youth track and field athletes. However, the absence of significant improvements in maximal sprint speed suggests that subsequent macrocycles should place greater emphasis on event-specific speed development and advanced sport-specific training to facilitate the transfer of strength gains into sprint performance.