The usual suspects.

L2R: C.J. Gotcher, John Petrizzo, Austin Baraki, Jonathon Sullivan.

When people think of exercise, they tend to clump everything into one of two types: strength and endurance.

In reality, there are many fitness attributes (power, balance, mobility, etc), but strength and endurance are the ones that seem to jump to mind first. And this is reasonable: In the performance of any physical task, the inability to produce the necessary force or to maintain the required power output are disqualifying. So...we need both.

But how do these two primary fitness attributes play together? Can they be trained together? Does training for either promote or inhibit the other?

Late last year, I again chaired the Science Panel at the Starting Strength Coaches Association Conference, and we addressed this topic in rather excruciating detail. I was pleased and honored to serve with Dr. Austin Baraki, Dr. John Petrizzo, and Coach C.J. Gotcher on this mission. Our work is presented here for your edification. Geek out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Part One, I introduce our topic and panel, and provide a very general overview of exercise physiology and bioenergetics:

In Part Two, physician and coach Austin Baraki holds forth on the cell signaling and genetic responses to strength and endurance training:

In Part Three, Dr. John Petrizzo discusses the systems physiology of training, with emphasis on cardiovascular adaptations:

Coach C. J. Gotcher pulls it all together in Part 3, with a look at what the extant literature tells us about training at the level of actual performance:

Finally, we present a consensus statement and have a q&a:

Get your nerd on and enjoy.