Introduction
The recent paper titled "Physiological Resilience: What Is It and How Might It Be Trained?" by Jones and Kirby (2025) takes an insightful dive into the often-overlooked aspect of endurance training—physiological resilience. The authors effectively articulate the importance of resilience in stamina athletes and provide a contemporary interpretation of the Joyner model, which has traditionally focused on factors like VO2max and movement economy. This review critically examines the paper's contributions, methodologies, and the implications of promoting resilience in endurance sports.
A Quick Summary
Jones and Kirby (2025) put forward the following key findings:
1. Physiological resilience is a critical determinant of endurance performance, representing an athlete's ability to resist fatigue during prolonged exercise.
2. Endurance training enhances resilience, with elite athletes demonstrating greater resilience than less skilled individuals.
3. Effective training methods include high volumes of consistent long-term training, race-pace practice, and resistance training, particularly heavy and plyometric exercises.
4. There are significant individual differences in resilience, influenced by factors such as metabolic efficiency.
5. Further research is needed to develop specific training protocols to optimise resilience in endurance athletes.
Overall, resilience should be a key focus in endurance training programs.
Strengths of the Paper
1. Novel Conceptualization: By introducing physiological resilience as a fourth vital component in the Joyner model, the paper opens a new avenue for understanding performance in endurance sports. The notion that athletes vary widely in their ability to maintain function under stress invites coaches and athletes alike to reconsider the measurements of athletic readiness.
2. Interindividual Variability: The acknowledgment of significant interindividual variability in endurance performance is a major strength. It suggests that resilience training could potentially yield bespoke programs tailored to individual athlete profiles, ultimately improving performance outcomes.
3. Future Research Implications: The authors rightly point out the lack of established methods for enhancing resilience through training. Their call for further research sets a clear agenda that could benefit the field significantly. This pioneering approach could inspire empirical studies that investigate resilience quantitatively.
Areas for Improvement
1. Lack of Practical Application: While the paper introduces the concept compellingly, it falls short of offering concrete training methods or protocols that athletes and coaches can implement. The idea that resilience can be developed through high-intensity or prolonged training lacks specificity. Athletes are left with a conceptual framework but no actionable steps to enhance resilience.
2. Evidence Base: The discussion on resistance training and long-duration exercise as methods to improve resilience is somewhat anecdotal. The paper would benefit from a more robust review of existing studies that either support or contradict the proposed training methods. Future revisions could strengthen the claims made by incorporating empirical evidence from longitudinal studies.
3. Overemphasis on Physical Factors: While resilience is crucial, it is essential to remember that psychological factors play a significant role in endurance performance as well. Expanding the discussion to include psychosocial aspects of resilience could provide a more holistic understanding.
Conclusion
Overall, "Physiological Resilience: What Is It and How Might It Be Trained?" is a thought-provoking paper that successfully highlights an essential but under-researched area in endurance sports. While it offers a fresh perspective and lays the groundwork for future inquiry, the lack of practical application and empirical backing leaves much to be desired. Addressing these points in future research could help athletes harness the power of resilience to enhance their performance sustainably. In the competitive world of endurance sports, understanding and training for physiological resilience could very well set the stage for the next generation of elite athletes.
Find Your Stride!
Comments