Physical ActivityNCT07498608
Effects of Polarized and Threshold Intensity Distribution Models on Race Time and Body Composition in Recreational Runners Aged 20-45 Years.
A study testing Polarized intensity distribution model and Threshold intensity distribution model in people with Physical Activity and Physical Activity Intensity, run by Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, Colombia at 1 site in Colombia.
Trial summary
This study aims to compare the effects of two intensity distribution training (TID) models-polarized and threshold-on 5-km race time and body composition in recreational runners aged 20 to 45 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups and will complete a 12-week structured training program. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Physical Activity, Physical Activity Intensity, Physical Activity in Adults
- What is being tested?
- Polarized intensity distribution model and Threshold intensity distribution model
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteColombia
- Study dates
- 16 Mar 2026to 5 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 to 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age between 20 and 45 years.
- 1 to 3 years of experience.
- Men's race time between 25:00 and 40:00.
- Women's race time between 28:00 and 43:00.
- Must reside in Bogotá or surrounding municipalities at an altitude of 2,640 meters above sea level.
- Must have a GPS device.
Who cannot join
- Having a chronic noncommunicable disease.
- Smoking or drinking alcohol.
- Having a musculoskeletal injury.
- Failing to sign the informed consent form.
- 10% attendance rate at training sessions.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Polarized and Threshold Intensity Distribution Models on Race Time and Body Composition in Recreational Runners Aged 20-45 Years: a Randomized Controlled Trial
This study aims to compare the effects of two intensity distribution training (TID) models-polarized and threshold-on 5-km race time and body composition in recreational runners aged 20 to 45 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups and will complete a 12-week structured training program. The primary outcome will be 5-km race time, while secondary outcomes will include changes in body composition. Assessments will be conducted before and after the intervention period.
Read the detailed description
This randomized controlled trial will investigate the effects of two different intensity distribution training (TID) models: polarized (POL) and threshold (THR), on race time and body composition in recreational runners.
A total of 40 participants aged between 20 and 45 years will be randomly assigned to either the POL group or the THR group. Both groups will complete a 12-week training intervention. The polarized model will emphasize a high volume of low-intensity training (Zone 1) with small amounts of high-intensity work (Zone 3), while the threshold model will include a greater proportion of training at moderate intensity (Zone 2).
The primary outcome will be 5-km race time measured in minutes/seconds. Secondary outcomes will include body composition variables such as body fat percentage and lean mass.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. The study aims to determine whether polarized training produces superior improvements compared to threshold training in recreational runners.
- Conditions
- Physical Activity, Physical Activity Intensity, Physical Activity in Adults, Running, Running Performance, Running Endurance
- Being tested
- Polarized intensity distribution model, Threshold intensity distribution model
- Keywords
- Recreational running, training intensity distribution (TID), polarized, threshold, Running
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Polarized intensity distribution modelOther
Regarding the intervention, it will last 12 weeks, a period during which physiological adaptations to endurance training occur, as Neuman (1994) states with chronological cycles of 8 to 12 weeks. For the TID POL model, the intensity distribution was as follows: Zone 1 (80%), Zone 2 (5%), and Zone 3 (15%). The training periodization for the two TID models was designed using a 3:1 weekly block structure, meaning three weeks of training followed by one week of recovery. The weekly training frequency will consist of four running sessions, each including 10 minutes of running technique drills and two strength training sessions. The running sessions will have the same training volume across the three blocks, which span weeks 1-3, 5-7, and 9-11. The first week of each block will have a volume of 240 minutes, the second week 300 minutes, and the third week 360 minutes. Recovery weeks 4, 8, and 12 will have a volume of 180 minutes.
Threshold intensity distribution modelOther
Regarding the intervention, it will last 12 weeks, a period during which physiological adaptations to endurance training occur, as Neuman (1994) states with chronological cycles of 8 to 12 weeks. For the TID THR model, the intensity distribution was as follows: Zone 1 (50%), Zone 2 (40%), and Zone 3 (10%), The training periodization for the two TID models was designed using a 3:1 weekly block structure, meaning three weeks of training followed by one week of recovery. The weekly training frequency will consist of four running sessions, each including 10 minutes of running technique drills and two strength training sessions. The running sessions will have the same training volume across the three blocks, which span weeks 1-3, 5-7, and 9-11. The first week of each block will have a volume of 240 minutes, the second week 300 minutes, and the third week 360 minutes. Recovery weeks 4, 8, and 12 will have a volume of 180 minutes.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Other: Polarized intensity distribution model |
| Experimental | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Threshold intensity distribution model |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Primary Objective
Outcome Measure: 5-km race time Description: Time to complete a 5-km run measured in minutes and seconds.
Measured: 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (1)
Secondary Objective
Outcome Measure: Body composition Description: Body fat percentage and lean mass (Kgs) assessed using standardized methods
Measured: 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Mar 2026
- Study start16 Mar 2026
- Primary completion27 Apr 2026
- Study completion5 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (22)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Physical ActivityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, Colombia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jesus Giuliani Martinez Muñoz, Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, Colombia
- Investigators
- Eduar Ceballos, Study director, Universidad Pedagogica Nacional
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07498608
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 340ETIC-020-2026
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 17 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 1 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Zinner C, Schafer Olstad D, Sperlich B. Mesocycles with Different Training Intensity Distribution in Recreational Runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Aug;50(8):1641-1648. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001599.
PubMed 29509644Treff G, Winkert K, Sareban M, Steinacker JM, Sperlich B. The Polarization-Index: A Simple Calculation to Distinguish Polarized From Non-polarized Training Intensity Distributions. Front Physiol. 2019 Jun 12;10:707. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00707. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 31249533Stoggl TL, Sperlich B. The training intensity distribution among well-trained and elite endurance athletes. Front Physiol. 2015 Oct 27;6:295. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00295. eCollection 2015.
PubMed 26578968Stoggl T, Sperlich B. Polarized training has greater impact on key endurance variables than threshold, high intensity, or high volume training. Front Physiol. 2014 Feb 4;5:33. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00033. eCollection 2014.
PubMed 24550842Rosenblat MA, Perrotta AS, Vicenzino B. Polarized vs. Threshold Training Intensity Distribution on Endurance Sport Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Dec;33(12):3491-3500. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002618.
PubMed 29863593Rosado J, Duarte JP, Sousa-E-Silva P, Costa DC, Martinho DV, Valente-Dos-Santos J, Rama LM, Tavares OM, Conde J, Castanheira J, Soles-Goncalves R, Courteix D, Coelho-E-Silva MJ. Body composition among long distance runners. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2020 May 15;66(2):180-186. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.66.2.180.
PubMed 32428153Knechtle B, Tanous DR, Wirnitzer G, Leitzmann C, Rosemann T, Scheer V, Wirnitzer K. Training and Racing Behavior of Recreational Runners by Race Distance-Results From the NURMI Study (Step 1). Front Physiol. 2021 Feb 4;12:620404. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.620404. eCollection 2021.
PubMed 33613312Kim, J., Young, B., & Song, S. (2018). Reliability and agreement of various InBody body composition analyzers (InBody-230, InBody-720, InBody-770) vs DEXA. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003374
Kim, H. J., Jung, H. W., Kim, M. J., Kim, D. H., Park, I., Ryu, J. K., & Jung, Y. (2022). Validation of a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody-770) for assessing body composition in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to DXA. Journal of Diabetes Investigation, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/jdi.13967
Hottenrott K, Ludyga S, Schulze S. Effects of high intensity training and continuous endurance training on aerobic capacity and body composition in recreationally active runners. J Sports Sci Med. 2012 Sep 1;11(3):483-8. eCollection 2012.
PubMed 24149357Friedman, L. M., Furberg, C. D., DeMets, D. L., Reboussin, D. M., & Granger, C. B. (2015). Fundamentals of clinical trials (5th ed.). Springer.
Filipas L, Bonato M, Gallo G, Codella R. Effects of 16 weeks of pyramidal and polarized training intensity distributions in well-trained endurance runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2022 Mar;32(3):498-511. doi: 10.1111/sms.14101. Epub 2021 Nov 25.
PubMed 34792817Festa L, Tarperi C, Skroce K, La Torre A, Schena F. Effects of Different Training Intensity Distribution in Recreational Runners. Front Sports Act Living. 2020 Jan 15;1:70. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2019.00070. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 33344993Faude O, Kindermann W, Meyer T. Lactate threshold concepts: how valid are they? Sports Med. 2009;39(6):469-90. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200939060-00003.
PubMed 19453206Boullosa D, Esteve-Lanao J, Casado A, Peyre-Tartaruga LA, Gomes da Rosa R, Del Coso J. Factors Affecting Training and Physical Performance in Recreational Endurance Runners. Sports (Basel). 2020 Mar 15;8(3):35. doi: 10.3390/sports8030035.
PubMed 32183425
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Polarized and Threshold Intensity Distribution Models on Race Time and Body Composition in Recreational Runners Aged 20-45 Years: a Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07498608
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 340ETIC-020-2026
- Conditions
- Physical Activity, Physical Activity Intensity, Physical Activity in Adults, Running, Running Performance, Running Endurance
- Keywords
- Recreational running, training intensity distribution (TID), polarized, threshold, Running
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, ColombiaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 16 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 5 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to compare the effects of two intensity distribution training (TID) models-polarized and threshold-on 5-km race time and body composition in recreational runners aged 20 to 45 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups and will complete a 12-week structured training program. The primary outcome will be 5-km race time, while secondary outcomes will include changes in body composition. Assessments will be conducted before and after the intervention period.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial will investigate the effects of two different intensity distribution training (TID) models: polarized (POL) and threshold (THR), on race time and body composition in recreational runners.
A total of 40 participants aged between 20 and 45 years will be randomly assigned to either the POL group or the THR group. Both groups will complete a 12-week training intervention. The polarized model will emphasize a high volume of low-intensity training (Zone 1) with small amounts of high-intensity work (Zone 3), while the threshold model will include a greater proportion of training at moderate intensity (Zone 2).
The primary outcome will be 5-km race time measured in minutes/seconds. Secondary outcomes will include body composition variables such as body fat percentage and lean mass.
Assessments will be conducted at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. The study aims to determine whether polarized training produces superior improvements compared to threshold training in recreational runners.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Active comparator | Other: Polarized intensity distribution model |
| Experimental | Experimental | Other: Threshold intensity distribution model |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Age between 20 and 45 years.
- 1 to 3 years of experience.
- Men's race time between 25:00 and 40:00.
- Women's race time between 28:00 and 43:00.
- Must reside in Bogotá or surrounding municipalities at an altitude of 2,640 meters above sea level.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Having a chronic noncommunicable disease.
- Smoking or drinking alcohol.
- Having a musculoskeletal injury.
- Failing to sign the informed consent form.
- 10% attendance rate at training sessions.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Polarized intensity distribution modelRegarding the intervention, it will last 12 weeks, a period during which physiological adaptations to endurance training occur, as Neuman (1994) states with chronological cycles of 8 to 12 weeks. For the TID POL model, the intensity distribution was as follows: Zone 1 (80%), Zone 2 (5%), and Zone 3 (15%). The training periodization for the two TID models was designed using a 3:1 weekly block structure, meaning three weeks of training followed by one week of recovery. The weekly training frequency will consist of four running sessions, each including 10 minutes of running technique drills and two strength training sessions. The running sessions will have the same training volume across the three blocks, which span weeks 1-3, 5-7, and 9-11. The first week of each block will have a volume of 240 minutes, the second week 300 minutes, and the third week 360 minutes. Recovery weeks 4, 8, and 12 will have a volume of 180 minutes. | Other | Control |
| Threshold intensity distribution modelRegarding the intervention, it will last 12 weeks, a period during which physiological adaptations to endurance training occur, as Neuman (1994) states with chronological cycles of 8 to 12 weeks. For the TID THR model, the intensity distribution was as follows: Zone 1 (50%), Zone 2 (40%), and Zone 3 (10%), The training periodization for the two TID models was designed using a 3:1 weekly block structure, meaning three weeks of training followed by one week of recovery. The weekly training frequency will consist of four running sessions, each including 10 minutes of running technique drills and two strength training sessions. The running sessions will have the same training volume across the three blocks, which span weeks 1-3, 5-7, and 9-11. The first week of each block will have a volume of 240 minutes, the second week 300 minutes, and the third week 360 minutes. Recovery weeks 4, 8, and 12 will have a volume of 180 minutes. | Other | Experimental |
Primary outcome
Primary Objective
Time frame: 12 weeks
Outcome Measure: 5-km race time Description: Time to complete a 5-km run measured in minutes and seconds.
1 secondary outcome
Secondary Objective
Time frame: 12 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 May 2026.
- Background: PubMed 29509644Zinner C, Schafer Olstad D, Sperlich B. Mesocycles with Different Training Intensity Distribution in Recreational Runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Aug;50(8):1641-1648. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001599.
- Background: PubMed 31249533Treff G, Winkert K, Sareban M, Steinacker JM, Sperlich B. The Polarization-Index: A Simple Calculation to Distinguish Polarized From Non-polarized Training Intensity Distributions. Front Physiol. 2019 Jun 12;10:707. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00707. eCollection 2019.
- Background: PubMed 26578968Stoggl TL, Sperlich B. The training intensity distribution among well-trained and elite endurance athletes. Front Physiol. 2015 Oct 27;6:295. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00295. eCollection 2015.
- Background: PubMed 24550842Stoggl T, Sperlich B. Polarized training has greater impact on key endurance variables than threshold, high intensity, or high volume training. Front Physiol. 2014 Feb 4;5:33. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00033. eCollection 2014.
- Background: PubMed 29863593Rosenblat MA, Perrotta AS, Vicenzino B. Polarized vs. Threshold Training Intensity Distribution on Endurance Sport Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Dec;33(12):3491-3500. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002618.
- Background: PubMed 32428153Rosado J, Duarte JP, Sousa-E-Silva P, Costa DC, Martinho DV, Valente-Dos-Santos J, Rama LM, Tavares OM, Conde J, Castanheira J, Soles-Goncalves R, Courteix D, Coelho-E-Silva MJ. Body composition among long distance runners. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2020 May 15;66(2):180-186. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.66.2.180.
- Background: PubMed 33613312Knechtle B, Tanous DR, Wirnitzer G, Leitzmann C, Rosemann T, Scheer V, Wirnitzer K. Training and Racing Behavior of Recreational Runners by Race Distance-Results From the NURMI Study (Step 1). Front Physiol. 2021 Feb 4;12:620404. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.620404. eCollection 2021.
- BackgroundKim, J., Young, B., & Song, S. (2018). Reliability and agreement of various InBody body composition analyzers (InBody-230, InBody-720, InBody-770) vs DEXA. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003374
- BackgroundKim, H. J., Jung, H. W., Kim, M. J., Kim, D. H., Park, I., Ryu, J. K., & Jung, Y. (2022). Validation of a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody-770) for assessing body composition in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to DXA. Journal of Diabetes Investigation, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/jdi.13967
- Background: PubMed 24149357Hottenrott K, Ludyga S, Schulze S. Effects of high intensity training and continuous endurance training on aerobic capacity and body composition in recreationally active runners. J Sports Sci Med. 2012 Sep 1;11(3):483-8. eCollection 2012.
- BackgroundFriedman, L. M., Furberg, C. D., DeMets, D. L., Reboussin, D. M., & Granger, C. B. (2015). Fundamentals of clinical trials (5th ed.). Springer.
- Background: PubMed 34792817Filipas L, Bonato M, Gallo G, Codella R. Effects of 16 weeks of pyramidal and polarized training intensity distributions in well-trained endurance runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2022 Mar;32(3):498-511. doi: 10.1111/sms.14101. Epub 2021 Nov 25.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Eduar Ceballos study director
Universidad Pedagogica Nacional
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Polarized intensity distribution model and Threshold intensity distribution model in people with Physical Activity and Physical Activity Intensity, run by Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, Colombia at 1 site in Colombia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Colombia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Primary Objective (time frame: 12 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07498608, which also lists 22 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 May 2026.