Aerobic-oriented fitness programs in the sports training system: a structural and methodological analysis
Ruslan Vadymovych Masliuk, Oleh Dmytrovych Rudkevych · Academic Visions · 2026
The
Purpose: of the study was to substantiate a structural and methodological model for integrating aerobic-oriented fitness programs into sports training by synthesizing contemporary evidence on load prescription, recovery, intensity monitoring, and periodization. The methodology was based on a structured content analysis of 18 peer-reviewed publications issued in 2022–2026 and selected according to thematic relevance, availability of a DOI, focus on athletic preparation or cardiorespiratory performance assessment, and sufficient methodological detail for coding. The analytical matrix comprised four Ukrainian and fourteen international publications; systematic reviews and meta-analyses accounted for 77.8% of the sample. The
Results: indicate that the current evidence base most consistently supports high-intensity interval and sprint-interval formats for improving VO₂max and sport-specific endurance, while the magnitude and direction of adaptations depend on training status, interval duration, work-to-recovery ratio, and placement of the stimulus within the annual training cycle. Five interrelated components of effective integration were identified:
Goal: -setting, load prescription, recovery, monitoring and control, and periodization. Comparative synthesis showed that a universal prescription model is methodologically insufficient for trained athletes; individualized intensity zones, baseline aerobic fitness, sex, sport demands, and macrocycle phase should guide program
Design: . The scientific novelty lies in refining the integration of aerobic fitness technologies into sports training by combining FITT parameters, recovery monitoring, and periodization within a unified structural and methodological model. The practical
Significance: is that coaches and physical education specialists can use the proposed model to
design micro- and mesocycles, choose between HIIT and MICT formats, determine recovery intervals, and select monitoring indicators without mechanically transferring health-oriented fitness routines into competitive sport preparation. The
Findings: also provide an evidence-based framework for future experimental validation in athletes of different qualifications and sport specializations.