Effects of Pre-Activation with Variable Intra-Repetition Resistance on Throwing Velocity in Female Handball Players: a Methodological Proposal

Combined Impact of Creatine, Caffeine, and Variable Resistance on Repeated Sprint Ability in Young Soccer Players

There is evidence that both intra-serial variable resistance (I-sVR), as pre-activation within the post-activation performance enhancement cycle (PAPE), and creatine and caffeine supplementation increase athletic performance in isolation. However, the effect of the three conditioning factors on 30 m repeated sprint ability (RSA) performance in young soccer players is unknown. This study determined the summative and isolation effect of ergogenic aids and pre-activation in half-back squats (HBSs) with I-sVR on performance in an RSA test in young soccer players. Twenty-eight young soccer players were randomly assigned to either EG1 (n = 7, creatine + caffeine + I-sVR), EG2 (n = 7, creatine + placebo2 + I-sVR), EG3 (n = 7, placebo1 + caffeine + I-sVR), or EG4 (n = 7, placebo1 + placebo2 + I-sVR), using a factorial, four-group-matched, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Creatine supplementation included 0.3 g/kg/day for 14 days, caffeine supplementation included 0.3 mg/kg per day, and pre-activation in HBS with I-sVR (1 × 5 at 30% 1RM [1.0-1.1 m/s] + 1 × 4 at 60% 1RM [0.6-0.7 m/s]). The RSA test and HBS outcomes were evaluated. Three-way ANOVA showed non-significant differences for the RSA test and HBS outcomes (p > 0.05). At the end of this study, it was found that the three ergogenic aids, together, do not generate a summative effect on the physical performance of young soccer players. However, it is important to analyze individual responses to these specific protocols.

Reliability of a handball specific strength test battery and the association with sprint and throwing performance in young handball players

BACKGROUND

A greater motivation for coaches to be more involved in assessment could be the development of specific strength tests closer to specific handball tasks. Therefore, the aims were to determine the reliability of a handball specific strength test battery in young handball players using a functional electromechanical dynamometer (FEMD) and to evaluate the association between the strength test battery and performance measurements.

METHODS

Thirty-two young handball players (25% males and 75% females) performed a repeated-measurement design over four weeks. The players conducted one session per week, with each measurement consisting of two isometric tests to obtain isometric peak force, and four incremental tests. Moreover, performance handball tests (sprint and throwing velocity [TV]) were recorded.

RESULTS

The reliability of the whole handball specific strength tests was very high for the peak and mean strength (ICC=0.70-0.85; CV=8.49-13.99; SEM=0.44-0.67 kg). The step forward had a moderate association with 5 to 10 meters' time. The highest correlation between TVmean was found with the peak strength of standing lift and between TVpeak with peak strength of unilateral throw. The sprint total time could be explained by Body Mass Index and peak strength of the standing lift in the 40% and the TVpeak could be explained by arm span and mean strength of the standing lift in the 68%.

CONCLUSIONS

The high reliability for all exercises and the significant correlation with handball performance (sprint time and TV) allow us to include these tests in handball team evaluation and training.

Influence of trunk rotator strength on rotational medicine ball throwing performance

BACKGROUND

The strength of the trunk musculature plays an essential role in performance. The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between the strength of the trunk rotation muscles with rotational medicine ball throwing velocity and distance, to study differences between sex in rotational medicine ball throwing and to compare the asymmetries of trunk rotational strength and rotational medicine ball throwing.

METHODS

Thirty physically active college students participated on the study. Horizontal and low cable woodchop exercises were assessed with a functional electromechanical dynamometer and throwing was measured with a radar and a measuring tape. A Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for the relation between trunk rotational strength and rotational medicine ball throwing. Independent samples t-test was performed to determine the differences between sex in rotational medicine ball throwing and a paired samples t-test was performed to study the asymmetries.

RESULTS

Large and very large correlations were obtained between trunk rotational strength and rotational medicine ball throwing (r=0.68-0.79). Significant differences and a large effect size were found between males and females for all throwing velocity and throwing distance variables (P<0.05; ES>0.90) and asymmetries in performance of mean velocity throwing (P=0.003; ES=-0.60) and peak velocity throwing (P=0.025; ES=-0.43). No significant differences were found between dominant and non-dominant side in any of the trunk rotator strength assessment conditions (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a large or very large correlation between the STRM and the RMBT in all its modalities. Differences in strength were found between sexes, with no significant differences between dominant and non-dominant sides.

Test-Retest Reliability of 3 Specific Strength Tests in Professional Handball Players

CONTEXT

Current devices to assess strength performance in handball may not be sufficiently sports-specific and reliable methods. Functional electromechanical dynamometry is a new technology that allows the development of accurate strength tests in athletes.

PURPOSE

To determine the absolute and relative reliability and to compare the reliability of the right and left side, and mean and peak force of 3 specific strength tests in handball players with a functional electromechanical dynamometer: unilateral pullover, standing lift, and step forward.

METHODS

Fourteen male handball players of the first Spanish division (28.79 [4.81] y; 10.38 [4.63] y of professional experience) performed a repeated-measurement design. Three testing sessions were performed (one per week). The first measurement consisted of 4 isometric tests (right and left unilateral pullover, and right and left standing lift) to obtain isometric peak force, and in the second and third sessions, 6 incremental tests until failure (right and left unilateral pullover, and right and left standing lift, right and left step forward) were performed.

RESULTS

The tests provided high reliability or acceptable reliability for mean and peak strength of unilateral pullover, standing lift and step forward (intraclass correlation coefficient = .83-.97; coefficient of variation = 3.90-11.57). Effect side was negligible in any of the parameters, except for a small effect side in the left peak force for unilateral pullover and a small effect side on the left side for a step forward. Significant differences in reliability (coefficient of variation ratio > 1.15) were found between the right and left sides and peak and mean force in all exercises except peak force in unilateral pullover and step forward.

CONCLUSION

These results confirm that the tests could be applied to assess physical performance in handball at the same time as regular gym training. Moreover, this is an excellent opportunity to individualize the player's weekly load.

Impact of active intra-complex rest intervals on post-back squat versus hip thrust jumping potentiation

This study investigated the impact of active rest intervals within a lower body complex training session on post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) response in amateur soccer players. Twelve soccer players took part in four different experimental conditions. These sessions included 2 sets of lower body complex-paired exercises, each involving 3 repetitions of either back squats or hip thrusts at 90% one-repetition maximum (1RM) as a conditioning activity paired with a broad jump and countermovement jump. Between those exercises in active intra-complex rest interval conditions, participants were performing 8 repetitions of bench press at 75%1RM or, in passive intra-complex rest interval conditions, rested while seated. A significant main effect of a set to increase broad jump length (p = 0.002), countermovement jump height (p = 0.002), and modified reactive strength index (p = 0.005) was revealed, without any significant differences between conditions. Post-hoc comparisons showed a significant increase in broad jump length from baseline to Set-2 (231 ± 13 vs. 234 ± 13 cm; p = 0.003; ES = 0.22). On the other hand, countermovement jump height and modified reactive strength index significantly increased from baseline to Set-1 (34.4 ± 3.6 vs. 35.6 ± 3.9 cm; p = 0.027; ES = 0.31 and 0.4 ± 0.05 vs. 0.45 ± 0.09; p = 0.005; ES = 0.66). Results of this study showed that to sustain a high training density, sports practitioners may incorporate upper body exercises within the intra-complex rest interval during lower limb complex training sessions and still elicit a significant PAPE effect.

Antagonist activation exercises elicit similar post-activation performance enhancement as agonist activities on throwing performance

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the acute effect of agonist and antagonist conditioning activities (CA) on medicine ball throw performance among female softball players.

METHODS

Thirteen national-level female softball players (age 22.2 ± 3.1 years; body mass 68.3 ± 11.3 kg; softball experience 7.3 ± 2.4 years) performed 3 medicine ball chest throws before conditioning activity (CA) and after CA respectively in 3rd, 6th, and 9th minute. CA was the bench press and bent-over barbell row with 2 sets of 4 repetitions at 60% and 80% of one-repetition maximum, and 2 sets of 4 repetition bodyweight push up.

RESULTS

Two-way ANOVA revealed an increase in throwing distance (p < 0.001) after bent over barbell row and push-up exercise, and an increase in throwing speed (p < 0.001) after bench press and push-up. All performance increases were in moderate effect size (Cohen d 0.33-0.41), and no differences were found between the experimental CA.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that upper body throwing performance is similar after antagonist exercise and agonist CA, both agonist and antagonist CA increase muscle power. In the resistance training practice, we recommend the interchange of agonist and antagonist CA using bodyweight push-up or submaximal intensity (80% of 1RM) bench press and bent over barbell row to succeed post-activation performance enhancement in upper limbs.

Variable Resistance-An Efficient Method to Generate Muscle Potentiation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Variable resistance (VR) is a methodology that has shown good results in developing muscular strength and power. However, no updated information relates to the use of VR as an activation to trigger post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE). The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to review and qualitatively describe studies published between 2012 and 2022 that used VR to generate PAPE in muscle power-dominant sports. The secondary objective was to calculate the effect size of the different power outcomes reported in the selected studies. The search was designed following the PRISMA® guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and performed in the Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, and MEDLINE between 2012 and 2022. The methodological quality and risk of bias were evaluated with the Cochrane Collaboration tool. The main variables were the throwing speed, time in sprint tests, and jump height. The analysis was conducted with a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) through a Hedges' g test (95% CI). Twenty-two studies were included in the systematic review and ten in the meta-analysis, revealing a trivial effect for throwing speed (SMD = 0.06; CI = 95%: -0.23-0.35; p = 0.69), a small effect for the time in sprint tests (SMD = -0.37; CI = 95%: -0.72--0.02; p = 0.04), and a moderate effect for jump height (SMD = 0.55; CI = 95%: 0.29-0.81; p ˂ 0.0001). All forms of VR used for neuromuscular activation effectively triggered PAPE. Specifically, the results showed that activation with VR generates performance increases in time, in sprint tests and jump height, and a trivial effect in throwing tests (speed and distance).

Effects of Unilateral Conditioning Activity on Acute Performance Enhancement: A Systematic Review

This review aimed to summarize the reported effects of unilateral conditioning activity (CA) on unilateral performance, bilateral performance, and the contribution of activated body limb to bilateral performance. A systematic search on MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Google Scholar was conducted on February 2022. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Throwing, jumping, swimming, change of direction, and isokinetic performance were used as outcome measures to assess the impact of unilateral CAs on inducing post-activation performance enhancement. Eleven studies examined the effectiveness of resistance exercises as a CA, seven investigated plyometric exercises, and five used isokinetic muscle actions as CAs. Notably, only three studies directly compared the effects of bilateral and unilateral CA, and no study reported possible changes in the contribution of each limb during bilateral exercises executed following unilateral CA. Split squats were the most often studied CA (7), and it was shown that multiple sets of high-loaded split squats (85% one-repetition maximum) executed as CA, improve vertical jumping and change of direction after 4 to 8 min of recovery. At the same time, multiple sets of alternate leg bounds performed with ~10% body weight or without any external load result in an improvement of sprint performance, 2 and 8 min later, with the effect being greater when loaded jumps are used. The unilateral CAs such as split squats, alternate leg bounds, and drop jumps can be effectively used to acutely improve a wide variety of athletic tasks, including jumping, sprinting, change of direction, and swimming performance.

Effects of Variable Resistance Training within Complex Training on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Collegiate Basketball Players

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in neuromuscular performance between variable resistance training and constant resistance training within complex training. Twenty-one well-trained collegiate basketball players were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (variable resistance training) or a control group (constant resistance training) and completed a twice weekly training program over an 8-week period. Training programs were the same except that the experimental group included variable resistance via elastic bands (40% of the total load). Maximum strength, vertical jump, horizontal jump, and sprint performance were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Both groups demonstrated significant increases in the back squat 1RM (experimental group +36.5% and control group +32.3%, both p < 0.001), countermovement jump (experimental group +12.9%, p = 0.002 and control group +5.6%, p = 0.02), and squat jump performance (experimental group +21.4% and control group +12.9%, both p < 0.001), whereas standing broad jump performance improved only in the experimental group (+2.9%, p = 0.029). Additionally, the experimental group showed significant improvement in the squat jump (p = 0.014) compared with the control group. However, no statistically significant differences were found between groups for countermovement jump (p = 0.06) and sprint performance at 10 m (p = 0.153) and 20 m (p = 0.076). We may conclude that both training modalities showed similar improvements in maximum strength. Performing variable resistance training within a complex training program is more efficient to enhance selective power performance in well-trained collegiate basketball players.

Upper-Body Post-activation Performance Enhancement for Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis and Recommendations for Future Research

BACKGROUND

Research on post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) is dominated by lower-body conditioning activities/performance test complexes. Despite the contribution of the upper body to many sporting actions, no review on upper-body PAPE currently exists.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to provide a synthesis of the available research on the inclusion of upper-body PAPE conditioning activities to improve athletic performance.

METHODS

A review of the literature was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses guidelines, including a literature search of EBSCOhost, SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Google Scholar databases. A total of 127 studies were identified through database searches, and were assessed against the following criteria: (1) randomised controlled trial or pre-and-post study design; (2) studies explored the effects of prior voluntary muscle activity, and not electrically induced contractions, (3) evidence, or lack thereof, of PAPE was quantified by the monitoring of individual performance to commonly applied physical tests or sport-specific tasks; (4) conditioning activities and performance tests were primarily upper-body; (5) detailed description of a standardised warm-up; and (6) full-text versions of studies could be accessed in English language peer-reviewed journals. Studies were quality assessed for methodological quality via the PEDro scale and ranked accordingly.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were classified into different conditioning activity modes: bench press variations, sport-specific (modified implement throws, swing-specific, cable pulley, elastic resistance, combination) and bodyweight activity. Acute performance enhancement in several movement-specific combinations was found. A meta-analysis revealed that bench press at  ≥ 80% one repetition maximum significantly (p = 0.03; ES = 0.31) improves subsequent power output in the ballistic bench throw at 30-40% one repetition maximum, following 8-12 min recovery. Additionally, sport-specific overweight implement throws improved subsequent throwing distance at competition weight by ~ 1.7-8.5%; ES = 0.14-0.33, following 3 min recovery. Sport-specific lighter weighted bat swings and swing-specific isometrics resulted in improved subsequent competition weight bat swing velocities, ranging from ~ 1.3-4.9%; ES = 0.16-0.57.

CONCLUSIONS

This review presents several upper-body movement-specific conditioning activities that could be considered by coaches and practitioners as part of complex or contrast training, or used in pre-competition warm-ups to acutely enhance performance.