The current manuscript has been adapted from the official position statement of the UK Strength and Conditioning Association on youth resistance training. It has subsequently been reviewed and endorsed by leading professional organisations within the fields of sports medicine, exercise science and paediatrics. The authorship team for this article was selected from the fields of paediatric exercise science, paediatric medicine, physical education, strength and conditioning and sports medicine.

Muscle contractions preceding an activity can result in increased force generation (postactivation potentiation [PAP]). Although the type of muscular contractions could affect subsequent strength and power performance, little information exists on their effects. The purpose of this study was to examine PAP effects produced by isometric (ISO), concentric (CON), eccentric (ECC), or concentric-eccentric (DYN) conditioning contractions on upper body force and power performance. Ten male, competitive rugby players (mean ± SD: age 20.4 ± 0.8 years, height 177.0 ± 8.1 cm, body mass 90.2 ± 13.8 kg) performed a ballistic bench press throw (BBPT) followed by a 10-minute rest and one of the conditioning contractions. After a 12-minute rest, the subjects performed another BBPT (post-BBPT). The conditioning contractions, applied on separate days and in counterbalanced randomized order, were a 7-second isometric barbell bench press for ISO and 1 set of 3 bench press repetitions at 3 repetition maximum for CON, ECC, and DYN (each repetition lasting 2 seconds for CON and ECC, overall execution time <7 seconds for DYN). Peak power (Ppeak), peak force (Fpeak), maximum distance (Dmax) and rate of force development (RFD) were measured using a linear position transducer. Electromyography (EMG) of the pectoralis major and triceps brachii was also recorded. The ISO produced significantly higher Ppeak (587 ± 116 and 605 ± 126 W for pre- and post-BBPT, respectively; p < 0.05). No significant differences in Ppeak were revealed for CON, ECC, and DYN (p > 0.05), and no significant differences existed in Fpeak, Dmax, and RFD for ISO, CON, ECC, and DYN (p > 0.05). Finally, EMG was not significantly different between pre- and post-BBPT for any of the conditioning contractions (p > 0.05). Isometric contractions appear to be the only conditioning contractions increasing upper body power output after long resting periods.

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Fencing is one of only a few sports that have featured at every modern Olympic games. Despite this, there is still much the sport science team does not know regarding competition demands and athlete physical characteristics. This review aims to undertake an analysis of the current literature to identify what is known, and questions that must be answered to optimize athlete support in this context. In summary, fencing is an explosive sport requiring energy production predominately from anaerobic sources. Lunging and change-of-direction speed seem vital to performance, and strength and power qualities underpin this. In the elimination rounds, fencers are likely to accumulate high levels of blood lactate, and so high-intensity interval training is recommended to reduce the intolerance to and the accumulation of hydrogen ions. Injury data report the hamstrings as a muscle group that should be strengthened and address imbalances caused by continuous fencing in an asymmetrical stance.

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Athlete monitoring enables sports science practitioners to collect information to determine how athletes respond to training loads (TL) and the demands of competition. To date, recommendations for females are often adapted from their male counterparts. There is currently limited information available on TL monitoring in female Gaelic team sports in Ireland. The collection and analysis of female athlete monitoring data can provide valuable information to support the development of female team sports. Athletic monitoring can also support practitioners to help minimize risk of excessive TL and optimize potential athletic performance. The aims of this narrative review are to provide: (i) an overview of TL athlete monitoring in female team sports, (ii) a discussion of the potential metrics and tools used to monitor external TL and internal TL, (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of TL modalities for use in Gaelic team sports, and (iv) practical considerations on how to monitor TL to aid in the determination of meaningful change with female Gaelic team sports athletes.

The purposes of this study were to a) compare a 4-min to an 8-min rest interval between composite training (jump-sprint combination) repetitions in a single session to allow for the recovery of neuromuscular and bounce drop-jump (BDJ) performance and b) investigate if super compensation would occur after 168hrs of rest. Twelve players were randomly assigned to either a 4-min or an 8-min rest interval group. Participants first completed a BDJ test to identify individual BDJ drop heights followed by a 20m sprint test. Seventy-two hours later, a composite training session of two repetitions (three BDJs followed by a 20m sprint after a 15s rest) with either a 4-min or an 8-min rest interval was performed. A three repetition maximum (3RM) back squat strength test, a BDJ, countermovement jump (CMJ) and a sprint performance test were completed 10-mins pre- and immediately post-session, and 168 hrs post-session. CMJ force (8-min group) and BDJ (height and reactive strength index (RSI)) measures decreased significantly post-session (4-min and 8-min groups; P ≤ 0.05). Pre-session to 168 hrs post-session, relative 3RM back squat strength and 20m sprint performance increased significantly for the 4-min group only (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, a 4-min composite training inter-repetition rest interval leads to a significant decline in BDJ measures (RSI and jump height) which may act as fatigue markers for monitoring. However, 4-mins provides sufficient recovery during the session which, in conjunction with 168 hrs of recovery, causes super compensation in neuromuscular performance in hurling players.