The results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by the American College of Sports Medicine. This study has no conflicts of interest to declare.

This study aimed to compare the effects of four velocity-based training (VBT) programs in bench press (BP) between a wide range of velocity loss (VL) thresholds-0% (VL0), 15% (VL15), 25% (VL25), and 50% (VL50)-on strength gains, neuromuscular adaptations, and muscle hypertrophy. Methods: Sixty-four resistance-trained young men were randomly assigned into four groups (VL0, VL15, VL25, and VL50) that differed in the VL allowed in each set. Subjects followed a VBT program for 8-weeks using the BP exercise. Before and after the VBT program the following tests were performed: (a) cross-sectional area (CSA) measurements of pectoralis major (PM) muscle; (b) maximal isometric test; (c) progressive loading test; and (d) fatigue test. Results: Significant group x time interactions were observed for CSA (P < .01) and peak root mean square in PM (peak RMS-PM, P < .05). VL50 showed significantly greater gains in CSA than VL0 (P < .05). Only the VL15 group showed significant increases in peak RMS-PM (P < .01). Moreover, only VL0 showed significant gains in the early rate of force development (RFD, P = .05), while VL25 and VL50 improved in the late RFD (P ≤ .01-.05). No significant group × time interactions were found for any of the dynamic strength variables analyzed, although all groups showed significant improvements in all these parameters. Conclusion: Higher VL thresholds allowed for a greater volume load which maximized muscle hypertrophy, whereas lower VL thresholds evoked positive neuromuscular-related adaptations. No significant differences were found between groups for strength gains, despite the wide differences in the total volume accumulated by each group.

No abstract

Ortega-Becerra, M, Pareja-Blanco, F, Jiménez-Reyes, P, Cuadrado-Peñafiel, V, and González-Badillo, JJ. Determinant factors of physical performance and specific throwing in handball players of different ages. J Strength Cond Res 32(6): 1778-1786, 2018-This study aimed to analyze various fitness qualities in handball players of different ages and to determine the relationships between these parameters and throwing velocity. A total of 44 handball players participated, pooled by age groups: professional (ELITE, n = 13); under-18 (U18, n = 16); under-16 (U16, n = 15). The following tests were completed: 20-m running sprints; countermovement jumps (CMJs); jump squat to determine the load that elicited ∼20 cm jump height (JSLOAD-20 cm); a progressive loading test in full squat and bench press to determine the load that elicited ∼1 m·s (SQ-V1-LOAD and BP-V1-LOAD); and handball throwing (jump throw and 3-step throw). ELITE showed greater performance in almost all sprint distances, CMJ, JSLOAD-20 cm, and bench press strength than U18 and U16. The differences between U18 and U16 were unclear for these variables. ELITE also showed greater (p < 0.001) performance for squat strength and throwing than U18 and U16, and U18 attained greater performance (p ≤ 0.05) for these variables than U16. Throwing performance correlated (p ≤ 0.05) with sprint times (r = -0.31; -0.51) and jump ability (CMJ: r = 0.39; 0.56 and JSLOAD-20 cm: r = 0.57; 0.60). Muscle strength was also associated (p < 0.001) with both types of throw (SQ-V1-LOAD: r = 0.66; 0.76; and BP-V1-LOAD: r = 0.33; 0.70). These results indicate that handball throwing velocity is strongly associated with lower-limb strength, although upper-limb strength, jumping and sprint capacities also play a relevant role in throwing performance, suggesting the need for coaches to include proper strength programs to improve handball players' throwing velocity.

Understanding the relationship between mechanical variables derived from actions such as jumping, sprinting, or ballistic bench press throwing and sport-specific performance moves is of scientific and practical interest for strength and conditioning coaches for improving training programs. We examined the association between mechanical variables derived from the force-velocity (FV) profiles of the aforementioned actions and spike and serve ball speeds in elite volleyball players. Twenty-two male elite volleyball players (age: 24.3 ± 4.5 years; height: 1.89 ± 0.06 m; body mass: 86.3 ± 8.6 kg) were tested in two sessions. Squatting, sprinting, and bench press throwing FV profiles were determined in the first session, while spike and serve ball speeds were assessed in the second session. The theoretical maximal force (F0) of vertical jumping, the theoretical maximal velocity of sprinting, and the F0 of bench press throwing in ascending order, were strongly associated (rs range 0.53–0.84; p<0.05) with spike and serve ball speeds. These mechanical variables explained 20%-36% of the variability in spike and serve ball speeds, with a greater influence on the serve speed. These results suggest that assessing jumping, sprinting, and bench press throwing force-velocity profiles might help provide player-specific training programs and optimize performance in these technical-tactical actions in male elite volleyball players.

This study analyzed the acute metabolic and mechanical responses to a specific repeated sprint ability (RSA) test. Eighteen male professional soccer players from a team of the First Division of Spanish National League participated. A 12 × 30-m RSA test with 30-second recovery together with countermovement jump test (CMJ) pre a post RSA test was performed. Mechanical responses (i.e., height performance in CMJ and speed loss) and metabolic responses (i.e., blood lactate and ammonia concentrations) were measured before and after exercise. A related sample t-test was used to analyze CMJ height pre-post changes as well as to compare pre- and post-exercise lactate and ammonia levels. Countermovement jump height loss pre-post session (8%) was significant, and fatigue, measured as CMJ height loss, was strongly correlated to lactate (r = 0.97; p < 0.001) and ammonia (r = 0.92; p < 0.001) for all players. The relationships between the variables studied were determined by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficients. The metabolic stress developed during the effort can be estimated by controlling CMJ because of the high correlation between CMJ and blood lactate and ammonia concentrations. The high correlations found between mechanical (speed and CMJ height losses) and metabolic (lactate and ammonia) measures of fatigue highlight the utility and validity of using CMJ to monitor training load and quantify objectively neuromuscular fatigue during RSA.

This study aimed to describe the physical and physiological demands of adolescent handball players and compare movement analysis and exercise intensities between the first and second halves and between the different periods of the match. Fourteen adolescent handball players (age 15.7 ± 0.8 years, body mass: 65.6 ± 3.4 kg, body height: 169.5 ± 3.9 cm), played two friendly matches, in which no substitutions were made. The analysis was carried out with a Global Positioning System technology. The following physical variables were analyzed: Total distance covered (TD); distance covered at faster velocities than 18 km·h-1 (TDC>18km·h-1); number of accelerations (Accel) and decelerations (Decel); number of accelerations and decelerations higher than 2.78 m·s-2 (Accel>2.78 m·s-2 and Decel>2.78 m·s-2); number of sprints (Sprints); accelerations interspersed with a maximum of 30 s between them (RAS≤30s) and as a physiological variable the heart rate (HR) was examined. Significant differences (p < 0.01 –p < 0.001) between the first and the second half in all variables mentioned were observed, except in Accel>2.78 m·s-2 and Decel>2.78 m·s-2. This trend was also observed when comparing performance between the different 10-min periods. The 5th period (period 40-50 min) was the one that showed differences with respect to the previous ones. Adolescent handball players showed lower levels of exercise intensity, assessed by both time-motion and HR data, in the second half of matches, especially in the middle of this period.

Purpose:To examine the relationship between the relative load in full squats and the height achieved in jump-squat (JS) exercises and to determine the load that maximizes the power output of high-level athletes.Method:Fifty-one male high-level track-and-field athletes (age 25.2 ± 4.4 y, weight 77. ± 6.2 kg, height 179.9 ± 5.6 cm) who competed in sprinting and jumping events took part in the study. Full-squat 1-repetition-maximum (1-RM) and JS height (JH) with loads from 17 to 97 kg were measured in 2 sessions separated by 48 h.Results:Individual regression analyses showed that JH (R2 = .992 ± .005) and the jump decrease (JD) that each load produced with respect to the unloaded countermovement jump (CMJ) (R2 = .992 ± 0.007) are highly correlated with the full-squat %1-RM, which means that training intensities can be prescribed using JH and JD values. The authors also found that the load that maximizes JS’s power output was 0%RM (ie, unloaded CMJ).Conclusions:These results highlight the close relationship between JS performance and relative training intensity in terms of %1-RM. The authors also observed that the load that maximizes power output was 0%1-RM. Monitoring jump height during JS training could help coaches and athletes determine and optimize their training loads.