Tapering Practices of New Zealand's Elite Raw Powerlifters

Pritchard, Hayden J; Tod, David; Barnes, Matthew J.; Keogh, Justin W L; McGuigan, Michael R.

doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000001292

Cited by 39 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…These results (1,31,32) are somewhat consistent with the findings of Pritchard et al (25) who reported that elite powerlifters usually take 3.7 ± 1.6 days off prior to important competitions.…”

Section: A C C E P T E Dsupporting

confidence: 91%

Short-Term Training Cessation as a Method of Tapering to Improve Maximal Strength

Pritchard¹,

Barnes²,

Stewart³

et al. 2018

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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Pritchard, HJ, Barnes, MJ, Stewart, RJC, Keogh, JWL, and McGuigan, MR. Short-term training cessation as a method of tapering to improve maximal strength. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 458-465, 2018-The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 2 different durations of training cessation on upper- and lower-body maximal strength performance and to investigate the mechanisms underlying performance changes following short-term training cessation. Eight resistance trained males (23.8 ± 5.4 years, 79.6 ± 10.2 kg, 1.80 ± 0.06 m, relative deadlift 1 repetition maximum of 1.90 ± 0.30 times bodyweight [BW]) each completed two 4-week strength training periods followed by either 3.5 days (3.68 ± 0.12 days) or 5.5 days (5.71 ± 0.13 days) of training cessation. Testing occurred pretraining (T1), on the final day of training (T2), and after each respective period of training cessation (T3). Participants were tested for salivary testosterone and cortisol, plasma creatine kinase, psychological profiles, and performance tests (countermovement jump [CMJ], isometric midthigh pull, and isometric bench press [IBP]) on a force plate. Participants' BW increased significantly over time (p = 0.022). The CMJ height and IBP peak force showed significant increases over time (p = 0.013, 0.048, and 0.004, respectively). Post hoc testing showed a significant increase between T1 and T3 for both CMJ height and IBP peak force (p = 0.022 and 0.008 with effect sizes of 0.30 and 0.21, respectively). No other significant differences were seen for any other measures. These results suggest that a short period of strength training cessation can have positive effects on maximal strength expression, perhaps because of decreases in neuromuscular fatigue.

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Section: A C C E P T E Dsupporting

confidence: 91%

Short-Term Training Cessation as a Method of Tapering to Improve Maximal Strength

Pritchard¹,

Barnes²,

Stewart³

et al. 2018

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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“…The heavy taper had significantly greater percentage increases in leg press 1RM and isometric peak force than the light taper. These findings are similar to qualitative findings showing elite powerlifters usually maintain a high intensity of training when peaking for important events while significantly reducing volume (>50%) 10,14 . However, Zaras et al 8 did not control training volume in each taper, and therefore their reported enhancement of strength performance may be due to a combination of changes in training volume and intensity, not solely intensity.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Complete training cessation has been shown to be beneficial for maximal strength performance when undertaken for short periods of time (up to a week) in several studies 17,26,27 . Both qualitative studies 10,14 noted that powerlifters take training cessations of 3.7 ± 1.6 days and 3 ± 1 days, respectively, to finish the taper. These results again emphasise that short term training cessation (or complete volume reduction) is an important part of the strength taper.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher- Versus Lower-Intensity Strength-Training Taper: Effects on Neuromuscular Performance

Pritchard

Barnes

Stewart

et al. 2019

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

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“…Strongman athletes completed a self-reported 4-page retrospective Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes Survey created for this study, which was based on interview questions used with powerlifters [ 23 , 24 ]. The original Strongman Tapering Practices Survey was pilot tested with university professors and strongman athletes to ensure its ease of use with this population.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Information on the reliability of the Internet assessment method for use with strength athletes, including the strongman population, is currently lacking. The Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes survey created for this study was based on nine interview questions used with powerlifters [ 23 , 24 ]. Our tapering practice questionnaire has included the addition of several questions, as well as changes to the wording of original questions used in previous studies [ 23 , 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes: Test-Retest Reliability Study

Winwood¹,

Pritchard²,

Keogh³

2017

JMIR Res Protoc

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BackgroundLittle is currently known about the tapering practices of strongman athletes. We have developed an Internet-based comprehensive self-report questionnaire examining the training and tapering practices of strongman athletes.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to document the test-retest reliability of questions associated with the Internet-based comprehensive self-report questionnaire on the tapering practices of strongman athletes. The information will provide insight on the reliability and usefulness of the online questionnaire for use with strongman athletes.MethodsInvitations to complete an Internet questionnaire were sent via Facebook Messenger to identified strongman athletes. The survey consisted of four main areas of inquiry, including demographics and background information, training practices, tapering, and tapering practices. Of the 454 athletes that completed the survey over the 8-week period, 130 athletes responded on Facebook Messenger indicating that they intended to complete, or had completed, the survey. These participants were asked if they could complete the online questionnaire a second time for a test-retest reliability analysis. Sixty-four athletes (mean age 33.3 years, standard deviation [SD] 7.7; mean height 178.2 cm, SD 11.0; mean body mass 103.7 kg, SD 24.8) accepted this invitation and completed the survey for the second time after a minimum 7-day period from the date of their first completion. Agreement between athlete responses was measured using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and kappa statistics. Confidence intervals (at 95%) were reported for all measures and significance was set at P<.05.ResultsTest-retest reliability for demographic and training practices items were significant (P<.001) and showed excellent (ICC range=.84 to .98) and fair to almost perfect agreement (κ range=.37-.85). Moderate to excellent agreements (ICC range=.56-.84; P<.01) were observed for all tapering practice measures except for the number of days athletes started their usual taper before a strongman competition (ICC=.30). When the number of days were categorized with additional analyses, moderate reliability was observed (κ=.43; P<.001). Fair to substantial agreement was observed for the majority of tapering practices measures (κrange=.38-.73; P<.001) except for how training frequency (κ=.26) and the percentage and type of resistance training performed, which changed in the taper (κ=.20). Good to excellent agreement (ICC=.62-.93; P<.05) was observed for items relating to strongman events and traditional exercises performed during the taper. Only the time at which the Farmer’s Walk was last performed before competition showed poor reliability (ICC=.27).ConclusionsWe have developed a low cost, self-reported, online retrospective questionnaire, which provided stable and reliable answers for most of the demographic, training, and tapering practice questions. The results of this study support the inferences drawn from the Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes Study.

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Tapering Practices of New Zealand's Elite Raw Powerlifters

Cited by 39 publications

References 28 publications

Short-Term Training Cessation as a Method of Tapering to Improve Maximal Strength

Short-Term Training Cessation as a Method of Tapering to Improve Maximal Strength

Higher- Versus Lower-Intensity Strength-Training Taper: Effects on Neuromuscular Performance

Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes: Test-Retest Reliability Study

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