Association of sprint performance with ground reaction forces during the acceleration and maximal speed phases in a single sprint.

The speed with which all four phases of a short sprint (start, acceleration, maximum speed, and deceleration) are completed depends upon the amount of force applied during the pushing action away from the ground (ground reaction force – GRF) each foot strike, and the speed with which force is applied (rate of force production – …

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Factors that influence muscle growth

Increasing muscle size offers several advantages for team-sport athletes. For example, strength and power potential are increased with larger muscle cross-sectional area, which can be transferred to performance qualities like sprinting, jumping and changing direction. Increased muscle mass can be useful for collision-sport athletes who benefit from the added armor and weight gain depending on …

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Olympic Lifting vs. Jump Training for Improving athletic performance

Strength and conditioning coaches tend to fall into one of two categories when it comes to exercise selection: 1) those that use Olympic weightlifting exercises and 2) those who do not use Olympic weightlifting exercise. The issue that some coaches take with the Olympic lifts mostly pertains to the complexity of the movement and the …

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Guiding training with weekly countermovement jumps

A common periodization strategy for improving athletic performance variables involves a period of progressive increases in training volume (i.e., overload) to induce fatigue followed by a tapering phase leading into competition. During the overload, performance decrements are typically observed as fatigue masks fitness and performance capabilities. However, during the taper when training loads are systematically …

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Performance Changes Following Traditional or Contrast Training

Explosive performance capabilities in sports heavily depend on two primary physical qualities: 1) the ability to produce a high amount of force (i.e., maximal strength) and 2) the ability to express high levels of force rapidly (i.e., power). How and when to develop each quality in training to enhance sports performance remains a topic of …

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The repeated bout effect

When athletes first get involved with resistance training, they get sore, really sore. However, they progressively adapt to the training stimulus and eventually experience less soreness. This is largely due to the repeated bout effect. The repeated bout effect simply states that after performing an exercise once, there is a protective effect against muscle damage …

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Should you train with higher volume or intensity for muscle mass?

Conventional training wisdom breaks down set, repetition and intensity schemes for 3 basic qualities; strength, hypertrophy and muscular endurance. Power development is a quality that does have its own guidelines, but these tend to get confusing based on the type of movement one performs. For example, power development can involve intensity ranges >85% of 1RM …

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Training frequency impact on size and strength gains

There are a number of variables that can be manipulated to stimulate training adaptations in athletes. These include volume, intensity, rest periods, tempo, movement, frequency and so forth. When training specifically for muscular hypertrophy, the overwhelming majority of lifters opt for a low training frequency (training muscles only once or twice per week) with high volumes. Body …

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Habitual training time affects diurnal variation in performance

The human body operates on a circadian rhythm. This means that over a 24 hour period, various physiological processes will fluctuate that are influenced by environmental cues. For example, body temperature fluctuates throughout the day, as does hormone secretion, hunger and feelings of tiredness and alertness. When the sun goes down and it gets dark …

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Dose-response relationship for size and strength: 5, 3 or 1 set?

When the goal is to increase hypertrophy and strength levels, it appears that training volume may be a key factor. Over the years there has been great debate between whether individuals should perform 1 set or 3 sets for increasing strength and muscle mass. Review papers on the topic tend to favor multiple sets over …

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