TL;DR
Strength training makes you stronger, strength training and flexibility training don’t negatively affect each other.
Perodisation works, linear vs undulating doesn’t matter (?), sports science studies need more participants.
You are probably 120% stronger on the eccentric portion of the bench press than you are conctrically. You could potentially over load the eccentric portion to achieve a greater strength stimulus?
High intensity aerobic exercise performed prior to strength training negatively affects strength endurance. Cycling fatigues the legs more than running for squatting.
3 or more contact efforts leads to a drop in running intensity in rugby so performing conditioning drills that target both running intensity and contact could be of worth for rugby players.
wearing a weighted vest all day isn’t a great training strategy.
Influence of strength and flexibility training.
- 28 women (mean age 46) were split into 4 groups. Strength training, Flexibility training, strength then flexibility training and flexibility then strength training.
- They took part in a 12 week periodised programme the strength programme had eight exercises and the flexibility involved 60 minutes of dynamic flexibility training. All participants had their strength (Leg press and bench press) and flexibility (sit and reach and goniometry) assessed before and after the training block.
- All strength training groups significantly improved leg press and bench press, flexibility group only improved leg press. Strength only group managed a slightly higher increase in strength for both leg press and bench press. Performing flexibility before or after didn’t appear to have any influence on the outcomes. There where no significant differences in flexibility for any of the groups in any of the comparisons.
TL;DR – Strength training makes you stronger, strength training and flexibility training don’t negatively affect each other.
Linear and Undulating Perodisation a systematic review and meta analysis
- 17 studies where included with a total participant pool of 510 (lol).
- 16 studies reported significant increases vs non perodised groups.
- 5 Studies reported significant increases between linear and undulating models.
- Meta analysis showed no diffrence in effectiveness between perodisation models. The short term nature of the studies and the lack of homogeneity were pointed out as confounding factors.
TL;DR – Perodisation works, linear vs undulating doesn’t matter (?), sports science studies need more participants.
Comparison of concentric and eccentric strength in bench press
- 30 men participated in the study.
- They were tested for 1RM in concentric only (starting at the chest and pressing) and eccentric only (lowered for 3 seconds timed on an electric metronome) bench press and reps to failure at 60, 70, 80 and 90% 1RM
- Average eccentric 1RM – 116 kg and Average concentric 1RM – 93.5kg. The only significant finding for reps to failure happened at 90% 1RM (7.67 reps for eccentric only vs 4.57 reps for concentric only).
TL;DR – you are probably 120% stronger on the eccentric portion of the bench press than you are conctrically. You could potentially over load the eccentric portion to achieve a greater strength stimulus?
Influence of high intensity endurance exercise on strength performance
- 10 healthy makes took part in three experimental conditions – 4 sets of maximum repetitions @ 80% max half squat on it’s own. 4 sets of maximum repetitions @ 80% max half squat post intermittent treadmill run and 4 sets of maximum repetitions @ 80% max half squat post intermittent cycle. Interval training consisted of 1 min on 1 minute off x 15.
- During all the squatting conditions total volume, total amount of reps completed and vastus lateralis EMG where recorded.
- Maximum reps completed in set one was superior for strength only vs cycling and running. Maximum reps completed in set two was superior for strength only vs cycling.
TL;DR high intensity aerobic exercise performed prior to strength training negatively affects strength endurance. Cycling fatigues the legs more than running for squatting.
The effect of contact efforts on running intensity.
- 12 semi-professional rugby league players took part in three off side conditioning games (2×10 min halfs). They were required to either 1, 2 or 3 bouts of 5 second partner wrestles every 2 minutes.
- The movement demands of each game were determined using GPS units.
- There were minimal drops in running intensity in the single contact game, small to moderate in the double contact game and moderate reductions in the triple contact game,
TL;DR – 3 or more contact efforts leads to a drop in running intensity in rugby so performing conditioning drills that target both running intensity and contact could be of worth for rugby players.
The effect of 8 days of hypergravity on the sprinting speed and lowerbody power of elite rugby players.
- Hypergravity (nowhere near as cool as it sounds) involves wearing a weighted vest at all times during the day.
- Two groups a control (n=7) and an experimental (n=8) took part in the study. 40m speed testing was conducted pre and post intervention and lower body power was assessed using loaded countermovement jump.
- No differences where shown in speed times. Hypergravity group had a moderate increase in lower body power in 15kg CMJ however in the group there were both negative and positive reactions to the training.
TL;DR – wearing a weighted vest all day isn’t a great training strategy.