Written by Team MD
27 December 2017

15NN146-TRAIN

7 Training Research Studies from the Lab

 

 

1) Basic Principles Behind Periodization of Training

 Periodization of training varies the type, volume, and intensity of exercise during different times of the year, and from one workout to the next. The basic idea is to emphasize specific kinds of fitness during different times of the year (i.e., general conditioning and base strength during the off- and pre-season, and peak strength and power during the competitive season). The ideal program design is structured to provide adequate rest to ensure high-quality workouts. During the competitive season, the program should develop peak strength and power while allowing skill development and maximum performance during contests and games. Because of the complex nature of periodized workouts, the concept is extremely difficult to test scientifically. Consequently, periodization of training is as much art as science. (Strength and Conditioning Journal, 33 (1): 34-46, 2011)

 2) Foot Position During Heel Raises Influences Calf Activation

 Many bodybuilders vary their foot positions during heel raises to work different parts of the gastrocnemius (large calf muscle). They point their toes inward to work the medial gastrocnemius and point their toes outward to work the lateral gastrocnemius. A study from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Georgia, using electromyography to measure calf muscle activation, showed that this method worked. Changing foot position influenced calf muscle development, and should be part of a calf-building program of bodybuilders. (Journal Strength and Conditioning Research, 25: 634-639, 2011)

 3) Stretching Reduces Muscle Soreness After Intense Eccentric Exercise

 Many athletes have de-emphasized stretching as part of their training because of studies showing decreased strength following pre-exercise stretching, and inconsistent evidence that stretching reduces the risk of injury or improves performance. This could be a mistake. Taiwanese researchers found that an eight-week stretching program involving either static (30 sets of 30-second stretches) or PNF (five seconds of contract-relax-stretch) stretches reduced muscle soreness following an intense eccentric exercise (lengthening contractions) workout. Static and PNF stretching provide unique fitness benefits, and should be included in a well-rounded exercise program. (Medicine Science Sports and Exercise, 43: 491-500, 2011)

 4) Responders to Weight Training Have a Genetic Advantage

 Anyone who’s ever hung around gyms knows that people respond differently to weight training. Some people gain muscle mass and strength quickly, while others are hard gainers and progress slowly. British researchers found that responders to strength training have specific types of genes that promote muscle protein synthesis (microRNAs). They examined 56 young men, and compared genes involved in protein synthesis in the top 20 percent of responders and in the bottom 20 percent of non-responders. Responders had greater activity in the more effective microRNAs. The study showed that you should choose your parents very carefully if you want to get big and strong from weight training. (Journal of Applied Physiology, 110: 309-317, 2011)

 5) Similar Responses to Periodized Training in Men and Women

 Several recent studies showed that men respond better to periodized workouts than traditional weight training. Periodization of training varies the exercises, sets, and reps during different times of the year and from one workout to the next. The aim of periodization is to allow adequate recovery between workouts, and maximize the quality of intense training sessions.

 While periodization has been popular in the United States since the early 1980s and was used in Eastern Bloc countries since the 1960s, we have little information on gender differences in response to this type of training. A study from the University of Alberta in Canada by Robert Kell showed that men and women responded similarly to periodized strength-training programs. Markers of strength increased by more than 30 percent in women, and more than 25 percent in men following a 12-week periodized program. The test subjects had trained continuously using traditional training methods for at least 11 months before beginning the study. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 25: 736-744, 2011)

 6) Muscle Growth Factors Increase After Intense Weight Training

 Anabolic hormones, the activity of hormone receptors, the availability of nutrients, and the quality of muscle tension influence muscle growth following intense weight training. Finnish researchers examined muscle biopsies following intense strength training. They found no changes in total or free testosterone, or in the activity of androgen receptors. However, they found marked increases in muscle growth factors (IGF-1 and mechano growth factor). Muscle capacity and markers of muscle metabolic health did not return to normal until six days after the workout. This study showed the importance of muscle growth factors in promoting muscle protein synthesis. We might also infer that bodybuilders should rest longer than 48 hours between monster workouts. However, we need to make these decisions based on markers of training effects (i.e., gains in muscle strength and mass) rather than on indirect measures of muscle physiology (i.e., growth factors, hormones, and inflammation). (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 25: 767-777, 2011)

 7) Warming up for a Maximum Back Squat Test

The 1-rep maximum back squat is an important test of strength for powerlifters and other strength athletes. This is a large muscle exercise that stresses the body to the max. Warm-up is critical to lubricate the major joints and to prepare muscle and joint proprioceptors for a maximum load. David Bellar from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette recommended dynamic, plyometric, and progressively increasing loaded squats as the best technique for warming up for a maximum squat test. A word of warning: most athletes should not take a maximum squat test until they are skilled at the exercise. Without proper instruction, 90 percent of athletes don’t squat correctly. Typically, they do not hinge at the hips, are quad dominant, and fail to maintain a neutral, stiff spine during the exercise. Athletes risk serious injury when they perform heavy squats incorrectly. (Strength Conditioning Journal, 33 (1): 88-90, 2011)

 

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