The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between force production asymmetry and performance of athletes with differing strength levels in males and females. Collegiate athletes (n=129) from various sports were ranked according to isometric mid-thigh pull peak force and the top (‘strong’) and bottom (‘weak’) 25% were used for analysis. Symmetry index (SI) scores were calculated and correlated with their respective force-time characteristics using bivariate correlations. For the weaker males, several negative moderate correlations were observed; however, no statistically significant correlations were observed for the females in either group. These findings indicate that force production asymmetry is inversely related to performance in weaker male athletes during isometric strength testing; however, similar to previous findings, this relationship is not apparent in stronger males.

The aim of the study was to compare allometrically scaled peak force and the force at 250 ms between six U.S. collegiate sport teams using isometric mid-thigh pull. Ninety subjects performed maximum effort of isometric mid-thigh pull to measure force output. The data were averaged within the teams, and statistically compared between teams using one-way ANOVA (p=.01). Significant difference was found that men’s soccer and baseball produced higher allometrically scaled peak force, and men’s soccer, tennis, and baseball produced higher allometrically scaled force at 250 ms. The data indicates that not all sports possess similar strength characteristics because of the nature of the sports, and observed separation between gender. Teams such as volleyball and baseball showed higher coefficient of variation due to the various positions within their sports.

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of an overreaching week followed by a 3-week taper (ORT) on DI collegiate throwers after 8 weeks of in-season training. METHODS: Seven throwers (5 male, 2 female) (20.8 ± 1.1 years, 182.9 ± 7.6 cm, 100.6 ± 22.2 kg) were recruited for the study. Throwing performance (TP) was normalized across events using z-scores calculated from the top 500 throws/year in DI over the past 5 years (-1.28 ± 0.99). Athletes were tested on measures of vastus lateralis muscle thickness (MT) using B-mode ultrasound, countermovement jump peak power with 0kg (CMJPP0) on a force platform, overhead shot put throw (OHT) at baseline (T1), pre-taper (T2) and post-taper (T3). TP was measured at a conference meet and championships. Training load (TL=session RPE·duration) and strength training volume-load (VL) were monitored for 12 weeks at all training sessions and competitions. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and paired sample t-tests were used for analysis with alpha level set at p"0.05. RESULTS: There was a statistical reduction in weight training VL (d=1.21, 90% CI [0.58, 1.8], p=0.01) and TL (d=0.96 [0.26, 1.7], p=0.04) between in-season (T1 to T2) and OR-T (T2 to T3) training phases. There were statistical time effects for MT (p=0.02), CMJPP0 (p=0.02), and TP (p=0.04). Post-hoc analysis revealed statistical improvements in MT (T1-T2: d=0.28 [0.11, 0.45], p=0.02), CMJPP0 (T2-T3: d=0.27 [0.1, 0.44], p=0.02), OHT (T2-T3: d=0.49 [0.16, 0.82], p=0.03) and TP (T2-T3, d=0.57 [0.22, 0.93], p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The OR-T appeared to augment TP at conference championships and national ranking. Collegiate throwers may benefit from an OR-T phase where TL and VL are exponentially reduced prior to an important competition.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between an external estimate of training load obtained from a wearable accelerometer device and perceived training load in women’s volleyball. METHODS: Participants of this study were thirteen NCAA Division I women’s volleyball players (Age: 20.3±1.2 y, height: 174.9±7.9cm, body mass: 68.1±12.7 kg). A wearable accelerometer device (Catapult Sports, MiniMaxX S4) was used to estimate external training load during volleyball practice sessions. In addition, following each session a rating of perceived exertion was obtained from each player using a 0-10 scale. Based on previously established methods, ratings of perceived exertion were then multiplied by the duration of practice in minutes to provide an estimate of internal training load. A Pearson product-moment zero order correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between external and internal training load estimates for each individual over eight practices. RESULTS: On average a positive relationship (r = 0.75±0.15) was found between training load estimates. Individual r values ranged from 0.39 to 0.92, with eight of the thirteen achieving statistical significance (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the relationships found between internal and external estimates of training load, both methods may be considered as an option for quantifying on-court training loads in NCAA women’s volleyball. However, the degree to which these estimates relate may vary by individual.

Book Summary: It is an essential skill for any strength and conditioning coach to be able to reliably assess the physical performance of their athletes and communicate the results and their implications to performers and coaches, alike. Performance Assessment in Strength and Conditioning is the first textbook to clearly and coherently suggest the most appropriate and reliable methods for assessing and monitoring athletes’ performance, as well as including detailed sections on testing considerations and the interpretation and application of results. The book explores the full range of considerations required to reliably assess performance, including questions of ethics and safety, reliability and validity, and standardised testing, before going on to recommend (through a comparison of field- and laboratory-based techniques) the optimal methods for testing all aspects of physical performance.

Abstract available in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

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