<p> The performance enhancement of stretch shortening cycle (SSe) contractions has been well documented in the literature. However, the majority of these studies have been performed either on gross human systems for multijointed movements, or in isolated animal muscle studies using in-vitro preparations. This study was designed to apply the principles used for these invitro animal studies to the human system, under conditions that would allow results to be directly associated with a specific muscle or muscle group. Previous investigations by Lynch (1992) and Benoit and Dowling (1995) have supported the use of muscle models to predict elbow flexor torque and sse performance enhancement. The purpose of this study was to use an EMG based muscle model to investigate the possible relationship between sse tasks at different frequencies of elbow flexion-extension and performance enhancement of the elbow flexor muscles. </p> <p> A Hill based muscle model was used to predict elbow flexor torque of seven healthy male subjects (23-40 years of age) under voluntary and stimulated contraction conditions. EMG of the elbow flexors and extensors was recorded from the biceps brachii and triceps respectively. Elbow flexor stimulation was done transcutaneously with a voltage equivalent to a 60% MVe torque; stimulation lasted four seconds at a frequency of 50 Hz. A simulated constant muscle activation torque was also derived from the muscle model for all trials. Externally measured torque was measured using a strain gauge located on a shaft situated along the axis of rotation of the elbow joint. A torque motor was used to drive the forearm (fastened to a manipulandum) at four frequencies of elbow flexion-extension (.58, 1.5, 2.4, and 3.3 Hz) over a range of 162 to 105 degrees of elbow extension. Non-SSe trials were performed at these same velocities and over the same range of motion. Torque was then integrated as a function of joint angle displacement to yield the work produced about the elbow. Passive work was subtracted from all trials. </p> <p> The results indicate that a significant increase in muscle work followed sse tasks as opposed to non-SSe tasks and this increased work was relatively highest at 2.4 Hz. Work about the elbow decreased with increasing frequency of movement for both sse and non-sse conditions. The simulated constant activation muscle model predicted work well for all trials and conditions, indicating muscle model accuracy. The EMG driven model predicted well for all non-SSe trials but significantly underestimated the work for sse tasks, suggesting a decrease in myoelectric activity. This decrease was evidenced by a decrease in average M-wave amplitude with increasing SSe velocity. This study indicates that the contractile component is directly involved in optimizing muscle work during sse tasks and that the performance enhancement of sse tasks may take place at the myofilament and cross-bridge level. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

No description available.

This study examined and compared static, countermovement, and rebound-type drop jumps from the upper and lower extremities among USA Junior National Team male gymnasts. Twenty-one gymnasts performed two repetitions each of upper (UE) and lower extremity (LE) static (SJ), countermovement (CMJ), and drop (DJ) jumps on a force platform. Average measures of maximum jump height (MXHT), peak force (PF), rate of force development (RFD), and peak power (PP) were calculated for analysis. In addition, sample-specific allometric scaling was used to scale PF and PP. Four 2x3 repeated measures ANOVAs were calculated for analyses. Statistically significant main effects were observed for UE vs LE for MXHT, PF, RFD, and PP (all p < 0.001). Statistically significant main effects for jump-type were also observed: MXHT, PF, RFD, and PP (all p < 0.001). Finally, statistically significant extremities x jump-type interaction effects were obtained for MXHT, PF, RFD, and PP (all p < 0.001). These gymnasts showed better performances in CJs relative to SJs, but performances were unexpectedly poorer in the DJs. Despite using rebound-type jumps in tumbling and vaulting with UE and LE, the DJs did not appear to capture the athletes’ stretch-shortening cycle skill or may reflect poor stretch-shortening cycle skill.

Introduktion: Plyometrisk träning är en högintensiv träningsform för att förbättra atletisk prestation som exempelvis explosiv styrka och effektutveckling. Plyometrisk träning i vatten är däremot mindre undersökt men tidigare forskning tyder på att det verkar ha liknande effekter som landbaserad plyometrisk träning. Syfte: Litteraturundersökningens syfte är att undersöka om det finns en effekt av plyometrisk träning i vatten på hopphöjd, muskelstyrka och muskelömhet. Ytterligare ett syfte är att jämföra effekterna mellan plyometrisk träning i vatten med landbaserad plyometrisk träning på hopphöjd, muskelstyrka och muskelömhet. Metod: En systematisk sökning genomfördes i de vetenskapliga databaserna Pubmed och Web of Science. Utöver detta genomsöktes samtliga referenser på de artiklar som uppfyllde inklusionskriterierna. Resultat: Litteraturundersökningen visade att plyometrisk träning i vatten verkar ha en effekt på hopphöjd. Muskelstyrka och muskelömhet visade inget tydligt utfall. Plyometrisk träning i vatten verkar ha samma effekt på hopphöjd och muskelstyrka som landbaserad plyometrisk träning. Vattenbaserad plyometrisk träning verkar ge mindre muskelömhet jämfört med landbaserad plyometrisk träning. Konklusion: Det behövs mer forskning i området för att fastställa vilka faktorer som gör att vattenbaserad plyometrisk träning är lika effektiv som landbaserad träning för att förbättra hopphöjd. Det behövs mer forskning på plyometrisk träning i vatten associerad till muskelstyrka och muskelömhet för att få en tydligare bild av effekterna / Introduction: Effects of plyometric training to improve athletic performance such as explosive strength and power development are well-documented. However, less is known about the effects of aquatic plyometric training. Previous research suggests that it appears to have similar effects as land-based plyometric training. Purpose: The purpose of the literature review was to investigate if there is an effect of aquatic plyometric training on jump height, muscle strength and muscle soreness. Another aim was to compare the effects of plyometric training in water with land-based plyometric training on jump height, muscle strength and muscle soreness. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted in the scientific databases Pubmed and Web of Science. In addition, all references were manually searched on the articles that met the inclusion criteria. Results: The literature review shows that aquatic plyometric training seems to have an effect on jump height. Muscle strength and muscle soreness showed no clear outcome. Aquatic plyometric training seems to have the same effect on jump height and muscle strength as land-based plyometric training. Aquatic plyometric training seems to give less muscle soreness compared to land-based plyometric training. Conclusion: More research is necessary to determine which factors make aquatic plyometric training as effective as land-based plyometric training to improve jump height. More research is needed on aquatic plyometric training associated with muscle strength and muscle soreness to get a better understanding of the effects.

Background: Jump height, utilization of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) and knee stability is key qualifications and important factors for athletic performance. This is usually practiced with the help of plyometric training. However, plyometric training is considered as an exercise with high-impact that adds stress on the body. Trampoline training is an activity with a growing number of adolescent’s performers, and with the ability to train the same qualities that plyometric training. However, few studies have investigated trampoline trainings effect on jump height, utilization of the SSC and the knee stability in comparison to ordinary plyometric exercises. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the jump height in a countermovement jump (CMJ) and a squat jump (SJ), the use of SSC and knee stability at landing is different in adolescents who are training using a trampoline and adolescents training using plyometric exercises. Methods: Thirty (n=30) participants, 19 handball players and 11 trampoline practitioners, aged 14-18 years, completed this cross-sectional study. This study involved three tests, a CMJ and a SJ for measuring the jump height and SSCand a double leg drop jump test for measuring the knee stability. Results: The result showed a significant difference in relative jump value between the groups, were the handball group showed a higher value in the CMJ and the SJ compared to the trampoline group. In the utilization of the SSC there were no significant difference between the groups. The result showed that there was a significant difference between the groups knee stability, were the handball group showed a greater knee degrees of varus compared to the trampoline group. Conclusion: Findings from this study suggests that adolescents might benefit from performing plyometric training to achieve a greater jump height and trampoline training to achieve a greater knee stability. Both activities had the same effect on the utilization of theSSC. More studies are needed, including a more homogenous group with larger sample sizes, to support the present results and investigate whether the results are reliable.

Tidigare forskning visar på ett positivt samband mellan styrketräning och löpekonomi. I föreliggande studie undersöktes effekten av djupa explosiva knäböjningar på löpekonomin hos långdistanslöpare. I studien deltog elva deltagare varav sex i interventionsgruppen och fem i kontrollgruppen. Styrketräningen skulle vara tidseffektivt, max 20 min och då enbart en övning. Basövningen knäböjning med stången bakom nacken valdes. Huvuddelen av all knäböjsträning under en åtta veckors period, utfördes med en belastning på 60% av 1RM 2-6 rep i 2-6 set och då med fokus hög hastighet i både den excentriska och koncentriska fasen samt ca 1 min vila mellan seten. Efter avslutad träningsperiod sågs signifikant förbättring vad gäller maxstyrka, 1RM och maximal Power. Samtliga deltagare i interventionsgruppen fick en positiv styrkeökning med ett snitt på 14,5%. Studien visar även en tendens till förbättrad löpekonomi hos interventionsgruppen. / Previous research shows a positive link between strength training and running economics. In the present study, the effect of deep power squats on the running economics of long distance runners was investigated. The study included eleven participants, six were in the intervention group and five in the control group. The strength training would be time efficient, max 20 min and then only one exercise. We chose the basic exercise squats with the barbell behind the neck. The majority of all squats exercises during a period eight week with a load of 60% of 1RM 2-6 reps in 2-6 sets and then focused high speed in both the eccentric and concentric phase and about 1 min rest between the sets. At the end of the training period, we could see a significant improvement in maximal 1RM and maximum Power. All participants in the intervention group received a positive increase in strength, with an average of 14.5%. The study also shows a tendency for improved running economics in the intervention group.

Plyometric training has always been a topic of interest in terms of sport perfor-mance enhancement and development. The most relevant and up-to-date data has been reviewed to try to answer the question “what kind of plyometric training to use” to improve ones’ performance. The present study demonstrates the use of re-active strength index (RSI) and force-velocity profiling. In the text there is also a presentations of common jumping tests that help practitioners to establish a profile of an athlete. Main findings of this study are: general strength should be developed alongside reactive strength qualities, plyometric training optimized and guided by RSI is highly effective in improving reactive strength ability, demands of a sport determine the manner in which plyometric exercises should be performed, RSI can be used as a representation of neuromuscular fatigue, force-velocity (F-v) approach may help improve the training practice for performance in explosive push-off ac-tions like jumping, through a more efficient monitoring and understanding of the individual determinants of athletic performance, showing the sensitivity of the F-v profile to specific training programs can result in either maximal force or velocity capabilities improvements (determination of F-v imbalances or FVimb) – which is termed “optimized training” and it has been found that an optimized and individu-alized training program specifically addressing the FVimb is more efficient for im-proving jumping performance than traditional resistance training.

Suchomel, TJ, Bailey, CA, Sole, CJ, Grazer, JL, and Beckham, GK. Using reactive strength index-modified as an explosive performance measurement tool in Division I athletes. J Strength Cond Res 29(4): 899-904, 2015 - The purposes of this study included examining the reliability of reactive strength index-modified (RSImod), the relationships between RSImod and force-time variables, and the differences in RSImod between male and female collegiate athletes. One hundred six Division I collegiate athletes performed unloaded and loaded countermovement jumps (CMJs). Intraclass correlation coefficients and typical error expressed as a coefficient of variation were used to establish the relative and absolute reliability of RSImod, respectively. Pearson zero-order product-moment correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationships between RSImod and rate of force development, peak force (PF), and peak power (PP) during unloaded and loaded jumping conditions. Finally, independent samples t-tests were used to examine the sex differences in RSImod between male and female athletes. Intraclass correlation coefficient values for RSImod ranged from 0.96 to 0.98, and typical error values ranged from 7.5 to 9.3% during all jumping conditions. Statistically significant correlations existed between RSImod and all force-time variables examined for male and female athletes during both jumping conditions (p ≤ 0.05). Statistically significant differences in RSImod existed between male and female athletes during both unloaded and loaded CMJs (p < 0.001). Reactive strength index-modified seems to be a reliable performance measurement in male and female athletes. Reactive strength index-modified may be described and used as a measure of explosiveness. Stronger relationships between RSImod, PF, and PP existed in female athletes as compared with that in male athletes; however, further evidence investigating these relationships is needed before conclusive statements can be made. Male athletes produced greater RSImod values as compared with that produced by female athletes.

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in reactive strength index-modified (RSImod), jump height (JH), and time to takeoff (TTT) between 6 U.S. collegiate sport teams. One hundred six male and female Division I collegiate athletes performed unloaded (<1 kg) and loaded (20 kg) countermovement jumps as part of an ongoing athlete monitoring program. Reactive strength index-modified, JH, and TTT values for each team were compared using 1-way analysis of variance. Statistically significant differences in RSImod (p < 0.001), JH (p < 0.001), and TTT (p 0.003) existed between teams during the unloaded jumping condition. Similarly, statistically significant differences in RSImod (p < 0.001), JH (p < 0.001), and TTT (p 0.028) existed between teams during the loaded jumping condition. Men's soccer and baseball produced the greatest RSImod values during both the unloaded and loaded jumping conditions followed by women's volleyball, men's tennis, women's soccer, and women's tennis. The greatest JH during unloaded and loaded jumping conditions was produced by men's baseball followed by men's soccer, women's volleyball, men's tennis, women's soccer, and women's tennis. Men's soccer produced shorter TTT compared with men's baseball (12.7%) and women's soccer (13.3%) during the unloaded and loaded jumping conditions, respectively. Collegiate sport teams exhibit varying reactive strength characteristics during unloaded and loaded jumping conditions. Understanding the differences in RSImod between sports may help direct the creation of training and monitoring programs more effectively for various sports.

Orientador: Gil Lucio Almeida / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T21:23:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Santos_MarcusViniciusRezendedos_M.pdf: 2514721 bytes, checksum: a7b1ab66caadf0d4fb9a3367038033d5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Neste trabalho, foram investigados efeitos de condições especiais como o envelhecimento e a Doença de Parkinson no controle de movimentos reversos do cotovelo, realizados com um atraso variável entre a ida (Ml) e a volta (M2) do mesmo. Outro objetivo foi verificar se o ciclo de alongamento-encurtamento (CAE) age como potencializador da contração muscular nessa população. Foram recrutados 12 voluntários, sendo seis sujeitos saudáveis (três homens e três mulheres) com idades entre 51 e 71 anos (Média = 62.33 e DP = 8.95) e seis portadores da doença de Parkinson (três homens e três mulheres) com idades entre 59 e 77 anos (Média = 68.66 e DP = 7.47). Eles realizaram movimentos uni-articulares rápidos de reversão com o cotovelo, que se movia em direção à um alvo (Ml) e depois retomava à posição inicial (M2). Esses movimentos foram realizados em três diferentes distâncias (20°, 40° e 60°) e entre os dois componentes (Ml e M2) foi realizado um atraso variável (Os, 0.2s, 0.5s e ls). O deslocamento angular do cotovelo foi registrado por um sistema óptico de análise do movimento (OPTOTRAK@ 3020) e a atividade elétrica dos músculos braquiorradial (BRR) e cabeça lateral do tríceps braquial (TR) foi registrada através de um eletromiógrafo EMG DelSYS (modelo DE2.2L) com eletrodos de superficie. O envelhecimento saudável não influenciou os padrões EMG utilizados por esses indivíduos para ativar os músculos agonista e antagonista na realização de movimentos uni-articulares com reversão com diferentes atrasos. A velocidade dos movimentos executados por esses indivíduos foi mais baixa devido ao uso de um padrão semelhante aos sujeitos jovens, porém com uma menor quantidade de ativação. Os parkinsonianos moveram mais lentamente que os idosos saudáveis e indivíduos saudáveis devido a algumas alterações na modulação da atividade EMG. Apesar de apresentarem a manutenção do padrão trifásico, a atividade elétrica dos músculos ocorreu na forma de vários bursts altemantes durante toda a realização da tarefa, o que provocou uma redução na quantidade de ativida elétrica dos músculos. Os parkinsonianos não reduziram a magnitude do segundo burst agoninos movimentos sem atraso, o que trouxe uma dificuldade maior para reverter os moviment< Por fim, notou-se que os indivíduos portadores da doença de Parkinson relaxavam menos a SI musculatura e iniciavam o retomo à posição inicial necessitando de uma atividade maior do 1 para gerar uma velocidade igual à dos indivíduos saudáveis, o que não aconteceu. ( movimentos que reverteram sem atraso apresentaram um valor maior da velocidade movimento de retomo à posição inicial, mesmo nos portadores da doença de Parkinso confirmando a ação potencializadora do ciclo de alongamento-encurtamento (CAE) sobre músculo tríceps. Isso suporta a influência, tanto dos reflexos (gerados pelo estiramento muscula quanto da energia potencial armazenada pelo músculo e tendão, que têm suas origens na fa: excêntrica do CAE e são liberados no movimento de volta (fase concêntrica). Palavras-chave: Movimentos reversos, doença de Parkinson, ciclo de alongamento encurtamento, eletromiografia e cinemática / Abstract: Within this study were investigated the effects of special conditions like aging and the Parkinson's disease on the control ofreversal movements ofthe elbow joint performed with a variable delay between the two components (Ml and M2) ofreversal. Another aim was to verify if the stretch-shortening cycle exerts his potentiating effects on muscular contraction in this population. To perform these observations, 12 volunteers were recruited. Six of them (3 males and 3 females) were normal at their neurological assessment and were between 51 and 71 years of age (Mean = 62.33 e S.D.= 8.95), and the other six (3 males and 3 females) had been diagnosised with Parkinson disease and were between 59 and 77 years old (Mean = 68.66 e S.D. = 7.47). They executed fast single-joint movements with a reversal, moving towards a target (Ml) and getting back to the initial position (M2). These movements were accomplished in three different distances (20°, 40° and 60°) and between the two components ofreversal (Ml e M2) there were variable delays (Os, 0.2s, 0.5s eIs). The elbow angle was recorded using a optoelectric system of motion analysis (OPTOTRAK@ 3020) and the electrical activity of braquioradialis (BRR) and lateral head of triceps brachi (TR) muscles were recorded by a electromyograph EMG DelSYS (model DE2.2L) with surface electrodes placed over the muscles bellies. The aging did not affect the EMG patterns used by these persons in activating the agonist and antagonist muscles to accomplish single-joint movements with a delay between the movements toward the target and the return to the initial position. The velocity of movements executed by the elder1y volunteers was lower due to the fact that the same strategy applied to young hea1thy persons was used, however with less EMG activity. The volunteers with Parkinson's disease moved slower than the heaIthy elderly and young subjects due to aIterations in the modulation of EMG activity. Altough they kept the triphasic pattern, the EMG showed multiple bursts that aItemated during the task accomplishmen~ which decreased the amount of ellectricaI activity. Besides, they did not reduce the magnitude of second agonist burst in the reversaI movements without delay, what made the reversion harder. FinaIly, it was noticed that the parkinsonians showed less relaxation of his muscles during the intervaI between TI-T4, and started the return movement needing more TR activity to produce the same velocity, when compared to heaIthy persons, which was not the case. Those movements that reverted with no delay showed higher values concerning the second peak ofvelocity, even within the volunteers with Parkinson disease, sustaining the potentianting action of SSC over the triceps muscle. This effect comes from the influence of reflexes (generated by the muscle stretching), as well as the storage of elastic energy in the muscle and tendon in the eccentric phase of SSC, which are released at the movement of returning (concentric phase) / Mestrado / Fisiologia / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular