To date, the exercise-induced immune response in has only been evaluated in subjects performing aerobic exercise. The primary purpose of this study is to determine if repeated bouts of anaerobic exercise will induce a similar immune response in human subjects as exhibited by aerobic exercise. Secondary to immune function, an analysis of performance from trial to trial will be made. Nine males between the ages of 18-25 were selected on a volunteer basis to participate in this study. Subjects performed Wingate tests set in 3 series with 120 seconds between trials within series and 405 seconds between series for an exercise duration of 30 minutes. Blood samples were taken again immediately post test, and 1 hour post test and analyzed for cytokine secretion, epinephrine, and Caspase-3. The present study found that repeated bouts of anaerobic exercise did not alter immune function.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-08-31T14:54:02Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) AVALIAÇÃO DO BRONCOESPASMO INDUZIDO POR EXERCÍCIO EM RINÍTICOS NÃO ASMÁTICOS - EDIL DE ALBUQUERQU.pdf: 3820113 bytes, checksum: c21e0ff0d89c8a2255c71a63f439e88b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-31T14:54:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) AVALIAÇÃO DO BRONCOESPASMO INDUZIDO POR EXERCÍCIO EM RINÍTICOS NÃO ASMÁTICOS - EDIL DE ALBUQUERQU.pdf: 3820113 bytes, checksum: c21e0ff0d89c8a2255c71a63f439e88b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / CAPEs / As queixas respiratórias após exercício físico são comuns em riniticos, asmáticos e em indivíduos sem estas doenças. Uma das causa é o broncoespasmo induzido pelo exercício (BIE), definido como o estreitamento dos brônquios após exercício físico vigoroso. Estes sintomas podem limitar as atividades destes adolescentes e acarretar em consequências negativas nas atividades diárias e na qualidade de vida. O objetivo principal desse estudo foi avaliar a prevalência do BIE em riníticos não asmáticos e comparar as respostas no volume expiratório forçado no 1º segundo (VEF1) aos testes de Hiperventilação Eucápnica Voluntária (HEV) e Corrida em esteira (CE). Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo, analítico, inferencial, transversal, para avaliação de prevalência, com amostras por conveniência de indivíduos dos 10 aos 20 anos de idade, realizado no Serviço de Pneumologia do Hospital das Clínicas - UFPE. Foram mensuradas variáveis antropométricas (peso e estatura), e aplicados questionários para avaliação da gravidade da rinite, asma no passado e de queixas respiratórias aos exercícios. O VEF1 foi determinado em duplicata através da espirometria, antes e aos 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 e 30 minutos após cada teste diagnóstico. Para o teste da CE, os indivíduos realizaram o exercício por um período de oito a nove minutos, sendo que nos seis minutos finais deveria manter a frequência cardíaca alvo (estimada em 80% a 90% da FC máxima : 220- idade). Para a realização da HEV, os indivíduos realizaram uma manobra de hiperventilação durante seis minutos, respirando ar seco adicionado de 5% de CO2, com uma ventilação minuto alvo de 21 vezes o seu VEF1 basal. O BIE foi diagnosticado quando houve uma redução > 10% do valor basal detectado em dois momentos consecutivos após a provocação. Resultados: Foram estudados 35 indivíduos testados com média da idade de 16,3 + 3,6 anos. O BIE foi diagnosticado em 13 sujeitos (37%) por um dos dois métodos ou ambos. Em 9 indivíduos após a CE e em 10 após a HEV e em 6 por ambos, mostrando uma concordância moderada entre os métodos (Kappa = 0,489). O VEF1 basal expresso como percentual do predito foi maior naqueles indivíduos com testes negativos que nos positivos (101% e 85%, p<0,02 para a CE e 101% versus 85%, p< 0,001 para a HEV) e não foram verificadas diferenças na frequência cardíaca máxima alcançada entre os sujeitos com teste positivo e negativo na corrida em esteira e nem na ventilação atingida quando os pacientes foram submetidos à HEV. Conclusão: A prevalência do BIE em pacientes com rinite em nossa região é comparável àquelas descritas na literatura mais recente. Houve uma concordância moderada entre os testes empregados para o diagnóstico do BIE, o que indica cautela quando se pretende comparar os dois métodos ou mesmo considerar seus resultados de forma intercambiável. / Respiratory complaints after exercise are common in rhinitis, asthma, and in individuals without these diseases. One cause is exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), defined as the narrowing of the bronchi after strenuous exercise. These symptoms can limit the activities of these adolescents and result in negative consequences in daily activities and quality of life. The main objective was to evaluate the prevalence of EIB and compare the answers in FEV1 to eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation testing (EVH) and Treadmill running (TR) in rhinitis but non-asthmatic patients. Methods: We conducted a descriptive, analytical, inferential, cross-sectional study, to assess EIB prevalence with a convenience samples of 10 to 20 year- old patients, held at the Pulmonology Department of Hospital das Clínicas – UFPE – Recife/Brazil. Anthropometric variables were measured (height and weight), and questionnaires to evaluate the severity of rhinitis, past asthma history and respiratory complaints on exercise. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was determined in duplicate before and at 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 30 minutes after each diagnostic test. For TR test, subjects performed the exercise for a period of eight to nine minutes, in the final six minutes should maintain the target heart rate (estimated at 80% to 90% of maximum heart rate: 220- age). To perform the EVH, individuals sustained a hyperventilation maneuver breathing dry air enriched with 5% CO2 for six minutes with minute ventilation target at 21 times their baseline FEV1. EIB was diagnosed when there was a reduction > 10% from baseline FEV1 value detected at two consecutive times after challenges. Results: Of the 35 included subjects the mean age was 16.3 + 3,6 years. EIB was diagnosed in 13 patients (37%) by one of the two methods or both. In nine individuals after TR and 10 after EVH and in 6 by both methods, showing a moderate agreement between the methods (Kappa = 0.489). Baseline FEV1 expressed as a percentage of predicted was higher in those with negative tests com testes negativos (101% and 85%, p<0,02 for TR and 101% versus 85%, p< 0,001 for EVH) but no differences were observed in maximum heart rate achieved among patients with positive and negative treadmill tests nor the ventilation achieved when patients underwent EVH. Conclusion: The prevalence of EIB in patients with rhinitis in our region is comparable to those described in the most recent literature. There was a moderate agreement between the tests, which suggests that we have to be cautious when trying to compare them or when considering its results interchangeably.

Skeletal muscle is prone to damage from a range of stimuli. The muscle repair process that ensues is complex, involving several phases and requiring the participation of many different cell types. Among the cells involved are various immune cells including neutrophils, macrophages, monocytes, and eosinophils. More recently, T cells were added to this list of immune cells known to participate in effective muscle repair from traumatic injuries in mice. We recently published data showing that T cells also accumulate in human muscle following contraction-induced damage. These data suggested that T cells might be involved an adaptation known as the repeated bout effect that renders muscle protected from future damage after an initial exposure. This document contains research on the role of the immune system, particularly T cells, in the "repeated bout effect."

The overall aim of this doctoral research was to study competitive and high performance endurance athletes’ experiences and management of exercise-induced pain (EIP), mental performance (i.e., self-regulation, mindfulness), mental health, and mental illness symptoms. A mixed methods experimental design guided by the pragmatic stance was employed across three studies to (a) investigate how elite endurance athletes experience and manage EIP (Study 1), (b) compare the effectiveness of an online self-regulation and mindfulness intervention in improving EIP catastrophizing, mental performance (i.e., self-regulation, mindfulness), mental health, and mental illness symptoms in middle-distance runners (Study 2), and (c) qualitatively examine the impact of the online intervention focusing on self-regulation or mindfulness and designed to help endurance athletes improve EIP management, mental performance (i.e., self-regulation and mindfulness), and mental health (Study 3). Study 1. With a paucity of research investigating EIP management in elite endurance sports, the purpose of Study 1 was to examine how elite endurance athletes experience and manage EIP, using an applied self-regulation lens to help inform the work of Mental Performance Consultants (MPCs). Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 female and 3 male athletes (Mage = 23.73, SD = 2.31) competing in track and field (i.e., 600-1500 m; n = 5), swimming (i.e., 200-400 m; n = 5), and canoe kayak (i.e., 500-1000 m; n = 5). Given the centrality of self-regulation and the necessity to effectively manage internal states (e.g., EIP) in elite sport, the social cognitive model of self-regulation was employed to guide Study 1. The codebook thematic analysis generated two themes and six subthemes (i.e., sensations [burning, tightness, heaviness], beliefs [detrimental, mental, progressive]) related to the experience of EIP as well as three themes and 17 subthemes (i.e., preparation [accept and commit to EIP, recall sources of self-efficacy, develop a segmented performance plan, be accountable to training partners or coach, expose yourself to EIP when training, expose yourself to EIP when warming up, use imagery, implement typical pre-performance routine; execution [direct attention away from EIP, use instructional/motivational self-talk, implement a segmented performance plan, regulate breathing and relax, accelerate pace, self-monitor]; evaluation [reflect using a training journal, identify possible explanations, talk with a coach]) related to the management of EIP. Findings suggest that the experience of EIP is highly cognitive and generally perceived as detrimental to performance if not effectively managed. Athletes used several psychological strategies to prepare to experience EIP, reduce the aversive effects of EIP while performing, and learn from their EIP management strategies to improve their coping capacity. In terms of the number of reported psychological strategies, findings suggest that those used to prepare to experience EIP seem to be a priority. In general, the most popular strategies pertained to accepting and committing to experiencing EIP and directing attention away from EIP. Novel strategies not typically reported in the literature included exposing oneself to EIP when warming up, being accountable to training partners or coaches, using imagery to rehearse reactions to EIP, and accelerating one’s pace. Importantly, combining self-regulation and mindfulness strategies appears to be key to effectively manage EIP. Study 2. No research has compared the impact of online sport psychology interventions on various outcomes affecting endurance athletes while employing an active control group. The purpose of Study 2 was therefore to compare the effectiveness of an online self-regulation and mindfulness intervention in improving EIP catastrophizing, mental performance (i.e., self-regulation, mindfulness), mental health, and mental illness symptoms in middle-distance runners. Using a pre-post experimental design, 61 middle-distance runners competing at provincial to international levels were allocated to either a self-regulation, mindfulness, or active control group using stratified randomization. They completed a pre-intervention survey measuring EIP catastrophizing, mental performance (i.e., self-regulation capacity, dispositional mindfulness), mental health, and mental illness symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression, and eating disorder). A final sample of 52 participants (i.e., 17 self-regulation, 19 mindfulness, and 16 active control) completed the interventions and a post-intervention survey measuring the same outcomes addressed in the pre-intervention survey. Contrary to hypotheses, results from multiple mixed ANOVAs indicated that while mean scores trended in the positive direction between Time 1 and Time 2, the self-regulation and mindfulness interventions did not significantly differ from the active control intervention on the targeted outcomes. Interestingly, when excluding athletes who screened positive for mental illness symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression, and/or eating disorder), the active control intervention was more effective in reducing anxiety symptoms than the mindfulness intervention. Overall, the self-regulation and mindfulness interventions were not any more effective than the active control intervention in improving the selected outcomes. Study 3. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the impact of the online sport psychology intervention from Study 2, which focused on either self-regulation or mindfulness and was designed to help endurance athletes improve EIP management, mental performance (i.e., self-regulation, mindfulness), and mental health. A sample of 16 middle-distance runners (i.e., 11 women and 5 men) aged between 18 to 25 years old (Mage = 21.31, SD = 2.18) who participated in the eight-module SI or MI were purposefully selected based on their high, moderate, and low pre-post evolution scores. The codebook thematic analysis generated three themes and 13 subthemes (i.e., EIP management [reframing, understanding, self-talk, segmented performance plan]; mental performance [attention regulation, motivation, self-monitoring, self-efficacy, acceptance, defusion]; mental health [self-compassion, autonomy, support]) related to the participants’ perceived changes as well as three themes and seven subthemes (i.e., delivery format [asynchronous, synchronous], content [applicability, audio and video files, examples, metaphors], timing [alignment with competitive season]) related to participants’ recommendations. Findings suggest that both the self-regulation and mindfulness intervention positively impacted EIP management, mental performance, and mental health. Self-regulation and mindfulness should therefore be seen as complementary rather than conflicting or incompatible approaches. Furthermore, athletes reported that their EIP literacy and EIP management skills were limited at the onset of the intervention. Consequently, an educational component should continue to be integrated in future interventions to provide an overview of EIP and relevant mental performance skills to manage it. Given the prevalence of stressors and mental health challenges in competitive and high performance sport, screening for both positive mental health and mental illness symptoms at the onset of interventions is recommended so that athletes partaking in applied sport psychology studies can obtain appropriate mental health care and support as needed. Lastly, a hybrid delivery format incorporating both asynchronous and synchronous options may be the most effective when providing online sport psychology interventions. Overall, the findings of the current doctoral research suggest that both self-regulation and mindfulness strategies positively impact EIP management, mental performance, and mental health in endurance athletes. This inquiry is also the first to quantitatively and qualitatively compare the effectiveness of an online asynchronous self-regulation and mindfulness intervention in improving key outcomes affecting endurance athletes. With increased applied research and mental performance consulting occurring virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital to continue examining the quality and impact of online interventions on athletes.

This thesis is comprised of two studies. The objective of the first study was to find the frequency response and stiffness of the biceps brachii muscle group during recovery from exercise induced damage and to determine whether these data could be used to track muscle recovery by correlating changes in the frequency response with changes in muscle stiffness. Stiffness moduli were collected using Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) which were then applied to a proportional first mode frequency analysis. Data were collected for the muscle stiffness and frequency response for fifteen subjects (25.6 +- 4.5). By comparing the proportion of the square root of the SWE results, the variation in stiffness showed a less than 2 Hz change in first mode resonance for the control group. Frequency response results for the control group agreed with the modified SWE results and the proportion analysis. SWE results for the damage protocol group showed an average increase of 4 Hz. Frequency response results for the damage protocol group were sorted into three categories: three subjects had a change in frequency of peaks of at least 4 Hz in the positive direction; four subjects had an increase in amplitude, but no change in frequency of peaks; three subjects showed mixed responses like fewer resonance peaks, variable amplitudes, changes in peak bandwidth. This research allowed for the documentation of the in-vivo frequency response of the biceps brachii muscle. We believe that the frequency response of a muscle group may be used in the future to evaluate recovery from exercise induced damage. Lessons learned were also recorded for helping future studies in their efforts using an SLDV with human body testing.The second study focused on finding the effects on the surface velocity of tissue above and below a region of the lower leg wrapped in an elastic band when excited by an external source. Ten male subjects between the ages of 18-25 were seated in a chair with one foot placed on a vibrating platform. Two excitation frequencies were separately applied while three points along the leg were measured. A repeatability analysis, using results without the leg wrap, showed a 6.5%, 2.5%, and 10.5% variance in the x-, y-, and z-directions respectively, applying a 20 Hz frequency. With a 40 Hz frequency, the variations were 24%, 23.8%, and 28.4% respectively. A change in displacement of +38% and +10% occurred above the knee in the x-direction with 40 Hz and in the y-direction with 20 Hz, respectively. A change in displacement of -20% occurred below the knee in the x-direction with 20 Hz. A change in displacement of -24% occurred below the wrap location in the y-direction with 40Hz. With a confidence interval of 93%, surface velocity of the tissue located above the wrap increased, while the surface velocity of the tissue below the wrap decreased.

The main focus of our research was to compare changes in ion excretion in urine, osmolality, indicators of exercise-induced proteinuria and tubular markers before and after dynamic exercise on a bicycle ergometer. The test sample consisted of 7 healthy, physically active women aged 27.4 years ( σ = 3.82 ). For dynamic exercise we uniformly set parameters 65 % VO2max and duration of load in 50 minutes. We compared the laboratory results of urine samples taken just before the exercise with urinary samples that we have collected immediately after exercise. The results of our measurements showed a significant changes in exercise-induced urinary sodium ions, creatinine and phosphorus. Statistically insignificant changes excretion was found between markers: chlorine, urine, osmolality, and N-acetyl-beta- d-glucosaminidase. These markers, however, show a trend the significance. Statistically insignificant changes after exercise have shown excretion of urinary markers: potassium, gelatinase-associated lipocalin, neutrophil microalbuminuria and alpha-1-microglobulin. Tubular markers of kidney damage after exercise is not at the reference values, that would indicate the tubular kidney damage.

Title: Occurrence and Prevention of Asthma in Youth Division Cross-country Skiers Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to determine the incidence of asthma in youth division cross-country skiers and its prevention. Methods: This thesis will comprise the method of survey and content analysis of documents. Hypotheses: No.1 Assume that asthma will have lower prevalence in youth division cross- country skiers than in adult cross-country skiers. No.2 Assume that the majority of the surveyed cross-country skiing coaches met with asthmatic symptoms in their athletes. Results: We found that 12% of youth division athletes suffer from asthma and 24% from allergies. Keywords: cross country skiing, respiratory diseases, bronchial asthma, exercise-induced asthma, allergy prevention.

The primary purpose of this doctoral dissertation was to investigate the effect of body temperature responses at physiologically relevant sites during an incremental exercise test on the phenomenon of exercise-induced hypoxemia (EIH). This phenomenon has been considered as an important limitation to physical performance with a prevalence of ~50 % in trained male athletes, but described in both sexes, across the range of both age and physical fitness in more recent literature. Previously this phenomenon has been described as a decrement in both arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO₂) and oxy-haemoglobin saturation (SaO₂or SpO₂) with, particularly important for PaO₂, a lack of or inappropriate correction made for the change in body temperature during intense exercise. The initial study of this thesis determined the thermal response within the body at physiologically relevant sites measured simultaneously during an incremental exercise test. The results demonstrated the inadequacy of rectal temperature as an indicator of the acute temperature changes occurring during an incremental exercise test due to its slow response rate and relative thermal inertia. Radial arterial blood and oesophageal temperatures were shown to behave almost identically during the exercise test, albeit with an offset of approximately 1.3ºC, and were considered much more appropriate and relevant indicators of thermal changes during exercise. As an extension of the initial work active muscle temperature (vastus lateralis) was measured during the exercise test, demonstrating a significantly lower resting temperature than the oft-reported “core” temperatures (rectal and oesophageal) as well as a significantly greater increase in temperature in comparison to all other measurement sites. Overall, the results of this first study indicated that the physiologically relevant temperatures measured at the oesophageal and muscle sites differed markedly to the outdated rectal temperature measurement site and should be used as measures of thermal response when evaluating oxygen loading (oesophageal) or unloading (active muscle). Utilising the definition of EIH as a decrease in PaO₂ of ≥ 10 mmHg, the effect of temperature correcting PaO₂ was evaluated in the second study. Arterial blood gases measured simultaneously to the temperature measurements during the incremental exercise test were adjusted for the temperature changes at each site (every 1ºC increase in temperature will increase a PaO₂ value by ~5 mmHg). Whilst uncorrected PaO₂ values indicated an almost 100% prevalence of EIH in this group, oesophageal temperature corrected PaO₂ values decreased this prevalence to ~50% while muscle temperature corrections resolved all cases of EIH and demonstrated an HYPEROXAEMIA (i.e. the reverse of the well-established phenomenon) in the majority of subjects. Further investigation of arterial oxygen content during the exercise test indicates that there is no disruption in the delivery of oxygen to the active muscles and therefore any performance decrement should be attributed to another mechanism. Whilst the phenomenon of EIH is determined by the definition applied and the use of temperature corrections in the case of PaO₂, its reproducibility in a test-retest situation had not previously been determined. Utilising a subset of previously tested subjects, the reproducibility of both temperature and PaO₂ were determined with results indicating that the blood gas response was highly reproducible, especially the minimum PaO₂ value noted during each exercise test. However, comparing a more statistically relevant definition of a change in PaO₂ of ± 2 standard deviations from the mean resting PaO₂ to the previous delimiter of 10 mmHg indicated a lesser reproducibility of the prevalence of EIH. In summary, this thesis exposes the inadequacies of previous research into EIH with regard to the expected reproducibility of the phenomenon and the need to correctly adjust PaO₂ values for exercise-induce hyperthermia as well as demonstrating the difference in thermal responses to acute exercise in physiologically significant areas of the body. Furthermore, previously described correlations between the change in PaO₂ and VO₂ max were not evident in the subjects tested within this thesis, nor was there any indication of a diffusion limitation based on reduced pulmonary capillary transit time (by association with VO₂ max) or pulmonary oedema (rebuked by a rapid return of PaO₂ to above resting levels following exercise cessation). / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1320633 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, 2008

Estudiamos 24 niños de entre 6 y 14 años que comenzaron a tomar Montelukast para el control del broncoespasmo inducido por ejercicio tras ser diagnosticados con la prueba de ejercicio físico en tapiz rodante, 12 de ellos por la mañana y 12 por la noche. Después de catorce días se invirtió la hora de la toma tras realizar una nueva prueba de ejercicio en tapiz. Tras otros catorce días, 28 en total, se realiza la prueba de ejercicio final. Encontramos una significativa disminución en la caída del FEV1 del 32% para la mañana y la noche sin diferencias entre las horas de toma al estudiar la máxima caída del FEV1 ni el Área bajo la curva para este parámetro. Montelukast tiene la misma efectividad cuando se toma por la mañana o la noche. Supone un índice de protección para el FEV1 del 32%, tras tomarlo entre 14 y 28 días. / Montelukast was recommended to be taken in the evening with no evidence for that recommendation. We studied 24 children between 6 and 14 years of age to test whether the timing of the administration modified the effectiveness of Montelukast to control exercise induced bronchospasm (EIB). Children diagnosed of EIB after performing a challenge test using standardized exercise on a treadmill, received treatment for a total of 28 days in two periods of 14 days in a clinical trial with a cross over design. Dosage administration were randomly assigned to the morning or night for half the children in each study phase. Montelukast was equally effective to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm irrespective of the timing of its administration.

Performance of a series of eccentric contractions produces adverse effects including muscle weakness, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), fluid accumulation and decreased muscle function. The repeated bout effect is a physiological adaptation observed when a single-bout of eccentric exercise protects against muscle damage from subsequent eccentric bouts. Similar to the repeated bout effect, increases in flexibility have been linked to attenuations in acute muscle damage, muscle fatigue and strength loss after eccentric exercise. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the muscle physiological responses to eccentric strength training after first priming the muscles with either a period of static flexibility training or a single intense bout of eccentric exercise performed weeks earlier; and compare these to the responses from eccentric strength training when no prior intervention is administered. Methods: Twenty-five participants were randomly assigned to a flexibility (F) (n=8), a single-bout (SB) (n=9), or a control (C) (n=8) group. The design consisted of two 4-week phases; 1) priming intervention, 2) eccentric training. The priming intervention included static stretching (3x/week; 30mins/day) (F), a single-bout of eccentric exercise (SB) or no priming intervention (C). All groups proceeded to complete eccentric training of the knee flexors using isotonic contractions (%load progressively increased over training period) on a dynamometer following the priming intervention phase. Testing was completed at baseline, post-priming intervention and post-eccentric training, in conjunction with data being collected during the acute eccentric training phase (0hr, 24hr, 48hr; post-bout 1 and 4). Dependent measures included muscle thickness, isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), eccentric and concentric MVC, optimal angle, active range of motion (ROM), passive ROM, maximal power, electromyography (EMG) and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Results: Acute data during the eccentric training phase revealed a significant reduction in DOMS for both the F and SB groups compared to the C following the first bout of eccentric exercise (p<0.05). The F also had reduced soreness in comparison to both the SB and C post fourth bout of eccentric exercise (p<0.05). The F group demonstrated attenuated loss in isometric strength (post fourth bout) and maximal power (post first bout) during eccentric training compared to the C group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between groups across all dependent variables following the eccentric training phase. Conclusion: This is the first study to directly compare the protective effects observed with static flexibility training to that of a single-bout of eccentric exercise throughout a subsequent eccentric training regime. Although differences in muscle soreness, strength and maximal power occurred during the acute stages of eccentric training, there appeared to be no significant advantage of either protective priming method at the end of eccentric training.