Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Akhmad Fajri Widodo, Cheng-Wen Tien, Chien-Wei Chen, Shih-Chiung Lai
Summary: Hamstring weakness is associated with an increased risk of hamstring strain. Isotonic and isometric exercises can improve hamstring strength and enhance the muscles' ability to resist force and produce power. Low intensity, high repetition exercises can prevent sports injuries and enhance athletic performance.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Thiago Santos Rosa, Hugo Luca Correa, Lysleine Alves Deus, Whitley Stone, Andrea Lucena Reis, Andre Bonadias Gadelha, Thais Branquinho de Araujo, Paulo Roberto Silva Junior, Milton Rocha Moraes, Jose Adeirton Bezerra Silva, Carmen Tzanno-Martins, Herbert Gustavo Simoes, Jonato Prestes, Rodrigo Vanerson Passos Neves
Summary: The study compared the effects of dynamic and isometric resistance training on HD patients, finding that dynamic resistance training was more effective in improving glycemic homeostasis, lipid profile, and NO levels, while isometric resistance training only improved strength.
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Jaison L. Wynne, Alex M. Ehlert, Patrick B. Wilson
Summary: The study found that consuming a mixed-macronutrient meal 4 hours before a 70-minute soccer competition does not increase gut symptoms and can have similar ergogenic effects as a high-carbohydrate meal.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Sara Gould, Chase Cawyer, Louis Dell'Italia, Lorie Harper, Gerald McGwin, Marcas Bamman
Summary: The study found that there was no significant reduction in placental blood flow during resistance training in pregnant women, and in fact there was a slight increase in blood flow during lifting. This has important implications for understanding the impact of exercise on the fetus in pregnant women.
SPORTS HEALTH-A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
(2021)
Review
Peripheral Vascular Disease
B. Baffour-Awuah, M. J. Pearson, G. Dieberg, N. A. Smart
Summary: This study analyzed the data from multiple trials and found that isometric resistance training (IRT) can effectively lower systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure in people with hypertension. However, IRT does not have a significant effect on 24-hour mean ambulatory blood pressures.
CURRENT HYPERTENSION REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Elizabeth C. Ott, Clay A. Cavinder, Shangshang Wang, Trent Smith, Caleb O. Lemley, Thu T. N. Dinh
Summary: The current study demonstrates that horses exposed to increased physical stress experience changes in oxidative stress biomarkers. Prolonged exposure to stress can result in adaptation of the stress response. Regular exposure to physical stressors may negatively impact the performance of equine athletes.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Harrison J. Hansford, Belinda J. Parmenter, Kelly A. McLeod, Michael A. Wewege, Neil A. Smart, Aletta E. Schutte, Matthew D. Jones
Summary: Isometric resistance training (IRT) has been shown to reduce blood pressure, including office, central, and 24-hour blood pressure, but the certainty of the results is low, and further high-quality trials are needed to confirm these findings.
HYPERTENSION RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Sport Sciences
Jamie Edwards, Anthony De Caux, James Donaldson, Jonathan Wiles, Jamie O'Driscoll
Summary: The study found that isometric exercise training (IET) is more effective in reducing resting blood pressure compared to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), but the latter has greater benefits in reducing resting heart rate.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Michael J. Davies, Benjamin Drury, Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo, Helmi Chaabane, Jason Moran
Summary: The study examined the impact of biological maturation on female youth's response to plyometric training, finding that plyometric training can enhance countermovement jump and reactive strength index in female youth, with the magnitude of adaptation possibly influenced by maturation status.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Silvia Rocha-Rodrigues, Monica Sousa, Patricia Lourenco Reis, Cesar Leao, Beatriz Cardoso-Marinho, Marta Massada, Jose Afonso
Summary: Women have specific physiological characteristics influenced by sex hormones and the menstrual cycle, which have complex bidirectional relationships with exercise and nutritional intake. Individualized interventions are necessary as the effects of menstrual cycle phases on exercise and nutrition vary greatly between individuals, making average data irrelevant and potentially misleading.
Article
Physiology
Martijn Gabler, Hermine S. Berberyan, Olaf Prieske, Marije T. Elferink-Gemser, Tibor Hortobagyi, Torsten Warnke, Urs Granacher
Summary: The study found that low intensity, high volume training had greater effects on the sport-specific performance and muscular endurance of young kayakers and canoeists compared to moderate intensity, low volume training.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Physiology
Regula Furrer, John A. Hawley, Christoph Handschin
Summary: Human skeletal muscle exhibits remarkable plasticity, adapting to various external stimuli, including contractile loading. However, our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing muscle plasticity across different exercise levels is incomplete. As a result, training methods for elite athletes are often based on trial and error, with post hoc scientific research being informed by successful coaches and athletes' experiences. This review provides an overview of morphological and functional changes, as well as molecular mechanisms underlying exercise adaptation, with a focus on genetic and individual differences in exercise capacity and performance, particularly in aging athletes. Overall, it comprehensively explores skeletal muscle plasticity in response to different modes of exercise and its translation from molecules to medals.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mohsen Javidi, Sajad Ahmadizad, Hassan Argani, Abdolrahman Najafi, Khosrow Ebrahim, Narges Salehi, Yasaman Javidi, Linda S. Pescatello, Alireza Jowhari, Daniel A. Hackett
Summary: This study compared the effects of lower- versus higher-intensity isometric handgrip exercise on resting blood pressure and clinical markers in adults with hypertension. The results show that handgrip exercise can effectively lower blood pressure and improve clinical markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEVELOPMENT AND DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Txomin Perez-Bilbao, Maria Alonso-Duenas, Alejandro F. San Juan, Susana Bezares, Lucia Gil Herrero, Marina Pollan, Pablo Gonzalez-Frutos, Ana B. Peinado, Soraya Casla-Barrio
Summary: This case study follows the performance of an elite athlete during cancer treatment. It contributes to the knowledge of applied physiology by providing details of her training program and demonstrating the athlete's ability to continue training and competing at a high level during antineoplastic treatment. While exercise training improved body composition, it failed to restore previous cardiorespiratory, muscle strength and power, and running performance levels.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Per Thomas Byrkjedal, Atle Thunshelle, Matt Spencer, Live Steinnes Luteberget, Andreas Ivarsson, Fredrik Tonstad Varvik, Koldbjorn Lindberg, Thomas Bjornsen
Summary: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of autoregulating strength training volume based on an objective or a subjective method in professional male football players. The results showed that both the autoregulated and self-selected training methods were effective in maintaining and improving physical and external load performance in the players.
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Alyssa-Joy Spence, Eric R. Helms, Michael R. McGuigan
Summary: This study examined the stretching practices of competitive powerlifters and found that over 50% of the surveyed athletes performed stretching. Most powerlifters programmed their own stretching routines and a significant number of them conducted static stretching before training.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Alyssa-Joy Spence, Eric R. Helms, Colby A. Sousa, Michael R. McGuigan
Summary: Previous research has shown that male powerlifters have less range of motion in certain movements compared to sedentary males. This study aims to compare the strength and range of motion of male powerlifters and recreationally strength-trained males, and determine if range of motion can predict strength in these groups.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Joshua C. Pelland, Zac P. Robinson, Jacob F. Remmert, Rebecca M. Cerminaro, Brian Benitez, Thomas A. John, Eric R. Helms, Michael C. Zourdos
Summary: Resistance training variables such as volume, load, and frequency are well defined, but the measurement of proximity to failure lacks consistent methods. This review discusses the strengths and weaknesses of current quantification methods for proximity to failure and proposes future directions for researchers and practitioners.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ivan Jukic, Eric R. Helms, Michael R. McGuigan, Amador Garcia-Ramos
Summary: This study compares the effects of different set configurations on acute neuromuscular performance and suggests that cluster and rest redistribution sets can effectively reduce fatigue-related velocity loss in resistance training. These set configurations can be used as alternatives to training prescription based on velocity loss threshold.
Review
Sport Sciences
Martin C. Refalo, Eric R. Helms, D. Lee Hamilton, Jackson J. Fyfe
Summary: The influence of proximity-to-failure on physiological adaptations and short-term responses to resistance training (RT) remains uncertain. Limited evidence suggests that RT to set failure may not be superior to non-failure RT for inducing muscle hypertrophy, but may exacerbate neuromuscular fatigue, muscle damage, and perceived discomfort.
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Sport Sciences
Andrew King, Eric Helms, Caryn Zinn, Ivan Jukic
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of carbohydrate ingestion on resistance training performance. The results showed that carbohydrate ingestion can enhance overall performance, especially when training sessions last longer than 45 minutes and the fasting duration is at least 8 hours. Additionally, carbohydrate ingestion has an impact on post-exercise blood lactate and glucose. The number of maximal effort sets performed moderates the effect of carbohydrate ingestion on resistance training performance.
Review
Sport Sciences
Ivan Jukic, Alejandro Perez Castilla, Amador Garcia-Ramos, Bas Van Hooren, Michael R. McGuigan, Eric R. Helms
Summary: This systematic review examined the relationship between velocity loss (VL) experienced during resistance training and various acute and chronic responses. The findings suggest that there is a graded relationship between VL and training volume, neuromuscular responses, metabolic responses, and perceptual responses. The choice of exercise, load, and individual factors can modulate these relationships. Higher VL thresholds are more effective for muscle hypertrophy, while lower VL thresholds are more beneficial for jumping, sprinting, and velocity against submaximal loads performance.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ville Isola, Juha J. Hulmi, Pirita Petaejae, Eric R. Helms, Jari E. Karppinen, Juha P. Ahtiainen
Summary: This study investigated sex differences in body composition, resting energy expenditure, and hormonal changes among physique athletes during competition preparation. The results showed that both male and female athletes experienced decreases in fat mass and subcutaneous fat thickness, with males also losing lean mass. Weight loss, decreased energy intake, and increased aerobic exercise led to adaptive thermogenesis. Leptin levels decreased in both sexes, but more so in females due to higher baseline levels.
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Martin C. Refalo, Eric R. Helms, Eric T. Trexler, D. Lee Hamilton, Jackson J. Fyfe
Summary: This systematic review with meta-analysis investigated the influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on muscle hypertrophy. The results suggest that resistance training performed to momentary muscular failure is not superior to non-failure resistance training for muscle hypertrophy, and higher velocity loss thresholds do not always elicit greater muscle hypertrophy. There is evidence for a potential non-linear relationship between proximity-to-failure and muscle hypertrophy.
Article
Physiology
Ivan Jukic, Katarina Prnjak, Andrew King, Michael R. McGuigan, Eric R. Helms
Summary: This study aimed to examine the relationship between velocity loss and completed repetitions in the free-weight back squat exercise. The findings showed that there was poor agreement and prediction accuracy in using this relationship to prescribe training volume. Factors such as sex, training status, and personality traits did not influence the relationship. Therefore, it is not recommended to use velocity loss and completed repetitions as a monitoring tool for resistance training with back squats.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Ivan Jukic, Eric R. Helms, Michael R. McGuigan
Summary: The aim of this study was to examine the goodness of fit and prediction accuracy of the general and individual relationships between XRM and XRM-velocity in free-weight back squat. The effects of sex, training status and history, as well as personality traits, were also investigated. Individual XRM-velocity relationships showed better goodness of fit and prediction accuracy compared to the general relationships. Sex, training status and history, and personality traits did not have an impact on the relationships, suggesting their generalisability among resistance-trained populations. Individual XRM-velocity relationships can be used to prescribe loads matching an intended XRM by recording the fastest velocity of the set with a given load and predicting the XRM for the individual with reasonable accuracy.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Alexa Rukstela, Kworweinski Lafontant, Eric Helms, Guillermo Escalante, Kara Phillips, Bill I. Campbell
Summary: This study investigated the common decisions and rationales employed by bodybuilding coaches through an anonymous online survey. The results showed that coaches generally recommend three to seven meals per day with a minimum protein intake of 2 g/kg/day. During contest preparation, coaches adjust the protein intake accordingly. In terms of cardiovascular exercise protocols, coaches commonly recommend fasted cardio and take into account the athlete's preference. Creatine was ranked among the top supplements, while testosterone, growth hormone, and methenolone were consistently recommended PEDs.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL MORPHOLOGY AND KINESIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Brad J. Schoenfeld, Patroklos Androulakis-Korakakis, Alec Pinero, Ryan Burke, Max Coleman, Adam E. Mohan, Guillermo Escalante, Alexa Rukstela, Bill Campbell, Eric Helms
Summary: This paper systematically reviewed case studies on physique athletes to evaluate longitudinal changes in measures of body composition, neuromuscular performance, chronic hormonal levels, physiological adaptations, and psychometric outcomes during pre-contest preparation. The review included 11 case studies comprising 15 drug-free athletes and found marked alterations with high inter-individual variability and divergent sex-specific responses.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL MORPHOLOGY AND KINESIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Martin C. Refalo, Eric R. Helms, D. Lee Hamilton, Jackson J. Fyfe
Summary: This study investigated the impact of proximity-to-failure in resistance training on neuromuscular fatigue and perceptual responses. The results indicate that training closer to failure leads to greater neuromuscular fatigue and negative perceptual responses.
SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Lee Bell, David Nolan, Velu Immonen, Eric Helms, Jake Dallamore, Milo Wolf, Patroklos Androulakis Korakakis
Summary: This research aimed to identify current deloading practices in competitive strength and physique sports. The findings revealed that deloading is perceived as a periodic and intentional reduction in training demand, designed to manage fatigue, improve recovery, and enhance overall training progression and readiness. There is no single method of deloading, but reducing training volume and intensity, along with changes in exercise selection and configuration, were commonly adapted. The duration of deloading typically ranged from 5 to 7 days, with a frequency of every 4 to 6 weeks, although there was significant variability. Additional findings highlighted the lack of representation of deloading in published literature and the absence of a clear operational definition.
FRONTIERS IN SPORTS AND ACTIVE LIVING
(2022)