Upper-body Strength Endurance Research Articles

Performance changes during repeated military occupational test and its associations to physical performance

ABSTRACT The present study investigated performance changes during three runs (1 min recovery) of repeated military simulation task test (RMST) and its associations with physical performance. Voluntary male soldiers (N = 114) participated in a series of measurements of physical performance. Lower body explosive force production, anaerobic endurance and upper body strength endurance together explained 58% of the variance in the first RSMT (p < 0.001). The same variables explained the variance in the second and third runs of RSMT by 60% and 51%, but explosive force production was replaced with aerobic endurance, assessed by the 3.2 km loaded run (p < 0.001). This study demonstrated that the role of explosive power of the lower body decreased and military specific aerobic endurance increased when occupational performance was assessed under acute fatigue even during a short high-intensity test. These results may benefit tactical strength and conditioning coaches in training optimization for improved occupational performance in military.

Upper-Body Strength Endurance and Power Norms in Healthy Collegiate Dancers: A 10-year Prospective Study.

Coogan, SM, Hansen-Honeycutt, J, Fauntroy, V, and Ambegaonkar, JP. Upper-body strength endurance and power norms in healthy collegiate dancers: A 10-year prospective study. J Strength Cond Res 35(6): 1599-1603, 2021-Dance is physically demanding and requires dancers to have adequate upper body (UB), core, and lower-body fitness to perform successfully. 50-85% of dancers suffer injury during a performance season. Although a large number of dancer's injuries are to the lower body, several dance genres (e.g., modern, hip hop, and salsa) use UB motions such as partner lifts and holds, which may result in a higher risk for UB injury. Health care practitioners often use baseline physical performance normative values to determine their clients' fitness levels and when planning training programs to prevent or rehabilitate postinjury. Still, little information exists regarding UB fitness norms among collegiate dancers. Thus, our purpose was to determine UB strength endurance and power norms in healthy collegiate dancers. We recorded UB muscular fitness in 214 healthy collegiate dancers (males: n = 26, 174.0 ± 6.7 cm, 71.3 ± 9.2 kg and females: n = 188, 163.0 ± 6.1 cm, 59.3 ± 6.8 kg) prospectively over a 10-year period (2008-2018) in a dance program that emphasizes modern and ballet dance. For UB strength endurance, we recorded the number of push-ups a dancer was able to perform without forcibly straining or losing form for 2 consecutive repetitions. For UB power, dancers sat with legs outstretched, backs flat against a wall, and threw a 3-kg ball horizontally from their chest as far as possible (distance thrown normalized to body height, *BH). The best attempt of 3 trials was used for statistical analyses. We report descriptive statistics, interquartile ranges (IQRs), and percentiles for both outcome measures. Dancers performed 20.4 ± 10.6 (range: 2-70, IQR: 12-24; males: 32.5 ± 14.4; females: 18.4 ± 8.4) push-ups and threw the medicine ball 1.8 ± 0.5 *BH (range: 45-3.9, IQR: 1.4-2.1; females: 1.7 ± 0.5; males: 2.3 ± 0.7). Overall, in this long-term prospective study, we developed UB fitness norms for dancers. The push-up test and medicine ball throw test are simple, low-tech, and inexpensive to test dancers UB fitness. Although dancers' UB muscular fitness was lower than previous reports among traditional sport athletes, these values may not necessarily indicate problems, as subjects were all healthy collegiate-level dancers. Rather, our findings reinforce the need to develop dance-specific norms so that practitioners can use these values to assess dancers' UB fitness and devise interventions appropriately. These results provide baseline UB muscular fitness norms among collegiate modern and ballet dancers, and further support the notion that differing norms are needed for different sports and dance genres. Specifically, future researchers should similarly develop norms across different dance genres for preprofessional and professional dancers and also examine whether these norms can predict dancers' injury risk or performance.

Is training age predictive of physiological performance changes in developmental rugby league players? A prospective longitudinal study

The aim of this study was to determine if training age – rugby league training age, resistance training age and cardiovascular training age – was predictive of changes in physiological performance in developmental rugby league players. Developmental rugby league players from one elite club ( n = 147, mean age = 15.8 ± 1.1 years) playing at Under 16 and Under 18 representative levels were tracked longitudinally over two consecutive seasons. Estimated aerobic capacity, jump height, upper body strength endurance and change of direction were assessed. Mixed method random effect analysis determined relationships between training age domains and physiological change. Positive relationships were observed between rugby league training age and change in estimated V̇O2max ( β = 0.13, p = 0.018), and change in strength endurance ( β = 0.51, p = 0.033), and resistance training age and change in jump height ( β = 0.11, p = 0.007). A negative relationship was observed between rugby league training age with change in change of direction time ( β = –0.06, p = 0.026). Moderate pre-season training effect sizes were identified for change of direction (effect size = –0.42, confidence interval (CI) = –0.8 to 0.1) and jump height (effect size = 0.41, CI = 0.1–0.7), while small pre-season training effect size was apparent for strength endurance (effect size = 0.33, CI = 0.0–0.7) and estimated V̇O2max (effect size = 0.16). Small in-season performance decrements occurred in strength endurance (effect size = –0.23, CI = –0.6 to 0.1) and change of direction (effect size = 0.30, CI = –0.1 to 0.7). Higher pre-study rugby league training age was associated with greater improvements in estimated V̇O2max, strength endurance and change of direction. Additionally, higher resistance training age was associated with greater improvements in vertical jump. Overall, the magnitude of resistance training age and cardiovascular training age may have been too inadequate to meaningfully impact training adaptations in the population. Decrease in effect size for physiological performance changes during the in-season phase suggests that performance enhancements were not maintained across the competitive season.

Performance Enhancing Effect of Metabolic Pre-conditioning on Upper-Body Strength-Endurance Exercise.

High systemic blood lactate (La) was shown to inhibit glycolysis and to increase oxidative metabolism in subsequent anaerobic exercise. Aim of this study was to examine the effect of a metabolic pre-conditioning (MPC) on net La increase and performance in subsequent pull-up exercise (PU). Nine trained students (age: 25.1 ± 1.9 years; BMI: 21.7 ± 1.4) performed PU on a horizontal bar with legs placed on a box (angular hanging) either without or with MPC in a randomized order. MPC was a 26.6 ± 2 s all out shuttle run. Each trial started with a 15-min warm-up phase. Time between MPC and PU was 8 min. Heart rate (HR) and gas exchange measures (VO2, VCO2, and VE) were monitored, La and glucose were measured at specific time points. Gas exchange measures were compared by area under the curve (AUC). In PU without MPC, La increased from 1.24 ± 0.4 to 6.4 ± 1.4 mmol⋅l−1, whereas with MPC, PU started at 9.28 ± 1.98 mmol⋅l−1 La which increased to 10.89 ± 2.13 mmol⋅l−1. With MPC, net La accumulation was significantly reduced by 75.5% but performance was significantly increased by 1 rep (4%). Likewise, net oxygen uptake VO2 (50% AUC), pulmonary ventilation (VE) (34% AUC), and carbon dioxide VCO2 production (26% AUC) were significantly increased during PU but respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was significantly blunted during work and recovery. MPC inhibited glycolysis and increased oxidative metabolism and performance in subsequent anaerobic upper-body strength-endurance exercise.

A Comparative Study on Selected Physical Fitness Components Between Bangladeshi Primary School Going Boys and Girls

The purpose of this study was to compare the selected health related physical fitness components between Bangladeshi primary school going boys and girls aged 7 to 9 years old. The study was conducted on 148 boys and 156 girls for the comparison of selected health related physical fitness variables. The selected variables for the study were flexibility (sit and reach test) lower body explosive strength (standing broad jump), upper body strength endurance (flex arm hang) and cardiovascular endurance (Reduced cooper test). T test was used to find out the significant difference among different disciplines. It was concluded that there was significant differences between Bangladeshi boys and girls in flexibility (sit and reach test), lower body explosive strength (standing broad jump) and upper body strength endurance (flex arm hang). The significance difference was not found on cardiovascular endurance variable. Bangladeshi girls have better flexibility than boys but boys have better lower body explosive strength, upper body strength endurance and cardiovascular endurance than girls.

Relationship Between Tests of Physical Qualities, Team Selection, and Physical Match Performance in Semiprofessional Rugby League Players

This study investigated the physical qualities that discriminated state-based rugby league players competing for selection in a semiprofessional rugby league team, and determined the relationship between tests of physical qualities and physical match performance in these players. Thirty-two rugby league players (mean ± SD age, 24 ± 3 years) from a Queensland Cup rugby league squad participated in this study. The players performed tests of upper-body strength (3 repetition maximum [RM] bench press; 3RM weighted chin-up), upper-body strength endurance (body-mass maximum repetition bench press), lower-body strength (3RM squat), lower-body power (vertical jump), and prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability (Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test, level 1). Global positioning system data, sampling at 10 Hz, were collected during 5 Queensland Cup rugby league matches. Selected players had greater (p < 0.05) 3RM squat, 3RM chin-up, body-mass bench press, vertical jump, and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test performances than nonselected players. After controlling for playing position, players with better 3RM squat performances covered greater total distances (r = 0.98, p < 0.05) including greater distances at low (r = 0.98, p < 0.05) and high (r = 0.97, p < 0.05) speeds. Significant associations (r = 0.96, p < 0.05) were also found between 3RM squat performances and the number of repeated high-intensity effort bouts performed in competition. These findings highlight the importance of lower-body strength, upper-body strength and endurance, and prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability to team selection in semiprofessional rugby league. Furthermore, our findings suggest that well-developed lower-body strength contributes to effective physical match performance in semiprofessional rugby league players.

Estimated aerobic power, muscular strength and flexibility in elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes

Summary Objective This study was designed to estimate the maximum oxygen uptake, muscular strength and flexibility of elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes. Methods The sample consisted of eleven Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes (25.8 ± 3.3 years old) who were medallists at national and/or international competitions. The aerobic power was estimated by a treadmill test, according to the Bruce Protocol. The maximal isometric strength (hand, leg and back) was measured by specific dynamometric tests. We used sit-ups and push-ups to evaluate abdominal and upper limb strength endurance, respectively. We applied the sit-and-reach test to determine hip, back and posterior flexibility of the muscles of the lower limbs. Results We observed a VO 2max of 49.4 ± 3.6 mL/kg per minute for the treadmill test. We observed measures of 43.7 ± 4.8 kgf for the right maximal isometric handgrip strength, 40.1 ± 3.8 kgf for the left maximal isometric handgrip strength, 185.5 ± 36.0 kgf for the maximal isometric back strength and 154.3 ± 41.9 kgf for the maximal isometric leg strength. In the strength endurance test, the athletes performed 52 ± 7 repetitions in a 1-min sit-up test, and 40 ± 8 repetitions in the push-up test. In the sit-and-reach test, the athletes had an average score of 36 ± 9 cm. Conclusions The elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes had medium aerobic power and flexibility, excellent abdominal and upper body strength endurance and maximal isometric back strength. However, these athletes did not have high maximal isometric handgrip or leg strength.

Ability and Validity of Three Different Methods of Assessing Upper-Body Strength-Endurance to Distinguish Playing Rank in Professional Rugby League Players

To date, little study has been performed to determine the importance of upper-body strength-endurance (S-E) to success in rugby league football. Furthermore, debate exists as to which type of S-E testing, absolute resistance or relative percent S-E testing, where performance is gauged with an absolute resistance in kilograms or with a set percentage of 1 repetition maximum (1RM), respectively, would garner more informative results. To this end, 3 different methods of assessing S-E (1 relative and 2 absolute S-E) were investigated to determine their effectiveness and validity for distinguishing between rugby league players of different ranking. In study 1, 26 players of similar strength, but different playing ranking, performed a bench press test with a resistance of 60% of their 1RM to determine if any differences existed between the groups in how many repetitions could be completed with the same relative percentage resistance. The fact that no significant difference existed between the groups in repetitions performed indicated that this test of relative S-E did not differentiate playing rank in rugby league. In study 2, 38 subjects performed tests with absolute resistances of 60 and 102.5 kg (bench press repetitions-to-fatigue (BP RTF) 60 and 102.5, respectively) in an effort to determine the merits of absolute S-E testing. Both tests significantly differentiated playing rank, but on the basis of how many repetitions were performed, only the BP RTF 60 could be considered a valid test of S-E. Absolute S-E testing with a moderate resistance of 60 kg appears to be a valid and effective test for discriminating playing rank in rugby league players.

A comparison of the physiological profiles of elite Gaelic footballers, hurlers, and soccer players

Background: Gaelic football, soccer, and hurling are prominent field games in Ireland and involve participants undertaking a variety of playing tasks and skills which place various physiological demands on the...