Research Update

News you can use from FitBits.

FitBits
January 15, 2006
Exercise ETC’s Review of Exercise Related Research
Compiled by Jeannie Patton, MS, CSCS

Small increases in rest can result in large increases in performance

The ability to achieve and maintain maximal power is required in many sports such as basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, and squash. The goal of this study was to examine the influence of recovery periods on subsequent performance.

Twenty-five young males served as subjects. The men completed 2 maximal cycling tests that consisted of 5 seconds of all out cycling followed by either a 10 or 30-second rest period. They did this for 20 repetitions.

The longer (30-second) recovery period resulted in significantly higher measures of maximal power output and significantly lower measures of fatigue, blood lactate, heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio and oxygen uptake.

The results of this study indicate that even relatively small changes in recovery duration can have a significant impact on performance and must be considered when training clients involved in sprint sports. An analysis of the demands of the sport, including power demands and recovery time, should be considered when designing sprint/interval activities.

Glaister, Mark. et al. The influence of recovery duration on multiple sprint cycling performance. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2005, 19(4).831-837.


Flexibility gains not improved during resistance training activity

Adequate levels of flexibility and muscle strength are necessary for activities of daily living (ADL) and optimal performance in sports. The purpose of this study was to determine if strength training, done by itself, can improve flexibility, and vice versa. The researchers sought to determine if separate training programs necessary to develop muscle strength and flexibility.

Subjects were 43 healthy, young adults; they were assigned either to a flexibility training only, a resistance-training group, a mixed training group (resistance and flexibility training,) or a control group.

The researchers found that muscle strength increased with resistance training alone, and when strength training was combined with flexibility training, but did not increase in the flexibility only group. The flexibility increased when only flexibility training was done, and when flexibility was done in combination with resistance training . Flexibility did not increase for the group that did resistance training only. The control group experienced no gains in strength or flexibility.

The results of this study indicate that in young, healthy subjects, while resistance training, by itself, does not increase flexibility, it also does not interfere with increases in range of motion when combined with flexibility training. These results indicate that separate training protocols need to be employed when working with young healthy adults in order to increase muscle strength and flexibility. It would be interesting to have this study repeated using older adults whose flexibility is often
compromised to see if the results are different.

Nobrega, Antonio, C. L. et al. Interaction between resistance training and flexibility training in healthy young adults. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2005, 19(4).842-846.