Concurrent Training on the Performance of Team Sports Athletes

NCT ID: NCT05002712

Last Updated: 2021-10-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 48 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-08-01
• Study Completion Date: 2021-01-31

Brief Summary

This study will add to the existing pool of knowledge with more appropriate sample size. The main purpose will be to provide coaches with a practical proposal for concurrent training(CT) to improve athletes' performance in mixed type sports and team sports. This study, therefore, will test the aspects of CT by evaluating and comparing the training adaptations induced by three forms of strength training modes in CT. One mode will be of Heavy-Resistance training where athlete will perform exercise with 80-90% of their 1RM. Second mode will be of Contrast-Strength training that will alternate the use of heavy and light resistance exercises and third mode will be Elastic Resistance Training. In the present study, these three strength protocols will be balanced for sequence of exercise, volume, duration, and other variables, so that the protocols differed only in the intensity of strength training. Comparing their training adaptations therefore will enable evaluation of the role of different forms of strength training in CT outcomes on performance.

Detailed Description

Sports performance is influenced by the interaction of several physical variables. For this reason, most sports need both strength and endurance capacities to maximize overall performance. Therefore, a combination of resistance and aerobic training, usually called concurrent training (CT), has been used recently as a way of simultaneously improving strength and aerobic performances according to the needs of a specific sport. This combination can be challenging and can influence training adaptations, being a problematic issue for coaches. Several investigators report that combined or concurrent training (CT), in which strength and aerobic endurance training are included in the same training sessions or program, interferes with the development of muscle strength or power. Reduction in strength adaptations from CT could result from neuromuscular fatigue induced by concurrent aerobic endurance exercise, which could limit the maximal muscle force that can be produced during resistance training. A converse reduction in aerobic capacity from concurrent training has seldom been reported. The reduction in strength adaptations from concurrent strength and aerobic endurance training has been termed the interference effect or phenomenon.

In contrast to interference, several investigators report compatibility of strength and endurance training, i.e., no reduction in strength adaptations from concurrent strength and aerobic endurance training. In sports applications, concurrent training has been reported to increase diverse measures of performance in basketball players, competitive rowers, endurance runners, soccer players, professional handball players, and competitive cyclists. These findings suggest that in athletes, at least, concurrent strength and aerobic endurance training has complimentary or synergic effects, rather than the contradictory or antagonistic effects implied by interference.

Therefore, clarifying the concurrent training effects is necessary and will have implications for medicine, science, sports, and recreational exercise. In sports, effects of CT i.e. interference or synergy are crucial to exercise physiologists, coaches, trainers, and athletes, who invest substantial time and resources to maximize training adaptations and competitive efficiency. Confirmation of synergy effect of CT, in contrast, could lead to more efficient athletic training protocols.

Although, some researches have de-emphasized aerobics in resistance training programs, for example, bodybuilders have portrayed aerobics as counterproductive to resistance training adaptations. On the contrary, however, several United States national certifying, training, and medical organizations recommend CT to maximize the benefits of exercise at all levels, including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Conditions

Sports Physical Therapy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Heavy resistance training

Group A

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Heavy resistance training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Their training program included 4 resistance exercises with heavy weight lifting of the leg muscles. 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions of 80-90 % of maximal load were performed with a barbell squat (range of 0 to 90º knee flexion), lying leg curl, seated calf raises, and leg extension. The rests between the sets and the exercises lasted 5 minutes.

Contrast strength training

Group B

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Contrast strength training

Intervention Type: OTHER

Their resistance training program contained the same exercises as the high resistance training group, but with different intensity. Athlete performed each exercise for the first time with 5-7 reps with 80 % of the 1RM load followed by 15-20 reps with 40 % of the maximal load to complete the 3 sets for each exercise. The rest period between series was 60 seconds and the rest period between exercises was 5 minutes. For example, 5 heavy barbell squats followed immediately by 20 squat with lighter weight to complete 3 sets.

Elastic resistance training

Group C

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Elastic resistance training

Intervention Type: OTHER

During the intervention, the group conducted a 'elastic resistance training' with the same muscle groups. External resistance was provided by blue thera-band latex-free exercise bands in this training. Each exercise was performed three times for a total of 15-25 repetitions. In between sets, a 5-minute rest period was given and there was a 25-second rest period in between exercise performance. The intensity of each exercise was increased with the black thera band at the midpoint (start of week 7) of the training. The following figure shows the resistance of the blue and black bands to 100 percent elongation. Following figure shows the resistance offered by blue and black band at 100% elongation.

Interventions

Heavy resistance training

Their training program included 4 resistance exercises with heavy weight lifting of the leg muscles. 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions of 80-90 % of maximal load were performed with a barbell squat (range of 0 to 90º knee flexion), lying leg curl, seated calf raises, and leg extension. The rests between the sets and the exercises lasted 5 minutes.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Contrast strength training

Their resistance training program contained the same exercises as the high resistance training group, but with different intensity. Athlete performed each exercise for the first time with 5-7 reps with 80 % of the 1RM load followed by 15-20 reps with 40 % of the maximal load to complete the 3 sets for each exercise. The rest period between series was 60 seconds and the rest period between exercises was 5 minutes. For example, 5 heavy barbell squats followed immediately by 20 squat with lighter weight to complete 3 sets.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Elastic resistance training

During the intervention, the group conducted a 'elastic resistance training' with the same muscle groups. External resistance was provided by blue thera-band latex-free exercise bands in this training. Each exercise was performed three times for a total of 15-25 repetitions. In between sets, a 5-minute rest period was given and there was a 25-second rest period in between exercise performance. The intensity of each exercise was increased with the black thera band at the midpoint (start of week 7) of the training. The following figure shows the resistance of the blue and black bands to 100 percent elongation. Following figure shows the resistance offered by blue and black band at 100% elongation.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Male athletes.
• Athletes participating in team sports.
• Those who have been new to the training and the duration of training period are not more than 03 months.

Exclusion Criteria

• Experiencing symptoms from musculoskeletal injuries to the lower extremity.
• Any systemic pathology.
• Recent surgery.
• Participating in any other high strength/power training program during last 4 weeks of this time period.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 14 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 25 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Riphah International University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Danish Latif, MSPT-SPT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Riphah International University

Locations

Army Heritage Foundation (AHF), Ayub National Park

Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Countries

Pakistan

Other Identifiers

REC/0783 Saima Tariq

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id