RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: The bench press is a resistance training exercise that targets several upper body muscles, including the pectoralis major (PM), anterior deltoid (AD), and triceps brachii (TB). The purpose of this study was to influence the PM activity pattern during the bench press after a 10-week targeted resistance training intervention. METHODS: Sixteen men with significant experience in strength training participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group underwent targeted training of PM and bench press, while the control group only did bench press. Electromyography (EMG) was used to assess muscle activity before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The experimental group had a significant increase in PM activity after the intervention (p=0.0002; ES=2.6), while the control group did not show any significant change (p=0.14). The activity of AD and TB remained relatively stable across both groups and time points. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that focused resistance training can improve PM involvement in the bench press, potentially optimizing muscle excitation patterns and performance.

Asunto(s)

Electromiografía , Músculos Pectorales , Entrenamiento de Fuerza , Humanos , Masculino , Entrenamiento de Fuerza/métodos , Músculos Pectorales/fisiología , Adulto , Adulto Joven , Levantamiento de Peso/fisiología

RESUMEN

Ice hockey requires two levels of specific agility, involving different abilities, where the level of agility and their constraints might vary by the performance level. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the relationship level between on-ice and off-ice change of directional speed (COD) of youth hockey players at two performance levels. The study was conducted during the hockey season, including U16 elite players (n = 40) and U16 sub-elite players (n = 23). Both groups performed specific on-ice fitness tests (4-m acceleration, 30-m sprint, and 6 x 54-m tests, an on-ice Illinois agility test with and without a puck) and off-ice tests consisting of non-arm swing countermovement jumps (CMJs), broad jumps, and pull-ups. Pearson correlation showed that the acceleration performance of elite players was related to the CMJ (r = -0.46) and the broad jump (r = -0.31). Sub-elite players showed stronger dependence of the 30-m sprint on the CMJ (r = -0.77) and the broad jump (r = -0.43), the relation of pulls ups (r = -0.62) and the CMJ (r = -0.50) to the 6 x 54-m test, yet no association to acceleration. Elite players differ between off-ice and on-ice performance constraints, where their skating sprint is less related to their vertical and horizontal take-off abilities than in sub-elite players. Sub-elite players' off-ice power determines their sprint and repeated sprint performance. COD performance of elite and sub-elite players is based on different conditioning constraints.

RESUMEN

The aim of the study was to expand the current knowledge on the effects of EEG biofeedback training on the reaction time of judo athletes, as well as to develop an optimal EEG training protocol in terms of the number of sessions and their duration that would significantly improve the reaction time of athletes. The study included 24 male athletes from the national team of the Polish Judo Association. The selected group was randomly divided into two subgroups: experimental and control. The study was conducted in four cycles varying in terms of frequency and duration of neurofeedback (NFB) sessions, both in the control and experimental groups. In the experimental group, each training cycle consisted of 15 sessions, followed by a four-week break. The effects of NFB training on the visual reaction time of judo athletes were evaluated using computerized simple and complex reaction time tests along with selected trials of the Vienna Test System (VTS). Following NFB training according to the theta/beta1 protocol, while maintaining appropriate duration and frequency of individual training sessions, statistically significant improvements in reaction times to visual stimuli of athletes, both in simple and complex tasks, were observed in the experimental group. No such changes were found in the control group. The greatest improvement in reaction times was observed in complex tasks, indicating the high effectiveness of EEG biofeedback training in enhancing this ability.