Distinct temporal organizations of the strength- and power-training loads produce similar performance improvements

J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Jan;27(1):188-94. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182503807.

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the effects of distinct temporal organizations of strength and power training loads on strength, power, and speed improvements. Sixty soldiers with at least 1 year in the army volunteered for this study. The subjects were divided into 4 groups: control group (CG: n = 15; age: 20.18 ± 0.72 years; height: 1.74 ± 0.06 m; and weight: 66.7 ± 9.8 kg); successive-mesocycle group (SMG: n = 15; age: 20.11 ± 0.7 years; height: 1.72 ± 0.045 m; and weight: 63.1 ± 3.6 kg); successive-week group (SWG: n = 15; age: 20.36 ± 0.64 years; height: 1.71 ± 0.05 m; and weight: 66.1 ± 8.0 kg); and simultaneous daily group (SDG: n = 15; age: 20.27 ± 0.75 years; height: 1.71 ± 0.068 m; and weight: 64.0 ± 8.8 kg). In the SMG, heavy resistance training (HRT), jump squat exercise (JS), and countermovement jumps (CMJ) were performed in successive mesocycles of 3 weeks each. In the SWG, HRT, JS, and CMJ were trained in 1-week blocks into 3 mesocycles of 3 weeks each. In the SDG, HRT, JS, and CMJ were trained daily in all the 3 mesocycles of 3 weeks each. Total volume was equalized between groups. The following dependent variables were analyzed: squat 1RM, CMJ height, 20-m sprint speed, mean power, and mean propulsive power in the squat exercise (60% of the squat 1RM) and in the JS (45% of the squat 1RM). Significant improvements for all the dependent variables were detected from pretraininig to posttraining in all the training groups (p ≤ 0.05), without any between-group differences. Our data suggest that the temporal organization of the training load is not critical for performance improvements in this population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brazil
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Military Personnel
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Muscle Strength / physiology*
  • Physical Education and Training / methods*
  • Resistance Training
  • Transducers
  • Young Adult