A1 Journal article (refereed)
Individual Sprint Force-Velocity Profile Adaptations to In-Season Assisted and Resisted Velocity-Based Training in Professional Rugby (2020)

Lahti, J., Jiménez-Reyes, P., Cross, R. M., Samozino, P., Chassaing, P., Simond-Cote, B., Ahtiainen, J., & Morin, J.-B. (2020). Individual Sprint Force-Velocity Profile Adaptations to In-Season Assisted and Resisted Velocity-Based Training in Professional Rugby. Sports, 8(5), Article 74. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports8050074

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Lahti, Johan; Jiménez-Reyes, Pedro; Cross, R. Matt; Samozino, Pierre; Chassaing, Patrick; Simond-Cote, Benjamin; Ahtiainen, Juha; Morin, Jean-Benoit

Journal or series: Sports

eISSN: 2075-4663

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 8

Issue number: 5

Article number: 74

Publisher: MDPI

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/sports8050074

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/69272

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that the degree of adaptation to highly focused sprint training at opposite ends of the sprint Force-Velocity (FV) spectrum would be associated with initial sprint FV profile in rugby athletes. Training-induced changes in sprint FV profiles were computed before and after an eight-week in-season resisted or assisted sprint training protocol, including a three-week taper. Professional male rugby players (age: 18.9 ± 1.0 years; body height: 1.9 ± 0.0 m; body mass: 88.3 ± 10.0 kg) were divided into two groups based on their initial sprint FV profiles: 1) Heavy sled training (RESISTED, N = 9, velocity loss 70–80%), and 2) assisted acceleration training (ASSISTED, N = 12, velocity increase 5–10%). A total of 16 athletes were able to finish all required measurements and sessions. According to the hypothesis, a significant correlation was found between initial sprint FV profile and relative change in sprint FV profile (RESISTED: r = -0.95, p < 0.01, ASSISTED: r = -0.79, p < 0.01). This study showed that initial FV properties influence the degree of mechanical response when training at different ends of the FV spectrum. Practitioners should consider utilizing the sprint FV profile to improve the individual effectiveness of resisted and assisted sprint training programs in high-level rugby athletes.

Keywords: strength training; force production (physiology); sprinting; rugby

Free keywords: sprinting; resistance training; overspeed; horizontal force; velocity-based training

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1