DIFFERENCES IN FORCE CHARACTERISTICS DURING CLEAN PERFORMANCE AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EITHER A HIGH-VELOCITY OR HIGH-FORCE STRENGTH INTERVENTION

Abstract

The contractile history of skeletal muscle has been repeatedly demonstrated to harvest an acute enhancement in its subsequent contractile capacity. However, to date no investigations have explored the effects of a pre-stimulus contraction upon the performance of the power clean (PC). Therefore, the purpose of this present study was to investigate the effects of a high-velocity (HV) and high-force (HF) pre-stimulus contraction upon subsequent PC performance. Ten competitive male rugby players (mean ± SD: age 20.6 ± 1.43 years, body mass 94.0 ± 14.36 kg, height 179.9 ± 7.5 cm, training age 2.6 ± 0.66 years, clean 1RM 99.0 ± 15.78 kg) performed a baseline (BS) measure of PC performance at 80% of 1RM. Each participant then performed a mid-thigh clean pull (MTCP) at 30% of PC 1- repetition maximum (HV) and a MTCP at 120% of PC 1-repetition maximum (HF) 5-minutes prior to the subsequent PC performance in a randomised and counterbalanced order. Peak force (FP), time to peak force (TFP), peak rate of force development (PRFD), and time to peak rate of force development (TPRFD) were assessed using a portable AMTI force platform (AMTI, USA). The results reported that no significant effects were observed for FP (p > 0.05), TFP (p > 0.05), PRFD (p > 0.05), and TPRFD (p > 0.05) during the HV intervention when compared to BS. Likewise, no significant differences were revealed in FP (p > 0.05), TFP (p > 0.05), PRFD (p > 0.05), and TPRFD (p > 0.05) during the HF intervention when compared to BS. Consequently, it appears that the use of a prestimulus MTCP has no significant effect upon the force characteristics of a preceding PC performance in male collegiate rugby players. However, due to the highly individualised nature of PAP, these results should prompt further research on divergent populations. From the findings of this research, strength and conditioning professionals can appreciate that whilst the MTCP may not evoke any potentiation upon subsequent PC performance; there is no evidence to suggest it has a negative impact.