| dc.description.abstract | This study aimed to compare the effect of in-season high-load strength training versus combined high-load and power-plyometric training on changes in muscle architecture, and investigate the relationship between muscle architecture and neuromuscular performance.
Twenty-seven high-level handball players were randomly assigned to either a high-load strength group (HEAVY; n=14) or a combined high-load and power-plyometric group (COMBI; n=13). Players engaged in two training sessions per week with weekly supervision for 15-weeks. Pre- and post-intervention, changes in pennation angle (PA), fascicle length (FL), and distal and proximal muscle thickness (MT) of the vastus lateralis (VL) were assessed by ultrasonography. Knee extensor function were assessed as maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and rate of force development (RFD) at 0-30, 0-50, 0-150 and 0-200ms.
No between-group differences were observed for changes in VL PA (HEAVY: 7.9%, COMBI: 1.7%, p=.458), FL (HEAVY: -0.1%, COMBI: 1.3%, p=.851) and MT proximal (HEAVY: 2.7%, COMBI: 1.0%, p=.661) and distal (HEAVY: 4.5%, COMBI: 3.0%, p=.682). Across groups combined, early-phase RFD correlated moderately with PA at 0-30ms (r=.436 p<.05) and 0-50ms (r=.420, p<.05) at baseline, but not with FL. No correlation was observed between MVC and any architecture parameter.
Our findings suggest that architectural adaptations during the in-season period did not differ significantly between high-load strength training and combined high-load and power-plyometric training in handball players. Contrary to previous findings, pennation angle was correlated to early-phase RFD but not late-phase RFD, while fascicle length showed no relationship with RFD.
Keywords: strength training, power training, plyometrics, muscle architecture, rate of force development | |