Strenuous exercise involving eccentric muscle actions induces skeletal muscle damage resulting in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Antioxidant supplementation, such as astaxanthin (AX), may alleviate muscle injury following intense exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a four-week course of AX supplementation at 12 mg/day−1 on subjective markers of DOMS, recovery, and performance after a bout of muscle damaging eccentric exercise. Nineteen resistance-trained men (mean ± SD: age, 22.6 ± 2.2 y) completed a between-group design with a four-week supplementation period of 12 mg/day−1 of either AX or a placebo. Subjects completed four trials, with trials One and Three designed to induce muscle damage, consisting of a one repetition maximum test (1RM) for leg-press, followed by five sets of ten repetitions at 65% of 1RM. Trials Two and Four were performance trials, conducted 48 h later and consisting of repetitions to failure at 65%, 70%, and 75% of 1RM. Subjective markers of DOMS and recovery were collected at multiple timepoints post-trial for trials One and Three. Although performance was not affected (p > 0.05), AX supplementation significantly decreased subjective markers of DOMS (p = 0.01) compared to the placebo. The results demonstrated that AX may enhance recovery by reducing DOMS without detriment to performance in resistance-trained men.

Waldman, HS, Bryant, AR, Parten, AL, Grozier, CD, and McAllister, MJ. Astaxanthin supplementation does not affect markers of muscle damage or inflammation after an exercise-induced muscle damage protocol in resistance-trained males. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): e413–e421, 2023—It is well documented that exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) decreases exercise performance by elevated inflammation and subjective discomfort. Due to its potent antioxidative properties, astaxanthin (AX) may serve as a potential dietary supplement strategy for mitigating delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and enhancing recovery and performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AX on markers of muscle damage, inflammation, DOMS, and anaerobic performance and substrate metabolism. Thirteen resistance-trained men (mean ± SD, age, 23.4 ± 2.1 years) completed a double-blind, counterbalanced, and crossover design with a 1-week washout period between 2, 4-week supplementation periods at 12 mg·d−1 of AX or placebo. After each supplementation period, subjects completed 2 trials, with trial 1 including a graded exercise test (GXT) and a 30-second Wingate and trial 2 including an EIMD protocol followed by the collection of fasting blood samples (pre-post) to measure creatine kinase, advanced oxidative protein products, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, insulin, and cortisol. Astaxanthin supplementation had no statistical effects on markers of substrate metabolism during the GXT, Wingate variables, or markers of muscle damage, inflammation, or DOMS when compared with placebo (all p > 0.05). However, 4 weeks of AX supplementation did significantly lower oxygen consumption during the final stage of the GXT (12%, p = 0.02), as well as lowered systolic blood pressure (∼7%, p = 0.04), and significantly lowered baseline insulin values (∼24%, p = 0.05) when compared with placebo. Collectively, these data suggest that 4 weeks of AX supplementation at 12 mg·d−1 did not affect markers of muscle damage, inflammation, or DOMS after an EIMD protocol in a resistance-trained male cohort.

Parten, AL, Barker, GA, O'Neal, EK, and Waldman, HS. 7-week accommodating resistance training improves Wingate peak power but not muscular strength or endurance in strength-trained females. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1789-1794, 2023-Accommodating resistance (AR) is a training technique that includes attaching elastic bands or chains to a loaded barbell to alter the resistance profile throughout the barbell movement. This study was the first to quantify the effects of AR versus a traditional resistance (TR) training program on changes in strength and power profiles in a trained female cohort. Resistance-trained (training history: 2.4 6 1.4 years) females (age: 22.1 6 3.0 years) completed baseline and postintervention tasks which included 1 repetition maximum (1RM) testing in the back squat (BS) and bench press (BP), a repetitions to failure in the BP (60% of 1RM), and 1 30-s Wingate test. After baseline testing, subjects were stratified (based on relative strength) into either the AR (n 5 9) or TR (n 5 10) group and then completed a supervised, 7-week training intervention. Both groups improved their 1RM in both lifts, but no statistical differences were found between groups in 1RM for BS, BP, or BP to failure (p . 0.05). However, the AR group increased Wingate peak power (837 6 221 to 901 6 215 W; p 5 0.04), whereas TR (868 6 244 to 8,343 6 182 W; p 5 0.47) did not. This study supports AR with lighter relative barbell load incurs similar strength adaptations as TR. For coaches training athletes concerned with power, AR may be advantageous for improving rate of force development as demonstrated by large increases in peak Wingate power.

Roller derby's popularity has surged in recent decades. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first strength and conditioning publication to address roller derby. This article outlines an overview of the sport, discusses sport-specific strength and conditioning considerations, and is intended to educate coaches and athletes on the needs of this athletic population. The sport evolved to its current competitive format in 2001 with rules to prevent the theatrics of previous years. The article will present a needs analysis, review current research on relevant-injury prevalence, and outline practical strength and conditioning considerations to enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and increase longevity for roller derby athletes. Finally, the article highlights the need for more sport-specific scientific research to advance roller derby and support its athletes.