Twenty members of an National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III collegiate football team were assigned to either an Olympic lifting (OL) group or power lifting (PL) group. Each group was matched by position and trained 4-days.wk(-1) for 15 weeks. Testing consisted of field tests to evaluate strength (1RM squat and bench press), 40-yard sprint, agility, vertical jump height (VJ), and vertical jump power (VJP). No significant pre- to posttraining differences were observed in 1RM bench press, 40-yard sprint, agility, VJ or in VJP in either group. Significant improvements were seen in 1RM squat in both the OL and PL groups. After log10-transformation, OL were observed to have a significantly greater improvement in Delta VJ than PL. Despite an 18% greater improvement in 1RM squat (p > 0.05), and a twofold greater improvement (p > 0.05) in 40-yard sprint time by OL, no further significant group differences were seen. Results suggest that OL can provide a significant advantage over PL in vertical jump performance changes.

Hoffman, J.R., J. Cooper, M. Wendell, J. Im, and J. Kang. Effects of ␤-hydroxy ␤-methylbutyrate on power performance and indices of muscle damage and stress during high intensity training. J. Strength Cond. Res. 18(4): 000-000. 2004.-Twenty-six members of a collegiate football team were randomly assigned to either a supplement (S) (3 g of ␤-hydroxy ␤-methylbutyrate [HMB] per day) or placebo (P) group. Testing occurred before (PRE) and at the end of 10 days of preseason football training camp (POST). During each testing session, subjects performed an anaerobic power test, and blood samples were obtained for testosterone, cortisol, creatine kinase, and myoglobin analysis. No differences in anaerobic power were seen between PRE and POST in either group. Cortisol concentrations were significantly decreased from PRE (333 Ϯ 81 nmol·L Ϫ1 ) to POST (246 Ϯ 79 nmol·L Ϫ1 ), and a sixfold increase was seen in creatine kinase concentrations at POST. However, no significant differences between the groups were seen. No significant time or group effects were observed in testosterone or myoglobin concentrations. Results suggest that short duration HMB supplementation does not provide any ergogenic benefit in collegiate football players during preseason training camp.

Twenty-six members of a collegiate football team were randomly assigned to either a supplement (S) (3 g of beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate [HMB] per day) or placebo (P) group. Testing occurred before (PRE) and at the end of 10 days of preseason football training camp (POST). During each testing session, subjects performed an anaerobic power test, and blood samples were obtained for testosterone, cortisol, creatine kinase, and myoglobin analysis. No differences in anaerobic power were seen between PRE and POST in either group. Cortisol concentrations were significantly decreased from PRE (333 +/- 81 nmol.L(-1)) to POST (246 +/- 79 nmol.L(-1)), and a sixfold increase was seen in creatine kinase concentrations at POST. However, no significant differences between the groups were seen. No significant time or group effects were observed in testosterone or myoglobin concentrations. Results suggest that short duration HMB supplementation does not provide any ergogenic benefit in collegiate football players during preseason training camp.

The purpose of this study was to compare linear (LT) with nonlinear (NL) in-season training programs in freshman football players during the course of 2 separate seasons. During the first year (n = 14, mean +/- SD = 177.3 +/- 4.8 cm, 88.0 +/- 9.7 kg), the LT program was employed 2 days per week. In the second year (n = 14, 175.0 +/- 7.1 cm, 94.2 +/- 20.5 kg), a 2 days per week LT was used. Subjects were tested for maximal strength in the squat (1 repetition maximum [1RM]) and bench press (1RM) exercises. A significant improvement in 1RM squat was seen in LT, but not in NL. No significant improvement in 1RM bench press was seen in either group. A significant difference between LT and NL was observed in Delta1RM squat (13.8 +/- 7.4 kg compared with 1.6 +/- 2.6 kg, respectively). Results of this study suggest that LT may be more effective in eliciting strength gains than NL in freshman football players during an in-season training program.

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