Velocity Loss as a Critical Variable Determining the Adaptations to Strength Training

Abstract

The results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by the American College of Sports Medicine. This study has no conflicts of interest to declare.

Effects of velocity loss in the bench press exercise on strength gains, neuromuscular adaptations, and muscle hypertrophy

“…This study is an extension of our previous work (see Pareja-Blanco et al 21 ). However, no variables or training interventions described here have been reported previously.…”

“…In agreement with our findings, previous VBT studies carried out using lower body exercises (ie squat) have shown that higher VL thresholds do not induce further 1RM strength gains than lower VL thresholds. 21,22,24 Moreover, all groups showed improvements in muscular endurance performance (ie FT-MNR and FT-AV), although the VL25 and VL50 groups attained the highest ES values. Supporting this finding, Izquierdo et al 29 observed greater BP muscular endurance following a training program to failure compared with non-failure training, although there were no differences in the squat exercise.…”

“…33,34 In this regard, a previous VBT study using the squat exercise also showed higher hypertrophy in the vastus lateralis muscle following an RT with higher VL (20%-40%) compared with lower VL (0%-10%). 21 The higher exercise-induced metabolic and mechanical stress, 7 the greater secretion of growth-promoting hormones and muscle damage, along with the higher total volume load observed in RT protocols with high VL thresholds 30 could be responsible for the greater hypertrophic adaptations observed with these protocols. 34,35 In addition, increased ribosomal biogenesis has recently been found to be behind the higher hypertrophic adaptations observed in high-volume RT programs.…”

“…21,22 Thus, several studies conducted on the lower limbs (squat exercise) showed that greater muscle hypertrophic responses can be observed with higher VL thresholds (40%), 21,22 although these VL thresholds may also induce negative neuromuscular adaptations, 21 while greater strength gains were reported when applying moderate VL thresholds (10%-20%). [21][22][23][24] However, it remains to be established whether these respective findings can be extrapolated to one of the most commonly prescribed upper-body RT exercises (ie the BP exercise). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the effects of four BP VBT programs under different VL thresholds (0% vs 15% vs 25% vs 50%) on strength gains, neuromuscular adaptations, and muscle hypertrophy.…”

The Reliability and Validity of Current Technologies for Measuring Barbell Velocity in the Free-Weight Back Squat and Power Clean

“…Velocity-based methods for prescription (i.e., load-manipulation [ 38 , 39 ] and volume control [ 40 ]), testing, and monitoring (i.e., load-velocity profiling [ 37 ]) are frequently applied to sport science support and research. Practitioners, therefore, must be confident in the technology they use to ensure effective implementation.…”