Effects of long-term training specificity on maximal strength and power of the upper and lower extremities in athletes from different sports

Abstract

Maximal concentric one repetition maximum half-squat (1RM_HS), bench-press (1RM_BP), power-load curves during concentric actions with loads ranging from 30% to 100% of 1RM_HS and 1RM_BP were examined in 70 male subjects divided into five groups: weightlifters (WL, n=11), handball players (HP, n=19), amateur road cyclists (RC, n=18), middle-distance runners (MDR, n=10) and age-matched control subjects (C, n=12). The 1RM_HS values in WL, HP and RC were 50%, 29% and 28% greater, respectively, (PPPHS in RC was higher (PBP in WL was larger (PP–1) than those occurring in the upper extremities (≈1 m·s^–1). The data suggest that the magnitude of the sport-related differences in strength and/or muscle power output may be explained in part by differences in muscle cross-sectional area, fibre type distribution and in the muscle mechanics of the upper and lower limbs as well as by training background.