Upper and lower body anaerobic performance of semi-elite Rugby League players.

AIM: The aim of this study was to measure the upper and lower body anaerobic performance of semi-elite Rugby League (RL) players. METHODS: Twenty-two semi-professional RL players and 24 physically active but untrained men completed two Wingate anaerobic tests (WAnT) on an electronic arm ergometer and a cycle ergometer separated by three days. Percent body fat was used determined from the sum of six skinfolds and upper and lower muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) was calculated from anthropometric data. RESULTS: Upper and lower body absolute peak (P=0.035, P=0.002) and mean (P=0.005, P=0.031) power were higher in the RL group compared to the control group. Upper and lower body relative peak power was higher (P=0.022, P=0.047) in the control group compared to the RL group. Peak and mean power (relative and absolute) were higher (P≤0.05) in the lower body compared to the upper body. Peak and mean power relative to upper and lower muscle CSA was higher (P≤0.001) in the upper body compared to the lower body for both groups. CONCLUSION: Semi-elite Rugby League players have well developed absolute anaerobic power, but relative to body weight upper and lower body anaerobic power is not well developed. The upper body is able to generate more power relative to body weight and muscle CSA compared to the lower body during the WAnT. Future studies should examine the upper body anaerobic performance of elite RL players and other sports that have similar upper body demands.

Does upper body strength and power influence upper body Wingate performance in men and women?

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of muscular strength and power on upper body Wingate performance in men and women. Muscular strength (1 repetition maximum bench press), muscular power (bench throws) and upper body anaerobic performance (Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT)) was assessed in 24 men and 16 women. Men had significantly ( P<0.001) higher absolute and relative peak and mean power and blood lactate concentration during the WAnT compared to their female counterparts. Men also produced significantly ( P<0.001) higher strength and absolute and relative peak and mean power during the bench press and throw, respectively, compared to the female participants. For men body mass and mean power produced during the bench throw explained approximately 84% and 87% of the variance in Wingate peak ( P<0.001 and P=0.039, respectively) and mean ( P<0.001 and P=0.028, respectively) power. For women mean power produced during the bench throw explained approximately 72% and 52% of the variance in Wingate peak ( P=0.002) and mean ( P=0.017) power, respectively. For men body mass and to a lesser extent muscular power best predicts upper body Wingate performance while for women only muscular power predicts upper body Wingate performance.

Leg strength and the VO2 max of older men.

The purpose of the study was to determine if leg strength limits VO2 max and the ability to reach a plateau during VO2 max test in older men during cycle ergometry. Men aged 70-80 years were randomly selected into a strength training (ST, n=12) 3 times weekly for 16 weeks, followed by 4 weeks detraining or a non-training control group (C, n=12). Leg strength and VO2 max were assessed every 4 weeks for 20 weeks; body composition and cardiac function were assessed before and after 16 weeks training and after 4 weeks detraining. Leg strength, upper leg muscle mass (ULMM), arterial-venous O2 difference (a-v O2 difference) and VO2 max increased in the ST group (95±0.6%, 7±0.7%. 6.2±0.5% and 8±0.8%, respectively; P<0.05) after 16 weeks training. After 4 weeks detraining, gains in ULMM (50%) and strength (75%) were retained, but VO2 max and a-v O2 difference returned to pre-training levels. There was no change in the ability of the participants to reach a plateau during VO2 max testing over the 20-week study. These findings indicate that leg strength may not limit either VO2 max or the ability to plateau during VO2 max tests in older men during cycle ergometry.