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ABSTRACT
Bevan, HR, Owen, NJ, Cunningham, DJ, Kingsley, MIC, and Kilduff, LP. Complex training in professional rugby players: influence of recovery time on upper-body power output. J Strength Cond Res. 23(6): 1780-1785, 2009-After a bout of heavy resistance training (HRT), skeletal muscle is in both a fatigued and potentiated state. Subsequent muscle performance depends on the balance between these 2 factors. To date, there is no uniform agreement about the recovery time required between the HRT and subsequent muscle performance to gain performance benefits in the upper body. The aim of the present study was to determine the recovery time required to observe enhanced upper-body muscle performance after HRT (i.e., complex training). Twenty-six professional rugby players performed a ballistic bench press (BBP) at baseline and at approximately 15 seconds and 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 minutes after HRT (3 sets of 3 repetitions at 87% 1 repetition maximum). Peak power output (PPO) and throw height were determined for all BBPs. A significant time effect with regard to PPO (F = 29.145, partial Eta^sup 2^ = 0.538, p < 0.01) and throw height (F= 17.362, partial Eta^sup 2^ = 0.410, p < 0.01) was observed. Paired comparisons indicated a significant decrease in PPO and throw height in the BBP performed approximately 15 seconds after the HRT compared with the baseline BBP. After 8 minutes of recovery from the HRT, both PPO and throw height were significantly higher than the PPO and throw height recorded at baseline (e.g., PPO: 879 ± 100 vs. 916 ± 116 W, p < 0.01). It was concluded that muscle performance can be significantly enhanced after bouts of HRT during a BBP providing that adequate recovery (8 min) is given between the HRT and the explosive activity.
KEY WORDS power development, motor-unit excitability, ballistic bench press, upper-body power performance, heavy resistance exercise
INTRODUCTION
Rugby union can be characterized as a field-based, high-intensity collision sport where players are required to perform activities of short duration and high intensity separated by recovery periods of varying duration. The nature, frequency, and duration of the work and recovery periods can vary significantly depending on player position (9). For example, it has been calculated that the average frequency of sprints per game ranged from...