SPECIFICITY OF TRAINING 6

This third issue of Volume 16 of Coaching Science Abstracts reviews articles concerned with the specificity of training, a principle that is often overlooked in the pursuit of training variety, and the ill-advised and wasteful concept of cross-training. Five previous issues, namely Volume 1(2), Volume 4(2), Volume 7(3), Volume 10(3), and Volume 13(3) also dealt with this topic. The information from those sources, as well as that contained in this issue, will yield an extensive knowledge base of recent research in the specificity of sports conditioning.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. GENERAL

1. TENNIS PARTICIPATION CHANGES THE MUSCLE STRUCTURE OF THE DOMINANT ARM

   Olmedillas, H., Guadalupe-Grau, A., Delgado-Guerra, S., Bernales, O. B., Calbet, J. A., & Moysi, J. S. (2007). Muscle mass and muscle fiber composition of dominant and non-dominant arm of professional tennis players. ACSM Annual Meeting New Orleans, .

2. CYCLE TRAINING EFFECTS ARE SPECIFIC

   Otto, R. M., Walsh, L., Marra, J., Kushner, C., Diaz, A., Richardson, C., & Wygand, J. W. (2008). The impact of 10 weeks of independent cycle crank use on cycle performance. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Presentation Number 1294.

3. MUSCLES RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO SIMILAR FORMS OF RESISTANCE EXERCISE

   Hatzell, B., Johnson, S., Chaloupka, H., & Glass, S. C. (2008). Effects of velocity on muscle activation during leg extension exercise. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Presentation Number 1624.

4. SEGMENTS OF MUSCLE ACTIONS REACT DIFFERENTLY TO THE TYPE OF STRENGTH TRAINING (CONCENTRIC TRAINING IS SPECIFIC)

   Sundstrup, E., Jakobsen, M. D., Krustrup, P., & Aagaard, P. (2009). Effects of progressive heavy-resistance strength training on maximal eccentric and concentric muscle strength. ACSM 56th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, Presentation Number 725.

5. ALTERATION OF A MUSCLE'S NORMAL RANGE OF MOTION AND POSITIONING RESULTS IN CHANGES IN FUNCTION AND ACTIVATION

   Stoutenberg, M., Pluchino, A., Lewis, J. E., Gao, J.,& Signorile, J. F. (2009). Optimal range of motion for maximal EMG activation of the superficial quadriceps muscles. ACSM 56th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, Presentation Number 724.

6. TOO MUCH SPECIFIC TRAINING DECREASES PERFORMANCE

   Freeston, J., Adams, R., & Rooney, K. (2009). Shoulder proprioception changes following throwing specific and general exercise bouts with implications for throwing accuracy. ACSM 56th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, Presentation Number 1074.

7. ONLY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS' PERFORMANCES BENEFIT FROM CAFFEINE INGESTION

   Collomp, K., Ahmaidi, S., Chatard, J. C., Audran, M., & Préfaut, C. (1992). Benefits of caffeine ingestion on sprint performance in trained and untrained swimmers. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 64, 377-380.

8. FREE-WEIGHT TRAINING IS PREFERABLE TO MACHINE-ACTION TRAINING

   Turner, M., Powell, G., Mayhew, J. L., Smith, A. E., & Kock, A. J. (June 02, 2010). Strength gains from free weight and machine weight training in men of different strength levels. Presentation 1496 at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; June 2-5.

9. THE TRAINING EFFECTS OF SWIMMING ARE PARTICULARLY SPECIFIC

   Roels, B., Schmitt, L., Libicz, S., Bentley, D., Richalet, J_P., & Millet, G. (2005). Specificity of VO2max and the ventilatory threshold in free swimming and cycle ergometry: comparison between triathletes and swimmers. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 39, 965-968.
   2. TRANSFER FAILURES

10. CYCLE TRAINING DOES NOT IMPROVE RUNNING

    Diaz, A., Otto, R. M., Kushner, C., Marra, J., Walsh, L., Richardson, C., & Wygand, J. W. (2008). The impact of 10 weeks of independent cycle crank use on run performance. Presentation Number 1293.

11. HIGH EFFORT STRENGTH TRAINING HAS NO BENEFICIAL TRANSFER TO HIGH VELOCITY ACTIVITIES

    Uribe, B., Nguyen, D., Nishimura, K., Brown, L. E., Coburn, J. W., & Judelson, D. A. (2008). Relationship between maximum isometric force and maximum velocity. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Presentation Number 1612.

12. CYCLING INTERFERES WITH RUNNING IN TRIATHLETES

    Chapman, A. R., Vicenzino, B., Hodges, P. W., Dowlan, S., & Hahn, A. (2008). Cycling impairs neuromuscular coordination during running in triathletes, which reduces performance and is likely injury-related. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, .

13. HEAVY RESISTANCE TRAINING CHANGES THE STRETCH-SHORTENING CYCLE OF THE MOVEMENTS TRAINED BUT POSSIBLY AT DIFFERENT VELOCITIES

    Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Krustrup, P., & Aagaard, P. (2009). Does progressive strength training improve stretch-shortening cycle muscle performance? ACSM 56th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, Presentation Number 726.

14. ARMS-ONLY SWIMMING TRAINING PRODUCES TRAINING EFFECTS BUT THEY DO NOT TRANSFER TO FREE SWIMMING

    Konstantaki, M., Winter, E; & Swaine, I. (2009). Effects of arms-only swimming training on performance, movement economy, and aerobic power. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 3, [on line].

15. HEAVY STRENGTH TRAINING PRODUCES SPECIFIC CHANGES BUT DOES NOT ALTER ACTUAL CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING PERFORMANCE

    Losnegard, T., Mikkelsen, K., Ronnestad, B. R., Hallen, J., Rud, B., & Raastad, T. (2009). The effect of heavy strength training on muscle adaptations and performance in elite cross-country skiers. A paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo, Norway, June 24-27.
    3. TRANSFER SUCCESSES

16. PARACHUTE RESISTED SPRINTING INCREASES SPRINT PERFORMANCES

    Smirniotou, A., Martinopoulou, K., Argeitaki, P., Paradisis, G., & Katsikas, C. (2009). The effects of resisted training using a parachute on sprint performance. A paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo, Norway, June 24-27.
    4. APPLICATIONS

17. OVERHEAD THROWING PATTERNS ARE SPECIFIC TO EACH SPORT

    Park, S., Miyakawa, S., Shiraki, H., & Mukai, N. (2008). Upper extremity muscle activity and strength characteristics of overhead throwers during maximal eccentric muscle action. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Presentation Number 2492.

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