Potential benefits and rationale to implement weightlifting overhead pressing derivatives in strength and conditioning programmes forathletic development

Abstract

The aim of this series of studies was to determine the potential benefits and rationale to implement WOPD in S&C programmes for athletic development. Study 1: The findings from this review demonstrated that WOPD utilized in S&C programmes, such as the PP, PJ, and SJ may provide an adequate stimulus to improve not only weightlifting performance but also sports performance. These findings were based on a review of 13 studies focused on the kinetic and kinematic mechanisms underpinning WOPD. The potential benefits are that I) the use of WOPD is an additional strategy to improve weightlifting performance; II) WOPD require the ability to develop high forces rapidly by an impulsive triple extension of the hips, knees and plantar flexion of the ankles, which is mechanically similar to many sporting tasks; III) WOPD may be beneficial for enhancing power development and maximal strength in the sport population, and, finally, IV) WOPD may provide a variation in training stimulus for the sports population due to the technical demands, need for balance and coordination. The results of study 2 demonstrated that in the case of WOPD, practitioners and researchers may simplify the 1RM single procedure for a given exercise by performing the 1RM during the three main WOPD (PP, PJ and SJ) in sequence, in one testing session (combined assessment method), with no significant (p > 0.05) or meaningful ( 2 < 0.001) differences between the single (testing each on separate days) and the combined assessment method. Moreover, there was a high reliability, low variability, and low measurement error for the PP (ICC = 0.960; CV = 1.8%; SDD = 7.1%), PJ (ICC = 0.978; CV = 1.5%; SDD = 5.4%) and SJ (ICC = 0.987; CV = 1.2 %; SDD = 4.6%) in the combined assessment. The results of study 3 demonstrated that in a comparison of the 1RM performance for the three main WOPD (PP, PJ and SJ) among three sport groups (weightlifters, CrossFit¿ athletes, and a mixed group of athletes) there was a significant (p < 0.001) main effect of exercise ( 2 = 0.101) and exercise x group interaction ( 2 = 0.012) on the 1RM performance, while there was no statistical significance (p = 0.175) for the effect of group ( 2 = 0.066). The results of this study provided evidence that exercise selection impacts the 1RM performance. Furthermore, in the interaction of exercise and sport group, weightlifters demonstrated significantly higher 1RM SJ performance (115.3 ± 21.2 kg) compared to the PJ (105.5 ± 17.9 kg; p < 0.001) and PP (94.7 ± 17.6 kg; p < 0.001). The CrossFit¿ group demonstrated significantly higher 1RM SJ performance (96.6 ± 16.3 kg) compared to the PP (86.1 ± 13.8 kg; p < 0.001), but not significantly compared to the PJ (93.0 ± 14.0 kg; p = 0.90). Similarly, the mixed group of athletes demonstrated significantly higher 1RM SJ performance (102.9 ± 18.3 kg) compared to the PP (90.4 ± 14.8 kg; p < 0.001), but not significantly greater than the PJ (97.1 ± 17.4 kg; p = 0.110). These findings provided an insight of the importance of training specificity, where weightlifters reported the largest differences in 1RM performance between exercises (9-22%) in comparison to the CrossFit¿ (4-11%) and a mixed group of athletes (6-14%). This thesis is the first work focused on the potential benefits and rationale for the implementation of WOPD in S&C programmes for athletic development. Further research on the kinetic and kinematic mechanisms of the main WOPD, across loads, in sporting populations, is guaranteed to include a better understanding of the topic along with the longitudinal training effects and adaptations.