ECSS Paris 2023: CP-AP04
INTRODUCTION: The number of elite female athletes returning to competition after pregnancy and childbirth has been steadily increasing [1]. However, quantitative evidence describing postpartum strength training composition and the process of strength recovery remains limited [2]. Power-oriented resistance training (PRT) is a key component of athletic performance, and the timing of its introduction is particularly important during the return-to-sport process [3]. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate longitudinal changes in training composition and strength recovery in elite athletes who returned to competition postpartum, and to examine the timing of PRT introduction to inform the development of safe and effective return-to-sport protocols. METHODS: Five elite athletes who returned to competition after childbirth (age: 30.8 ± 5.2 years) were included. Training logs from 1 to 12 months postpartum were analyzed. Exercises were classified into eight categories: collective (CE), bodyweight (BW), core (CORE), upper-body resistance (UBR), lower-body resistance (LBR), plyometrics (PLY), medicine ball training (MBT), and quick lifts (QL). Monthly average sets per category were normalized per training day to characterize session-based training composition. PRT (PLY, MBT, QL) were introduced after confirmation by a physiotherapist of pelvic floor muscle function, trunk stability, and absence of pain or urinary incontinence. Training programs were designed by S&C coaches. Squat one-repetition maximum normalized to body mass (1RM/BM) was assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Longitudinal changes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: In the early postpartum period (1-3 months), training was primarily composed of BW and CE exercises. From 4 months postpartum onward, the number of sets for resistance training exercises (UBR and LBR) increased. PRT was introduced in a staged manner: PLY at 4 months, MBT at 7 months, and QL at 8 months. Relative squat strength (1RM/BM) increased significantly from 3 to 12 months (p = 0.001), with a 24.6 ± 16.5% increase from 3 to 6 months (p = 0.017) and a further 17.1 ± 4.2% increase from 6 to 12 months (p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: PRT was introduced at 4 (PLY), 7 (MBT), and 8 months (QL) postpartum, providing potential reference points for training planning. Improvements in 1RM/BM by 6 months suggest concurrent functional recovery, supporting earlier and gradual introduction of PRT when pelvic floor function and trunk stability are restored. References 1. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 2025. 2. Rotheram et al., Br J Sports Med, 2022. 3. Deering et al., Int J Sports Phys Ther, 2019.
Read CV MAI KAMEOKAECSS Paris 2023: CP-AP04
INTRODUCTION: The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP) is a valid, reliable, and safe test to assess maximal isometric strength in adults as well as in children and adolescents. It also shows strong associations with sport-specific performance outcomes. However, standardized IMTP testing is not yet consistently implemented in youth high-performance sport settings, which may limit comparability across athletes and, in the case of athlete monitoring, over time. Grip strength may act as a limiting factor and reduce the accuracy of peak-force outcomes. While lifting straps are recommended in adult IMTP protocols to minimize grip constraints, their use is often impractical in youth testing environments due to limited familiarity and time demands in large groups. This study investigated the acute effects of double overhand grip (OH), mixed grip (MG) and OH with lifting straps (STR) on peak force during the IMTP in youth athletes. Subgroup analyses examined whether grip-related differences depend on sex or type of sport (grip-sport vs. non-grip-sport athletes). METHODS: Eighty youth athletes (12.93 ± 1.08 yrs; 42 males, 38 females) from swimming (n = 28), diving (n = 21), judo (n = 12), and gymnastics (n = 19) completed IMTP tests in all grip conditions using a randomized crossover design using a chain-based IMTP setup with a force sensor (gStrength, Exsurgo Technologies, Sterling, Virginia, United States) fixed between a base plate and chain. Peak force measurements were taken from the force sensor manufacturers’ app and analysed across the different test conditions using a one-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Effect sizes were reported as partial eta squared (ηp²) and Cohen’s f. For subgroup analyses, relative peak-force differences between grip conditions were calculated and evaluated using factorial ANOVAs with sex and sport type as between-subject factors. RESULTS: Peak force differed significantly between grip conditions (OH = 1011.2 ± 254.7 N, MG = 1343.7 ± 290.1 N, STR = 1428.1 ± 364.4 N), F(1.75, 138.03) = 142.90, p < .001, ηp² = 0.64 (f = 1.33). Pairwise comparisons showed significantly higher peak force in MG and STR compared to OH (both p < 0.001, adjusted). Peak force did not significantly differ between STR and MG (p = 0.058). Subgroup analyses revealed no main effects of sex or sport type and no interaction effects on relative peak-force differences between grip conditions (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Grip selection substantially influences maximal force outcomes in youth IMTP assessments. The OH appears to limit peak force, whereas MG and STR enable significantly higher force expression. Although no significant differences were observed, results showed a trend toward higher values with STR. Therefore, MG appears sufficient for large-scale field testing, whereas straps may be preferable in more controlled or performance-focused assessments to maximize force expression and standardization.
Read CV Nils FreitagECSS Paris 2023: CP-AP04
INTRODUCTION: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a central role in motor execution by integrating cognitive and decision-making processes during physical effort (Leitão et al., 2025; Orcioli-Silva et al., 2024). Exercise tolerance is highly dependent on sufficient cerebral blood flow and oxygen availability, both of which increase substantially during physical activity compared with resting conditions (Leitão et al., 2025; Teo et al., 2023; Orcioli-Silva et al., 2024). Resistance training can be performed under different load settings, promoting distinct neural and physiological demands. Thus, the present study examined cerebral hemoglobin (Hb) dynamics during two maximal bench press protocols. METHODS: Twenty-two men (29.6±3.2 years; 81.4±4.1 kg; 1.81±0.05 m) performed 3 (3RM) and 10 (10RM) repetitions until failure in bench press, with 72 h of rest between them randomly. PFC response was analyzed by near-infrared spectroscopy to measure the concentration of oxygenated Hb (O2Hb), deoxygenated Hb (HHb), and tissue oxygenation index (TOI). In both the 3RM and 10RM protocols, the initial, the third, and the final repetitions were examined to characterize the PFC responses across these efforts. RESULTS: Repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant “Load” and “Repetitions” effects for O2Hb, HHb, and TOI (all p < 0.001). Significant “Load × Repetitions” interactions were observed for O₂Hb, HHb, and TOI (all p < 0.001). O₂Hb was higher in 3RM vs. 10RM at both initial (19.78 ± 5.2 vs. 12.45 ± 4.5 µmol/L) and final repetitions (28.19 ± 4.2 vs. 17.19 ± 6.2 µmol/L; both p < 0.05). HHb increased more in 3RM and TOI decreased with a higher reduction in 3RM (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, fatigue accumulation during both maximal protocols was characterized by a progressive reduction in TOI alongside an increase in O2Hb, with heavier loads inducing a more pronounced and earlier response. REFERENCES Leitão L, Pareja-Blanco F, Marinho D, Neiva H. Effects of Different Back Squat Protocols on Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation Responses. J Strength Cond Res. 2025 May 16;39(8):845-849. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000005141 Teo WP, Tan CX, Goodwill AM, Mohammad S, Ang YX, Latella C. Brain activation associated with low- and high-intensity concentric versus eccentric isokinetic contractions of the biceps brachii: an fNIRS study. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2023;34(1). doi:10.1111/sms.14499. Orcioli-Silva D, Beretta VS, Santos PCR, et al. Cerebral and muscle tissue oxygenation during exercise in healthy adults: A systematic review. J Sport Health Sci 2024;13:459 71.
Read CV Luis LeitaoECSS Paris 2023: CP-AP04