The effects of 8-week complex training on lower-limb strength and power of Chinese elite female modern pentathlon athletes.

Complex training (CT) is a combination training method that alternates between performing high-load resistance training (RT) and plyometric training within one single session. The study aimed to examine the effects of CT on lower-limb strength and power of elite female modern pentathlon athletes under the new modern pentathlon format and competition rules. Ten female participants (age: 23.55 ± 2.22 years, weight: 60.59 ± 3.87 kg, height: 169.44 ± 4.57 cm, and training experience: 6.90 ± 2.08 years) of the national modern pentathlon team completed 8 weeks of RT as followed by 8 weeks of CT, with 2 weeks of break. Then, the participants conducted 8 weeks of CT, which included RT combined with plyometric training (e.g., drop jump and continuous jump). All stages of training were designed by the linear strength training period theories, requiring participants to train twice for the first 4 weeks and three times for the second 4 weeks. The one-repetition maximum (1RM) of squat, isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), counter-movement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), pre-stretch augmentation percentage (PSAP), and reaction strength index (RSI) were assessed before and after both RT and CT training. One-way repeated-measure ANOVA models revealed that the 1RM of squat was significantly improved (p < 0.001) after RT as compared to pre-RT. No significant improvement in IMTP (p = 0.055), CMJ (p = 0.194), SJ (p = 0.692), PSAP (p = 0.087), and RSI (p = 0.238) was not observed. After CT, 1RM of squat (p < 0.001), IMTP (p < 0.035), CMJ (p < 0.001), SJ (p < 0.008), RSI (p < 0.006) were significant improved as compared to pre-RT, post-RT and pre-CT, while significant improvements in PSAP were observed as compared to pre-RT (p = 0.003) and pre-CT (p = 0.027), but not to post-RT (p = 0.156). This pilot study showed the promise of CT following RT to improve lower-limb strength and power in elite female modern pentathlon athletes. The findings are worthwhile to be confirmed in future studies with larger sample size and randomized design.

Effect of 12 weeks of complex training on occupational activities, strength, and power in professional firefighters.

Objective: This study examined the effects of 12-week complex training (CT) programs on professional firefighters' occupational activities, strength, and power. Methods: Thirty men professional firefighters were randomly assigned to the CT group (n = 15) and control group (n = 15). The CT group performed complex training and the control group completed resistance training (RT) twice a week over 12 weeks. The occupational activities, strength, and power were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention by measuring the performance of 100 m load-bearing run (100 m LR), 60 m shoulder ladder run (60 m SLR), 5 m × 20 m shuttle run (5 m × 20 m SR), 4th-floor climbing rope (4th-floor CR), countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJas), seated medicine-ball throw (SMT), one-repetition maximum bench press (1RM BP), and one-repetition maximum back squat (1RM BS). Results: The results showed that compared to RT, CT induced significantly greater improvements in 60 m SLR (p = 0.007), 4th-floor CR (p = 0.020), CMJas (p = 0.001), and SMT (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that CT is a novel intervention with great promise of improving professional firefighters' occupational activities, strength, and power.

Alterations of structure and functional connectivity of visual brain network in patients with freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a disabling gait disorder common in advanced stage of Parkinson's disease (PD). The gait performance of PD-FOG patients is closely linked with visual processing. Here, we aimed to investigate the structural and functional change of visual network in PD-FOG patients. Seventy-eight PD patients (25 with FOG, 53 without FOG) and 29 healthy controls (HCs) were included. All the participants underwent structural 3D T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting state functional MRI scan. Our results demonstrated a significant decrease of right superior occipital gyrus gray matter density in PD-FOG relative to non-FOG (NFOG) patients and healthy controls (PD-FOG vs. PD-NFOG: 0.33 ± 0.04 vs. 0.37 ± 0.05, p = 0.005; PD-FOG vs. HC: 0.37 ± 0.05 vs. 0.39 ± 0.06, p = 0.002). Functional MRI revealed a significant decrease of connectivity between right superior occipital gyrus and right paracentral lobule in PD-FOG compared to PD-NFOG (p = 0.045). In addition, the connectivity strength was positively correlated with gray matter density of right superior occipital gyrus (r = 0.471, p = 0.027) and negatively associated with freezing of gait questionnaire (FOGQ) score (r = -0.562, p = 0.004). Our study suggests that the structural and functional impairment of visual-motor network might underlie the neural mechanism of FOG in PD.