The Use of Free Weight Squats in Sports: A Narrative Review-Squatting Movements, Adaptation, and Sports Performance: Physiological.

ABSTRACT: Stone, MH, Hornsby, G, Mizuguchi, S, Sato, K, Gahreman, D, Duca, M, Carroll, K, Ramsey, MW, Stone, ME, and Haff, GG. The use of free weight squats in sports: a narrative review-squatting movements, adaptation, and sports performance: physiological. J Strength Cond Res 38(8): 1494-1508, 2024-The squat and its variants can provide numerous benefits including positively affecting sports performance and injury prevention, injury severity reduction, and rehabilitation. The positive benefits of squat are likely the result of training-induced neural alterations and mechanical and morphological adaptations in tendons, skeletal muscles, and bones, resulting in increased tissue stiffness and cross-sectional area (CSA). Although direct evidence is lacking, structural adaptations can also be expected to occur in ligaments. These adaptations are thought to beneficially increase force transmission and mechanical resistance (e.g., resistance to mechanical strain) and reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries. Adaptations such as these, also likely play an important role in rehabilitation, particularly for injuries that require restricted use or immobilization of body parts and thus lead to a consequential reduction in the CSA and alterations in the mechanical properties of tendons, skeletal muscles, and ligaments. Both volume and particularly intensity (e.g., levels of loading used) of training seem to be important for the mechanical and morphological adaptations for at least skeletal muscles, tendons, and bones. Therefore, the training intensity and volume used for the squat and its variations should progressively become greater while adhering to the concept of periodization and recognized training principles.

Resting Hormone Alterations and Injuries: Block vs. DUP Weight-Training among D-1 Track and Field Athletes.

Daily undulating periodization (DUP), using daily alterations in repetitions, has been advocated as a superior method of resistance training, while traditional forms of programming for periodization (Block) have been questioned. Nineteen Division I track and field athletes were assigned to either a 10-week Block or DUP training group. Year and event were controlled. Over the course of the study, there were four testing sessions, which were used to evaluate a variety of strength characteristics, including maximum isometric strength, rate of force development, and one repetition maximum (1RM). Although, performance trends favored the Block group for strength and rate of force development, no statistical differences were found between the two groups. However, different (p ≤ 0.05) estimated volumes of work (VL) and amounts of improvement per VL were found between groups. Based upon calculated training efficiency scores, these data indicate that a Block training model is more efficient in producing strength gains than a DUP model. Additionally, alterations in testosterone (T), cortisol (C) and the T:C ratio were measured. Although there were no statistically (p ≤ 0.05) different hormone alterations between groups, relationships between training variables and hormone concentrations including the T:C ratio, indicate that Block may be more efficacious in terms of fatigue management.