The Strength & Conditioning Research Rundown February 2020

By Thomas King, MSc, CSCS, CEP

After the positive reception to part one of this blog post, we thought it would be a good idea to introduce part two. Below you will find some good information in a rapid-fire format. Without further ado, let’s get started!

Stay Out Late? Lift Less.

photo credit: Thibaud Saintin Me, herself and them via photopin (license)

Ever tried to workout hard the day after a late night of partying? Probably wasn’t a fun experience, was it? Thanks to a research team from Brazil, we now know that this isn’t a good idea. In their experiment, participants were given alcohol and forced to stay up late. Lo and behold, when they were tested the next morning, their performance suffered! [1] So, if you still want to workout the day after a big night, try to keep it light.

They See Me Rollin’

photo credit: Mark Burnham Photography

Have you ever been foam rolling and wondered how much pressure you should be applying? I know I have. Well, it turns out, to help increase your range of motion (RoM) it really doesn’t matter. A research team right here in St. John’s examined three different levels of applied roller force and found neither one to be better than the other. Who would have thought? So, maybe don’t worry too much about going hard with the foam roller and just do it. [2]

Play Late, Sleep Poorly

photo credit: Kevin McShane Self Portrait In Bed via photopin (license)

To all those reading this, if you play a game of your favourite sport at night, how would you rate your sleep quality that night? For me, it takes a long time to unwind for bed after being highly stimulated for an extended period. It turns out; even professionals are affected by evening games. In a study of professional soccer players, 90% of those who played in games starting after 6:00pm reported sleep disturbances. So, if you are hoping for a good night’s rest, maybe rethink that 10pm hockey game. [3]

Is It The Shoes?

When it comes to deadlifting, what do you prefer shoes or no shoes? Personally I prefer a nice flat shoe with a minimal heel. Well, it turns out that it may not even matter. In a study examining shod (with shoes) versus barefoot deadlifting, researchers from Australia found that there was no difference in rate of force development or peak vertical force between the two conditions. [4]

Better Grip, Better Golf?

photo credit: manoftaste.de Golf via photopin (license)

Looking for a quick way to improve your golf performance? Researchers from the United States may have just what you are interested in. They tested the effects of training using fat gripz (a rubber attachment that increases the diameter of a barbell) on ball speed, driving distance, and driving carry. Interestingly, training with fat gripz increased these parameters significantly more than a group who did not train with fat gripz. [5]

That’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed this look at some of the research coming from the strength and conditioning world. As before, if any of this piqued your interest, I have included the links to the studies cited in the article below.

References

Rodrigues, R., Franke, R.dA., Teixeira, B.C., Macedo, R.C.O., Diefenthaeler, F., Baroni, B.M., Vaz, M.A. (2019). Can the combination of acute alcohol intake and one night of sleep deprivation affect neuromuscular performance in healthy adults? A cross-over randomized trial. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33(5), 1244-51.

Grabow, L., Young, J.D., Alcock, L.R., Quigley, P.J., Byrne, J.M., Granacher, U., Skarabot, J., Behm, D.G. (2018). Higher quadriceps roller massage forces do not amplify range-of-motion increases nor impair strength and jump performance. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 32(11), 3059-69.

Nedelec, M., Dawson, B., Dupont, G. (2019). Influence of night soccer matches on sleep in elite players. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33(1), 174-9.

Hammer, M.E., Meir, R.A., Whitting, J.W., Crowley-McHatten, Z.J. (2018). Shod vs. barefoot effects on force and power development during a conventional deadlift. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 32(6), 1525-30.

Cummings, P.M., Waldman, H.S., Krings, B.M., Smith, JE.W., McAllister, M.J. (2018). Effects of fat grip training on muscular strength and driving performance in division I male golfers. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 32(1), 205-10.

Ali Pike

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I started training at JKC in 2016 because I’ve always had upper back issues that became aggravated through work. I sought out other training and physio, but experienced little to no results. A client of mine happened to be coming to JKC for a similar issue and highly recommended it. I have had great success and haven’t looked back! I always feel like I’m getting programs tailored to my needs and I’m never bored. I’m 30 weeks pregnant now with my second child and have been able to workout through both pregnancies here at JKC. Even on my least mobile days, I felt safe to workout because my programs were specifically modified for my needs.

Teri Stuckless

After my children were born, I was completely out of shape. I had been active before my first pregnancy in 2008. I saw a post on social media about a charity event that was hosted at the gym. It prompted me to check out the JKC website. I was immediately impressed by the professional content and decided to give it a try. The professionally crafted and uniquely tailored work outs, as well as the sense of accountability and commitment that they foster. I have not missed a workout since joining – contrary to other experiences I have had when purchasing gym memberships. The flexibility of booking and rescheduling workouts, made easy by an online app, also contributed to my success in meeting my fitness goals.

I enjoy every session, working out with Jon, Thomas and Craig, as well as the “JKC Community”. Anytime someone achieves a personal best, I enjoy the celebration and support everyone gives each other. For me, I fondly remember achieving personal bests on bench press, chin ups and the sled push, in particular.

Nic Capps

I’ve been weight training on and off for years but never really had a specific goal or target in mind so routinely stalled out, plateaued or stopped training all together. Before I joined JKC I was definitely in a fitness slump and needed something to motivate me and get me back on track. I did a bit of digging online, looking at various personal training options and gyms around town but JKC seemed like the best option by far. I’ve tried big box gyms and other personal trainers in the past but none of them have had the perfect combination of goal specific fitness programming, welcoming and supportive environment, and the knowledge and passion to back it all up that you’ll find at JKC. Jon and Thomas are great to work with, they know how to motivate you if you’re having an off day and are well versed in all the different ways to make your muscles burn! I also have noticed some major improvements in my deadlifts since I started with JKC and was really happy with the result.

Matt Garvin

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I had spent a fair bit of time in gyms in my teens and twenties but I turned away from the gym to focus on activities that I enjoyed more. What keeps me at JKC is that I do really enjoy it. I always feel that I’ve accomplished something when I leave at the end of my workout. The environment is really positive and focused on challenging yourself whatever your level of comfort and fitness. I’ve also seen results that I’m really happy with; having someone who really knows what they’re talking about to guide your workouts makes them way more effective and focused than just “going to the gym”.

Shortly after I started at JKC, I sustained a fairly major injury that took me off my feet for several months. When I started to get back to activity, it was very difficult. Jon and Thomas worked hard to tailor my workouts to my goals and what I could do. With their help, I’ve been steadily building back strength and function.

Keir McIsaac

I recently turned 40, and I have been training at JKC since the summer of 2020. My partner Michael had already been training at JKC, so it came highly recommended. We had set up a home gym at the start of the pandemic, but needed to mix it up after the first lockdown. JKC differs from other gyms because of the personalized workouts. Jon, Thomas and Craig are great at challenging me to do more than I would on my own.

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