Changes in Psychological, Morphological, and Performance Characteristics in Preparation for a National Weightlifting Competition

• Main Author: Marsh, Donald
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2019
• Subjects: Periodization; Training; Athlete Monitoring; Muscle; Force; Adaptation; Sports Sciences
• Online Access: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3642; https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5099&context=etd

The primary aim of this study was to examine the time course of change in muscle morphology and vertical jump performance in weightlifters preparing for a national competition. The secondary aim of this study is to examine how perceived recovery and stress state corresponds with alterations in training load leading up to competition. Eleven Olympic Training Site weightlifters completed a 4-week peaking phase for a national competition. Body mass, stress and recovery psychometric measures, and unloaded/loaded (20kg) squat jump height (SJH) were measured weekly and at the competition site. Vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT) and pennation angle (PA) ultrasound measurements were taken prior to and following the training protocol. In competition, 6 athletes set a personal best in snatch, clean and jerk and/or total. These results suggest that improvements in the loaded SJ and psychometric measures correspond to successful competition performance in some weightlifters. Notably, most weightlifters appeared to be peaked within 3 days of competition.