Resistance training with slow movement in wing chung martial artists

Exhaustion (RTSM) in Wing Chun martial artists. It has been demonstrated that the ballistic training increases the movement velocity but decreases the force; in opposite the conventional resistance training increases the force but not the movement velocity (Olsen P.D., et al. 2003). Blood flow restriction resistance training with slow velocity of muscle action, without elastic cuff, performed with low load intensity, is considered an efficacy training method for improving muscular function (Alberti G., et al. 2013). Using resistance training in addition to standard ballistic training, may be a useful strategy for improving muscular function in martial artists. Methods 22 Wing Chun martial artists (31.82±11.17 yrs; 23.64±2.14 kg/m2) were randomly divided in 2 groups: experimental group (EG) performed 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week, of RTSM (5s concentric and 5s eccentric) with 50% of 1RM in addition to the baseline training, whereas the control group (CG) continued their baseline training. Before and after the intervention, the subjects were tested on: 1 maximal repetition on bench press (1RM), peak power during bench press (PP) by using Kinovea (Balsalobre-Fernandez C., et al. 2014), and maximum punch repetition in 5s (MP5). To investigate within and between groups effect of the training intervention on these parameters, paired and unpaired t-test were performed. Results Significant difference was not found between the 2 groups before the training period. The EG improved PP (p<0.001;ES=0.63, moderate) and 1RM (p<0.001; ES=0.53, moderate), while the EG did not improve any parameters from pre to post training period. In the post test we found a significant difference between CG and EG only in 1RM (p<0.05; ES=1.11, very large). However the MP5 did not change from pre to post training in both groups. Discussion The higher values of EG in PP and 1RM in the post training showed that RTSM could be an efficient training method for improving general muscular function. Moreover, MP5 in EG did not decrease from pre to post training; this is probably due to the high specificity and the high neuromuscular demand of the punching technique (VencesBrito M., et al. 2011). These considerations demonstrate that such low intensity resistance method can be considered part of the routine training of Wing Chun martial artists. Reference Alberti G., et al. (2013) SCJ Balsalobre-Fernandez C., et al. (2014) JSCR VencesBrito M., et al. (2011) JEK Olsen P.D., et al. (2003) JSC