Research article - (2014)13, 460 - 468
Effects of Instability Versus Traditional Resistance Training on Strength, Power and Velocity in Untrained Men
José Luis Maté-Muñoz1,, Antonio J. Antón Monroy2, Pablo Jodra Jiménez1, Manuel V. Garnacho-Castaño3
1Department of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Alfonso X el Sabio University, Madrid, Spain
2Department of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain
3Department of Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

José Luis Maté-Muñoz
✉ Laboratory of Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology, Department of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Alfonso X el Sabio University, Avda. Universidad, 1, building C, 3 floor, office C-A09, Villanueva de la Cañada 28691- Madrid, Spain
Email: jmatmuo@uax.es
Received: 17-10-2013 -- Accepted: 19-02-2014
Published (online): 01-09-2014

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was compare the effects of a traditional and an instability resistance circuit training program on upper and lower limb strength, power, movement velocity and jumping ability. Thirty-six healthy untrained men were assigned to two experimental groups and a control group. Subjects in the experimental groups performed a resistance circuit training program consisting of traditional exercises (TRT, n = 10) or exercises executed in conditions of instability (using BOSU® and TRX®) (IRT, n = 12). Both programs involved three days per week of training for a total of seven weeks. The following variables were determined before and after training: maximal strength (1RM), average (AV) and peak velocity (PV), average (AP) and peak power (PP), all during bench press (BP) and back squat (BS) exercises, along with squat jump (SJ) height and counter movement jump (CMJ) height. All variables were found to significantly improve (p <0.05) in response to both training programs. Major improvements were observed in SJ height (IRT = 22.1%, TRT = 20.1%), CMJ height (IRT = 17.7%, TRT = 15.2%), 1RM in BS (IRT = 13.03%, TRT = 12.6%), 1RM in BP (IRT = 4.7%, TRT = 4.4%), AP in BS (IRT = 10.5%, TRT = 9.3%), AP in BP (IRT = 2.4%, TRT = 8.1%), PP in BS (IRT=19.42%, TRT = 22.3%), PP in BP (IRT = 7.6%, TRT = 11.5%), AV in BS (IRT = 10.5%, TRT = 9.4%), and PV in BS (IRT = 8.6%, TRT = 4.5%). Despite such improvements no significant differences were detected in the posttraining variables recorded for the two experimental groups. These data indicate that a circuit training program using two instability training devices is as effective in untrained men as a program executed under stable conditions for improving strength (1RM), power, movement velocity and jumping ability.

Key words: Unstable surfaces, strength training, back squat, bench press, jumping ability

Key Points
  • Similar adaptations in terms of gains in strength, power, movement velocity and jumping ability were produced in response to both training programs.
  • Both the stability and instability approaches seem suitable for healthy, physically-active individuals with or with limited experience in resistance training.
  • RPE emerged as a useful tool to monitor exercise intensity during instability strength training.








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