Mechanical, Physiological, and Perceptual Demands of Repeated Power Ability Lower-Body and Upper-Body Tests in Youth Athletes: Somatic Maturation as a Factor on the Performance

Abstract

This study aims (a) to assess and compare the acute mechanical, physiological,and perceptual demands induced by a lower and upper body repeated powerability (RPA) protocols, and (b) to examine how the somatic maturation could predicttraining response in RPA. Thirteen young male basketball players (chronologicalage = 15.2±1.1 years; height = 173.8±9.5 cm; body mass = 71.7±18.3 kg) wereselected to perform the parallel Back Squat (BS), and Bench Press (BP) RPA protocols(3 blocks of 5 sets of 5 repetitions with 30 s and 3 min of passive recovery betweensets and blocks, respectively). Mean propulsive power (MPP), accelerometer-baseddata, cardio-respiratory data, blood lactate, rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and musclesoreness were recorded. Somatic maturation was estimated according to the Khamisand Roche method. On the BS protocol, the mean oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate(HR), and RPE were 1006.33±481.85 ml/min., 133.8±12.5 bpm, and 6.14±0.98A.U., while on the BP protocol, were 684.6±246.3 ml/min., 96.1±10.4 bpm,and 5.08±1.44 A.U., respectively. Significant between-blocks differences were foundfor MPP, RPE, and blood lactate for both exercises. The BS implies higher cardio-respiratory and perceptual demands, though lower power production fluctuation andmovement variability than the BP. The somatic maturation was a strong predictor ofRPA-derived variables in BS. The MPP during all protocol, and the MPP during the BestSet were significant predictable by somatic maturation in both exercises. Mechanical,physiological and perceptual training demands are exercise and maturation dependent.