Training adaptations in lower-body muscle structure and physical performance capacities of competitive surfing athletes

Author

Josh Secomb, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

First Supervisor

Dr Jeremy Sheppard

Second Supervisor

Dr Sophia Nimphius

Abstract

The overall aim of this thesis was to increase strength and conditioning coaches, and sport scientists’ understanding of the lower-body muscle structures related to enhanced lower-body physical capacities, and how to best evoke desirable training-specific adaptations. To address this aim, three successive steps of research were evaluated: (1) analysis of the factors related to increased performance in competitive surfing, (2) relationships between lower-body muscle structures and factors associated with enhanced physical performance, and (3) comparison of the training-specific adaptations evoked from various training methods. Whilst this research specifically focused on competitive surfing athletes, these results may benefit the training practices of athletes from a wide range of sports. The comprehensive conclusion of the research studies in this thesis suggest that competitive surfing is highly reliant on lower-body force producing capabilities, with specific vastus lateralis and lateral gastrocnemius muscle structures significantly related to these lower-body physical performance capacities. Additionally, the separation of strength and, gymnastics and plyometric training may not be best practice for adolescent athletes. However, a short duration combined strength, plyometric and gymnastics training intervention appears to provide a significant stimulus to evoke desirable adaptations in lower-body muscle structure and physical performance capacities for athletes that have limited opportunities for training between major competitions. Therefore, this thesis has provided descriptive, predictive and determinant findings associated with the physical preparation of surfing athletes, and iii therefore, provides strength and conditioning coaches, and sport scientists with an enhanced understanding of how best to evoke desirable adaptations in lower-body muscle structure and physical performance capacities.

Related Publications

Chapter 2:
Secomb, J. L., Farley, O. R. L., Lundgren, L., Tran, T. T., King, A., Nimphius, S. & Sheppard, J. M. (2015). Associations between the performance of scoring manoeuvres and lower-body strength and power in elite surfers. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 10(5): 911-918.

Chapter 3:
Secomb, J. L., Lundgren, L. E., Farley, O. R. L., Tran, T. T., Nimphius, S. & Sheppard, J. M. (2015). Relationships between lower-body muscle structure and lower-body strength, power and muscle-tendon complex stiffness. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(8): 2221-2228. Link to article here.

Secomb, J. L., Nimphius, S., Farley, O. R. L., Lundgren, L. E., Tran, T. T. & Sheppard, J. M. (2015). Relationships between lower-body muscle structure and, lower-body strength, explosiveness and eccentric leg stiffness in adolescent athletes. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 14: 691-697. Link to article here.

Chapter 4:
Secomb, J. L., Nimphius, S., Farley, O. R. L., Lundgren, L. E., Tran, T. T. & Sheppard, J. M. (2016). Lower-body muscle structure and jump performance of stronger and weaker surfing athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 11(5): 652-657. Link to article here.

Chapter 5:
Secomb, J. L., Farley, O. R. L., Nimphius, S., Lundgren, L. E., Tran, T. T. & Sheppard, J. M. (2016). The training-specific adaptations resulting from resistance training, gymnastics and plyometric training, and non-training in adolescent athletes. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching. [In Press].

Chapter 6:
Secomb, J. L., Nimphius, S., Lundgren, L. E., Parsonage, J., Farley, O. R. L., Tran, T. T. & Sheppard, J. M. (2015). The training-specific adaptations resulting from a short block of combined strength, plyometric and gymnastics training. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 23(6): 83-85.

Secomb, J. L., Farley, O. R. L., Lundgren, L. E., Tran, T. T., Nimphius, S. & Sheppard, J. M. (2014). The effect of initial lower-body strength on the training-specific adaptations resulting from combined plyometric and gymnastics training. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 22(5): 61-64. Link to article here.

Secomb, J. L., Nimphius, S., Farley, O. R. L., Lundgren, L. E., Tran, T. T., Parsonage, J. & Sheppard, J. M. (2015). Three weeks cessation from strength training in adolescent athletes increases lower-body isometric strength. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning. 23(6): 26-29.

Access Note

Access to Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 of this thesis is not available.

Recommended Citation

Secomb, J. (2016). Training adaptations in lower-body muscle structure and physical performance capacities of competitive surfing athletes. Edith Cowan University. Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1914