Specificity of velocity in strength training

Summary

Twenty-one male volunteers (ages 23–25 years) were tested pre- and post training for maximal knee extension power at five specific speeds (1.05, 2.09, 3.14, 4.19, and 5.24 rad·s⁻¹) with an isokinetic dynamometer. Subjects were assigned randomly to one of three experimental groups; group S, training at 1.05 rad·s⁻¹ (n=8), group I, training at 3.14 rad·s⁻¹ (n=8) or group F, training at 5.24 rad·s⁻¹ (n=5). Subjects trained the knee extensors by performing 10 maximal voluntary efforts in group S, 30 in group I and 50 in group F six times a week for 8 weeks. Though group S showed significant increases in power at all test speeds, the percent increment decreased with test speed from 24.8% at 1.05 rad·s⁻¹ to 8.6% at 5.24 rad·s⁻¹. Group I showed almost similar increment in power (18.5–22.4 at all test speeds except at 2.09 rad·s⁻¹ (15.4%). On the other hand, group F enhanced power only at faster test speeds (23.9% at 4.19 rad·s⁻¹ and 22.8% at 5.24 rad·s⁻¹).