Rate of force development: Changes following long-term training and correlations with performance in weightlifting athletes
Keywords:
Muscle power, force-time curve, rapid force productionAbstract
The rate of force development (RFD) evaluates the force that can be produced in short-time periods ranging from 0 to 250 milliseconds. The RFD is an important factor for several power sports, where performance depends on fast and high-power muscle contractions, like the Olympic weightlifting. Olympic weightlifting includes the snatch and the clean and jerk and the main goal of the athletes is lifting the barbell as fast as possible, producing enormous amounts of power. However, the role of RFD on weightlifting performance remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to investigate the changes on RFD and weightlifting performance following long-term training and to evaluate the correlation between RFD and weightlifting performance in athletes. The review found 9 studies with the participation of male and female athletes. The results showed that RFD and weightlifting performance increased as a result of long-term training while the correlation coefficients between RFD and weightlifting performance were medium to large. These results suggest that RFD may be used as a tool to evaluate the neuromuscular adaptations of athletes following longterm training, although, other factors like muscle strength and power may have a stronger contribution to weightlifting performance.
References
Anastasiou, G., Hadjicharalambous, M., Terzis, G., & Zaras, N. (2023). Reactive Strength Index, Rate of Torque Development, and Performance in Well-Trained Weightlifters: A Pilot Study. Journal of Functinal Morphology and Kinesiology, 8, 161.
Aagaard, P., Simonsen, E. B., Andersen, J. L., Magnusson, P., & Dyhre-Poulsen, P. (2002). Increased rate of force development and neural drive of human skeletal muscle following resistance training. Journal of Applied Physiology, 93, 1318–1326.
Beckham, G., Mizuguchi, S., Carter, C., Sato, K., Ramsey, M., Lamont, H., et al. (2013). Relationships of isometric mid-thigh pull variables to weightlifting performance. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 53(5), 573-581.
Campos, J., Poletaev, P., Cuesta, A., Pablos, C., & Carratalà, V. (2006). Kinematical analysis of the snatch in elite male junior weightlifters of different weight categories. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(4), 843–850.
Carlock, J. M., Smith, S. L., Hartman, M. J., Morris, R. T., Ciroslan, D. A., Pierce, K. C., et al. (2004). The relationship between vertical jump power estimates and weightlifting ability: a field-test approach. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(3), 534-539.
Garhammer, J. (1980). Power production by Olympic weightlifters. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 12(1), 54-60.
Haff, G. G., Carlock, J. M., Hartman, M. J., Kilgore, J. L., Kawamori, N., Jackson, J. R., et al. (2005). Force-time curve characteristics of dynamic and isometric muscle actions of elite women olympic weightlifters. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(4), 741-748.
Haff, G. G., Jackson, J. R., Kawamori, N., Carlock, J. M., Hartman, M. J., Kilgore, J. L., et al. (2008). Force-time curve characteristics and hormonal alterations during an eleven-week training period in elite women weightlifters. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(2), 433-446.
Häkkinen, K., Komi, P. V., Alén, M., & Kauhanen, H. (1987). EMG, muscle fibre and force production characteristics during a 1 year training period in elite weight-lifters. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology, 56, 419-427.
Hornsby, W. G., Gentles, J. A., MacDonald, C. J., Mizuguchi, S., Ramsey, M. W., & Stone, M. H. (2017). Maximum strength, rate of force development, jump height, and peak power alterations in weightlifters across five months of training. Sports, 5(4), 78.
Ince, I., and Ulupinar, S. (2020). Prediction of competition performance via selected strength-power tests in junior weightlifters. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 60(2), 236-243.
Isaka, T., Okada, J., & Funato, K. (1996). Kinematic analysis of the barbell during the snatch movement of elite Asian weight lifters. Journal of applied biomechanics, 12(4), 508-516.
Kelekian, G. K., Zaras, N., Stasinaki, A. N., Spiliopoulou, P., Karampatsos, G., Bogdanis, G., & Terzis, G. (2022). Preconditioning strategies before maximum clean performance in female weightlifters. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 36(8), 2318-2321.
Maffiuletti, N. A., Aagaard, P., Blazevich, A. J., Folland, J., Tillin, N., & Duchateau, J. (2016). Rate of force development: physiological and methodological considerations. European journal of applied physiology, 116, 1091-1116.
Methenitis, S., Spengos, K., Zaras, N., Stasinaki, A. N., Papadimas, G., Karampatsos, G., ... & Terzis, G. (2019). Fiber type composition and rate of force development in endurance-and resistance-trained individuals. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(9), 2388-2397.
Stone, M. H., Sands, W. A., Pierce, K. C., Carlock, J. O. N., Cardinale, M., & Newton, R. U. (2005). Relationship of maximum strength to weightlifting performance. Medicine and science in sports & exercise, 37(6), 1037-1043.
Stone, M. H., Hornsby, W. G., Haff, G. G., Fry, A. C., Suarez, D. G., Liu, J., ... & Pierce, K. C. (2021). Periodization and block periodization in sports: emphasis on strength-power training—a provocative and challenging narrative. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35(8), 2351-2371.
Storey, A., & Smith, H. K. (2012). Unique aspects of competitive weightlifting: performance, training and physiology. Sports medicine, 42, 769-790.
Suarez, D. G., Mizuguchi, S., Hornsby, W. G., Cunanan, A. J., Marsh, D. J., & Stone, M. H. (2019). Phase-specific changes in rate of force development and muscle morphology throughout a block periodized training cycle in weightlifters. Sports, 7(6), 129.
Tromaras, K., Zaras, N., Stasinaki, A. N., Mpampoulis, T., & Terzis, G. (2024). Lean Body Mass, Muscle Architecture and Powerlifting Performance during Preseason and in Competition. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 9(2), 89.
Winwood, P. W., Keogh, J. W., Travis, S. K., & Pritchard, H. J. (2023). The tapering practices of competitive weightlifters. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37(4), 829-839.
Zaras, N., Methenitis, S., Stasinaki, A. N., Spiliopoulou, P., Anousaki, E., Karampatsos, G., et al. (2022). Differences in rate of force development, muscle morphology and maximum strength between weightlifters and track and field throwers. Applied Sciences, 12(16), 8031.
Zaras, N. D., Stasinaki, A. N. E., Methenitis, S. K., Krase, A. A., Karampatsos, G. P., Georgiadis, G. V., et al. (2016). Rate of force development, muscle architecture, and performance in young competitive track and field throwers. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(1), 81-92.
Zaras, N., Stasinaki, A. N., Spiliopoulou, P., Arnaoutis, G., Hadjicharalambous, M., & Terzis, G. (2020). Rate of force development, muscle architecture, and performance in elite weightlifters. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 16(2), 216-223.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
a. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
c. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
