Effects of velocity loss during body mass prone-grip pull-up training on strength and endurance performance

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effects of two pull-up (PU) training programs that 5 differed in the magnitude of repetition velocity loss allowed in each set (25% velocity 6 loss “VL25” vs. 50% velocity loss “VL50”) on PU performance. Twenty-nine nine 7 strength-trained men (age = 26.1 ± 6.3 years, body mass = 74.2 ± 6.4 kg, 15.9 ± 4.9 PU 8 repetitions to failure) were randomly assigned to two groups: VL25 (n = 15) or VL50 (n 9 = 14) and followed an 8-week (16 sessions) velocity-based body mass (BM) prone PU 10 training program. Mean propulsive velocity (MPV) was monitored in all repetitions. 11 Assessments performed at Pre-training and Post-training included: estimated one 12 repetition maximum (1RM); average MPV attained with all common external loads used 13 during Pre-training and Post-training testing (AVinc); peak MPV lifting one’s own BM 14 (MPVbest); maximum number of repetitions to failure lifting one’s own BM (MNR); and 15 average MPV corresponding to the same number of repetitions lifting one’s own BM 16 performed during Pre-training testing (AVMNR). VL25 attained significantly greater gains 17 than VL50 in all analyzed variables except in MNR. Additionally, VL25 improved 18 significantly (P<0.001) in all the evaluated variables while VL50 remained unchanged. 19 In conclusion, our results suggest that once a 25% velocity loss is achieved during PU 20 training, a further increase does not elicit further gains and can even blunt the 21 improvement in strength and endurance performance