Int J Sports Med 2014; 35(13): 1101-1105
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1371839
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Increases in Intracellular Water Explain Strength and Power Improvements over a Season

A. M. Silva
1   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Fac Motricidade Humana, Univ Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal
,
C. N. Matias
1   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Fac Motricidade Humana, Univ Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal
,
D. A. Santos
1   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Fac Motricidade Humana, Univ Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal
,
P. M. Rocha
1   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Fac Motricidade Humana, Univ Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal
,
C. S. Minderico
1   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Fac Motricidade Humana, Univ Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal
,
L. B. Sardinha
1   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Fac Motricidade Humana, Univ Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 23 January 2014

Publication Date:
10 July 2014 (online)

Abstract

Changes in body components occur over a season, but their impact on performance is still unclear. We aimed to analyze the relationship between changes in leg strength and jump performance with body composition over a season in highly trained athletes. Measures from the beginning to the main competitive periods of a season were obtained in 40 male and 23 female basketball, handball and volleyball players (20±5 years) for fat (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) estimated by DXA. Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were assessed by deuterium and bromide dilution, respectively, and intracellular water (ICW) was calculated as TBW minus ECW. Maximal strength was determined by the leg press, while jumping height was assessed with squat (SJ) and countermovement (CMJ) jumps. Significant improvements in strength (12.5±20.8%) and jumping height (SJ:8.3±13.9%; CMJ:6.3±8.5%) were found. FFM, TBW and ECW significantly increased (3.0±2.7%; 1.7±5.5%; 3.0±8.6%, respectively), while %FM decreased (−4.5±9.1%) and no changes were observed in ICW (1.2±9.7%). Among body composition changes only ICW was associated with performance even adjusted for gender, age, season length and sport (strength: β=71.209, p=0.012; SJ: β=0.311, p=0.049; CMJ: β=0.366, p=0.018). Body composition, strength and jumping height improved over a season and ICW was the main predictor of performance in national level players.

 
  • References

  • 1 Carbuhn AF, Fernandez TE, Bragg AF, Green JS, Crouse SF. Sport and training influence bone and body composition in women collegiate athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 1710-1717
  • 2 Gonzalez-Rave JM, Arija A, Clemente-Suarez V. Seasonal changes in jump performance and body composition in women volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 1492-1501
  • 3 Gorostiaga EM, Granados C, Ibanez J, Gonzalez-Badillo JJ, Izquierdo M. Effects of an entire season on physical fitness changes in elite male handball players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006; 38: 357-366
  • 4 Granados C, Izquierdo M, Ibanez J, Ruesta M, Gorostiaga EM. Effects of an entire season on physical fitness in elite female handball players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008; 40: 351-361
  • 5 Hakkinen K. Changes in physical fitness profile in female basketball players during the competitive season including explosive type strength training. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1993; 33: 19-26
  • 6 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sports and exercise science research: 2014 update. Int J Sports Med. 2013 34. 1025-1028
  • 7 Haussinger D, Roth E, Lang F, Gerok W. Cellular hydration state: an important determinant of protein catabolism in health and disease. Lancet 1993; 341: 1330-1332
  • 8 Ivy JL, Katz AL, Cutler CL, Sherman WM, Coyle EF. Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: effect of time of carbohydrate ingestion. J Appl Physiol 1988; 64: 1480-1485
  • 9 Johnson GO, Nebelsick-Gullett LJ, Thorland WG, Housh TJ. The effect of a competitive season on the body composition of university female athletes. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1989; 29: 314-320
  • 10 Lang F, Busch GL, Ritter M, Volkl H, Waldegger S, Gulbins E, Haussinger D. Functional significance of cell volume regulatory mechanisms. Physiol Rev 1998; 78: 247-306
  • 11 Lohman TG, Harris M, Teixeira PJ, Weiss L. Assessing body composition and changes in body composition. Another look at dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2000; 904: 45-54
  • 12 Malina RM, Battista RA, Siegel SR. Anthropometry of adult athletes: concepts, methods and applications. In: Driskell JA, Wolinsky I. eds. Nutritional assessment of athletes. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2002: 135-175
  • 13 Marques MC, Gonzalez-Badillo JJ. In-season resistance training and detraining in professional team handball players. J Strength Cond Res 2006; 20: 563-571
  • 14 Matias CN, Santos DA, Goncalves EM, Fields DA, Sardinha LB, Silva AM. Is bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy accurate in estimating total body water and its compartments in elite athletes?. Ann Hum Biol 2013; 40: 152-156
  • 15 Montgomery PG, Pyne DB, Hopkins WG, Minahan CL. Seasonal progression and variability of repeat-effort line-drill performance in elite junior basketball players. J Sports Sci 2008; 26: 543-550
  • 16 Olsson KE, Saltin B. Variation in total body water with muscle glycogen changes in man. Acta Physiol Scand 1970; 80: 11-18
  • 17 Prestes J, De Lima C, Frollini AB, Donatto FF, Conte M. Comparison of linear and reverse linear periodization effects on maximal strength and body composition. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23: 266-274
  • 18 Sheppard JM, Newton RU. Long-term training adaptations in elite male volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 2180-2184
  • 19 Siders WA, Bolonchuk WW, Lukaski HC. Effects of participation in a collegiate sport season on body composition. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1991; 31: 571-576
  • 20 Silva AM, Fields DA, Heymsfield SB, Sardinha LB. Body composition and power changes in elite judo athletes. Int J Sports Med 2010; 31: 737-741
  • 21 Silva AM, Fields DA, Heymsfield SB, Sardinha LB. Relationship between changes in total-body water and fluid distribution with maximal forearm strength in elite judo athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 2488-2495
  • 22 Silva AM, Santos DA, Matias CN, Rocha PM, Petroski EL, Minderico CS, Sardinha LB. Changes in regional body composition explain increases in energy expenditure in elite junior basketball players over the season. Eur J Appl Physiol 2012; 112: 2727-2737