Traditional Versus Cluster Resistance Training in Striking Combat Sport Athletes (TRG-CLG)

Active Comparator: Traditional

Participants performed a 6-week full-body resistance training program consisting of squat, bench press, deadlift, and bench pull exercises. Training was conducted twice per week and included 3 sets of 8 repetitions at 75% of the individual one-repetition maximum (1RM) for each exercise. Participants completed all repetitions consecutively within each set without intra-set rest periods. Inter-set rest intervals were 3 minutes and inter-exercise rest intervals were 5 minutes.

Behavioral: Traditional

Participants completed a 6-week full-body resistance training program consisting of squat, bench press, deadlift, and bench pull exercises. Training was performed twice weekly and included 3 sets of 8 repetitions at 75% of the individual one-repetition maximum (1RM) for each exercise. All repetitions within a set were performed consecutively without intra-set rest periods. Participants were instructed to execute the concentric phase of each repetition with maximal intended velocity.

Experimental: Cluster

Participants performed the same 6-week full-body resistance training program as the traditional training group, consisting of squat, bench press, deadlift, and bench pull exercises performed twice per week. Training included 3 sets of 8 repetitions at 75% of the individual one-repetition maximum (1RM) for each exercise. The repetitions were organized into clusters of two repetitions separated by 15-second intra-set rest intervals (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 repetitions). Inter-set rest intervals were 3 minutes and inter-exercise rest intervals were 5 minutes.

Behavioral: Cluster

Participants completed a 6-week full-body resistance training program consisting of squat, bench press, deadlift, and bench pull exercises. Training was performed twice weekly and included 3 sets of 8 repetitions at 75% of the individual one-repetition maximum (1RM) for each exercise. Repetitions were organized into clusters of two repetitions separated by 15-second intra-set rest intervals (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 repetitions). Participants were instructed to execute the concentric phase of each repetition with maximal intended velocity.

Load-velocity relationship (LVR).

Individual LVR were determined for the squat, bench press, and bench pull exercises using a Smith machine (FFittech, Taiwan, China), whereas the deadlift exercise was performed with a hexagonal barbell. Each test started with an initial external load of 20 kg, which was progressively increased until the mean velocity (MV) of the fastest repetition differed by less than 0.30 m·s-1 from the theoretical MV associated with the 1RM of each exercise (0.30 m/s for squat, 0.15 m/s for deadlift, 0.17 m/s for bench press, and 0.50 m/s for bench pull) (Weakley et al., 2021). The load increments were adjusted according to the exercise and movement velocity to ensure an appropriate distribution of loads across the individual force-velocity spectrum. Three repetitions were performed at lighter loads, whereas only two repetitions were completed at heavier loads. A standardized rest interval of 10 seconds was provided between repetitions at the same load.

Countermovement jump

Participants completed three CMJ attempts with a 1-minute recovery period between trials. From a standing position with feet approximately shoulder-width apart and hands placed on the hips, participants performed a rapid countermovement to a self-selected depth and immediately executed a maximal vertical jump. Jump height was estimated from flight time using the equation: height = (flight time2 × 9.81 m·s-2) / 8, where 9.81 m·s-2 corresponds to gravitational acceleration. Flight time was recorded using an infrared optical measurement system (OptoJump, Microgate, Bolzano, Italy). Participants were instructed to maintain their hands on the hips during the entire movement and to land with the lower limbs fully extended. Trials not complying with these technical requirements were discarded and repeated after 1 minute of rest under the supervision of the same experienced evaluator. The best performance obtained across the three trials was retained for subsequent analyses.

Medicine ball throw (MBT).

Upper-body explosive performance was evaluated using a seated MBT test performed with a 3-kg medicine ball. Testing was conducted indoors on a hardwood surface. Participants sat behind a marked line with both feet in contact with the floor and executed a single-arm forward chest-pass action from a stable seated position. Throws were performed separately with the dominant and non-dominant arms, using a coordinated movement involving the trunk and upper-limb musculature. Throwing distance was determined as the linear distance between the starting line and the first point of ball contact with the floor, measured with a tape measure. Three maximal attempts were completed with each arm, with 1 minute of recovery between trials. The greatest distance achieved with each arm was retained for subsequent statistical analyses.