Dr. Hab. I.P. Sivokhin¹
PhD, Professor V.F. Skotnikov²
PhD, Associate Professor A.I. Fedorov³
PhD, Professor M.S. Khlystov¹
A.P. Kalashnikov^4
1Kostanay State Pedagogical University, Kostanay
²Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism (SCOLIPE), Moscow
³South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk
⁴Kostanay branch of Chelyabinsk State University, Kostanay

Keywords: sports training theory, training system priorities, training system efficiency, weightlifting elite, muscle group, muscle fibers.

Background. In view of the growing competitiveness of the modern sports, the research communities take efforts to advance the theoretical, methodological and practical methods to improve the efficiency of the training systems. The national weightlifting team gives a high priority to the new training tools development and practical application initiatives. These developments are designed to capitalize on the best modern sports training technologies and practical experiences of the leading weightlifting experts and sport elite [6].

Objective of the study was to theoretically substantiate and analyze practical benefits of a new training model for the weightlifting elite.

Methods and structure of the study. We analyzed for the purposes of the study the relevant study reports on the modern training technologies and human body adaptability issues in extreme weightlifting training cycles. We gave a special priority to the specific cellular-level adaptation mechanisms in our study. The study included findings of a long-term new training model testing experiment. The model was designed with account the theoretical and practical research findings analyzed herein.

Results and discussion. Individual progress in the elite weightlifting sport is known to depend on the competitive skills and special physical qualities. As found by many studies, it is the maximal and explosive strength rates that determine the competitive performance dynamics closely correlated with the weightlifting competitive success rates [9]. Therefore, it is commonly understood that the competitive progresses are largely determined by the maximal and explosive strength training elements focused on the relevant key muscle groups. A special priority will also be given to the specific speed-strength qualities mobilized in the competitive weightlifting events [4].

As found by the relevant studies, maximal strength building results in hypertrophy of the fast and slow muscle fibers, whilst explosive strength grows with selective hypertrophy of the fast muscle fibers [13]. No wonder that the modern weightlifting training systems give a special attention to the fast muscle fibers hypertrophy encouraging practices focused on the key muscle groups. Theoretical analyses have found that a competitive progress in the weightlifting sport will be secured, among other things, by the efforts to accumulate the myofibrils mass on the whole and the fast muscle fibers mass in particular. This goal is ranked high among the priorities of the long-term adaptability building efforts with application of specific loads [5] to attain the competitive progress objectives of the training system [14].

High-intensity power trainings are known to generate and fast accumulate free creatine, lactate, hydrogen ions and ADP in muscle cells and reduce the pH [8]. This process triggers labilization of the MC membranes, cell nucleus and lysosomes to increase the membrane permeability for hormones, enzymes and nutrients (amino acids, lipoproteins and glycogen). A few cellular-level process studies have shown that the adaptive hormones (adrenaline and hydrocortisone) and high density lipoproteins penetrating into the sarcoplasm activate the lysosome infiltration to the cell nucleus [7]. The more the lysosome and cell nucleus membranes are labilized, the more lysosomal enzymes (proteinase, acid phosphatase, etc.) penetrate into the nucleus. When the lysosomal enzymes enter the nucleus, the DNA molecule will split and mRNA will be synthesized in a wide range of proteins. Having entered into the sarcoplasm, mRNA binds to ribosomes to form polysomes facilitating synthesis of protein molecules. The protein synthesis and new organelles (including myofibrils) formation rate depends on the number of newly formed polysomes and intensity of the amino acids penetration into the cell – which in its turn depends on how labilized the membrane is and how high the blood amino acids are. It is also important that the rate of amino acids penetration through the membrane largely depends on anabolic hormones [3]; plus the protein synthesis intensity depends on the immune cells found in the sarcoplasm [7].

It should be also emphasized that prolonged high-intensity practices may extensively damage the muscle cells and suppress synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins – thereby undermining the training process efficiency [8]. As found by some studies, a relatively long action of highly-concentrated lactic acid may result in destruction of different protein structures and even some points in the cell membrane; with such destructions activating specific organelles dominated by lysosomes. This process releases specific enzymes to fragment the messenger RNAs in the cell sarcoplasm and form active ribosomes and polysomes. With reduction of active polysomes, synthesis of protein is inevitably suppressed and the myofibrils mass accumulation process is slowed down with the relevant regresses in the strength training process.

Based on the above theoretical analysis, we designed a new weightlifting theoretical and practical training model including a base micro-cycle sub-model [11]. A key practical priority of the new model is that a weekly training is planned on Friday to mimic as close as possible the actual competitions, with the classical weightlifting practices run with extreme weights regardless of the micro-cycle type. Practical tests and weightlifting results in such trainings are used as the progress benchmarks to track the adaptation process and make prudent training system management decisions.

Scientific data show that such training are highly effective for fast motor units activation associated with a high stress on the central nervous system and a resultant activation of the endocrine system that increases blood hormones for up to three days [2]. A few researchers report that the key hormone activity form is the kinetic (triggering) action that mobilizes the relevant target organs – mostly by their structure and functions being influenced via the genetic apparatus of cells [3].

Therefore, we arrived to the idea that the target cells need to be activated to capture hormones within the above time. In case of weightlifting, it is the fast muscle fibers that shall be targeted. The fast muscle fibers may be activated by a short-term high-intensity sport-specific training workloads, with the physiological stress increasing the muscle cell membrane permeability for hormones and nutrients [7, 8]. The latter will activate the muscle fibers genetic apparatus on a selective basis and increase the intensity of the nucleic acids and proteins synthesizing process. With this purpose, the Saturday microcycle model (after the stress training) offered a high-intensity (80-85% sub-maximal) fast muscle fibers activation training tools rather than a traditional rehabilitation day. This new model was tested in the national team training systems, although it still needs a sound experimental basis to verify the expected benefits dominated by the individual competitive success rates.

One more important point that shall be considered by the weightlifting training system design theory and practice is the virtually linear correlation between the contractile protein (actin in the thin fibers) in myofibrils and the total creatine in the muscle cells [1]. There are good reasons to believe that when the physical training is dominated by the alactate energy supply mechanism, the total creatine will grow with the actin synthesis and myofibrils mass accumulation processes being intensified. When these processes are combined with the ATP re-synthesis intensification, the contractile capacity of the muscle fibers will grow as well [1].

The experimental weightlifting training model and relevant practical tools prioritize the alactate energy supply mechanism and exclude every training element that may add to the lactic acid accumulation process. As found by some study reports, the anaerobic-glycolytic energy supply mechanism activation always results in suppression of the alactate energy supply mechanism [10, 12] to effectively undermine the speed-strength training process efficiency.

Conclusion. The new weightlifting training model piloting experiment showed the model being beneficial as verified by the competitive progress of the Kazakhstan Republican weightlifting elite that won since then quite a few medals at the Asian Weightlifting Championships, Asian Games, World Championships and Olympic Games.

References

1. Menshikova V.V., Volkova N.I. [ed.] Biochemistry. Textbook for Institutes of physical culture. M.: Fizkultura i sport publ., 1986. 384 p.: il.
2. Viru A.A. Hormonal mechanisms of adaptation to training. Leningrad: Nauka publ., 1981. 155 p.
3. Vorgalik N.I. Hormones and hormonal drugs in clinic of internal diseases. M.: Meditsina publ., 1974. 200 p.
4. Lukashev A.A. Analysis of jerk technique of elite weightlifters. Abstract of PhD diss.. M., 1972. 35 p.
5. Meerson F.Z., Pshenichnikova M.G. Adaptation to stressful situations and physical activity. M.: Meditsina publ., 1988. 253 p.
6. Medvedev A.S. Long-term training system in weightlifting. Trainer’s guide. M.: Fizkultura i sport publ., 1986. 272 p.
7. Panin L.E. Biochemical mechanisms of stress. Novosibirsk: Nauka publ., 1981. 233 p.
8. Seluyanov V.N. Middle-distance Runner Training. M.: SportAkademPress publ., 2001. 103 p.
9. Sivokhin I.P., Fedorov A.I., Ni A.G., Don L.N. Features of relationship of technical and physical fitness indicators of weightlifters of various skill levels. Collected works. Chelyabinsk: UralSAPC, ChGNOTs UrO RAE, 2005. no. 8. v. 3. 184 p.
10. Sivokhin I.P., Skotnikov V.F., Komarov O.Yu. et al. Benefits of alactate training processes for elite weightlifters' training systems. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2017, no, 3, pp. 26-29.
11. Turkileri E., Sivokhin I.P., Ni A.G., Don L.N. Long-term weightlifting training program. Study guide. Kostanay: KSPI publ., 2005. 56 p.
12. Jansen Peter Heart rate, lactate and endurance training. Transl. from Engl. Murmansk: Tuloma publ., 2006. 160 p.
13. Hakkinen K., Komi P. V.,Tesch P. Effect of combined concentric and eccentrik strength training and detraining on force-time, muscle fiber, and metabolic characteristic of leg excensor muscles. Scandinavian journal of Sports Sciences, 1981, 3.2. pp. 50-58.
14. Komi P.V., Hakkinen K. Strength and power. Proceedings of the weightlifting symposium. Siofok, Hungary, 1989. pp. 159-175.

Corresponding author: sivokhin_i_57@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to theoretically substantiate and analyze practical benefits of a new training model for the weightlifting elite.

Methods and structure of the study. We analyzed for the purposes of the study the relevant study reports on the modern training technologies and human body adaptability issues in extreme weightlifting training cycles. We gave a special priority to the specific cellular-level adaptation mechanisms in our study. The study included findings of a long-term new training model testing experiment. The model was designed with account the theoretical and practical research findings analyzed herein.

Results and conclusions. In the experimental training model design, the most important task was to ensure selective hypertrophy of the fast muscle fibers in those muscle groups that determine the working effect of the competitive exercises. We also considered the mechanisms of reaction of the endocrine system to stress loads and the targeted assimilation of hormones into the "target cells" - in this case, into the fast muscle fibers.

The study made it possible to systematize the factors that promote the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins in the muscle fibers, on which the intensity of myofibril mass accumulation depends, and which, in turn, affects the strength of muscle contraction. We also studied the factors that suppress the effects of intracellular synthesis of structural proteins and reduce the intensity of accumulation of myofibril mass.

The new weightlifting training model piloting experiment showed the model being beneficial as verified by the competitive progress of the Kazakhstan Republican weightlifting elite that won since then quite a few medals at the Asian Weightlifting Championships, Asian Games, World Championships and Olympic Games.