Dr.Hab. I.P. Sivokhin¹
G.B. Mardenova²
PhD N.A. Ogienko¹
PhD, Professor V.F. Skotnikov³
PhD A.I. Fedorov⁴
Dr.Sc.Phil. O.Y. Komarov^1
1Kostanay State Pedagogical University, Kostanay
²National Olympic Committee, Nur-Sultan
³Russian State University of Physical Education, Sports, Youth and Tourism (SCOLIPE), Moscow
⁴South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk

Abstract

Objective of the study was to test and analyze the serum creatine phosphate versus competitive performance/ skill levels in the elite Kazak weightlifters.

Methods and structure of the study. The experiment involved 11 elite weightlifters, members of the national team of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The biochemical control was carried out 4 weeks before the World Cup or Asian Championship.

Results and conclusions. The study found a statistically significant relationship between a sports result, being expressed in points and representing an absolute sports result per unit of own body weight, and creatinine rate per kg of own body weight r=0.78 (p<0.01). The mean group result in the double-event, expressed in points (the Sinclair table), was M=395.4; S=20.0. The mean group creatinine rate was M=144.8 μmol/L; S=11.8. The mean group creatinine rate per kg of own body weight was M=1.82 μmol/L per kg of body weight; S=0.5. The study showed that creatinine as a biochemical marker can be an informative indicator for evaluating the effectiveness of athletic training under such a criterion as the special orientation of training loads on the development of creatine phosphate mechanism of energy supply to the contracting muscles when performing exercises with the maximum effort.

Keywords: elite weightlifters, creatine phosphate energy mechanism, creatinine indices, sports skill level.

Background. Modern sports are getting increasingly competitive to urge the sports communities to look for the ways to excel the training systems using new efficient training and progress test technologies including a variety of biochemical tests such as the serum creatinine tests indicative of the individual creatine phosphate energy (muscle contraction) mechanism capacity and efficiency [1-3,7].

Objective of the study was to test and analyze the serum creatine phosphate versus competitive performance/ skill levels in the elite Kazak weightlifters.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the study the Kazakh weightlifting sport leaders (n = 11) competing for the national team, with virtually every athlete decorated with titles and medals of the Asian, World and Olympic Championships. Laboratory creatine phosphate tests were timed to the theoretical and practical training cycles, with the blood sampled from the cubital vein after the high-intensity physical stresses, night sleeps and on empty stomach in the morning using the three-component disposable safe sampling equipment (needles, holders, test tubes etc.) of the AVATUB production; plus an automatic biochemical express analyzer SpotchemSP-4430 (made by Arkray Factory Inc., Japan) with a dry chemical technology including a solid-phase reagent (multi-type test strips) of two types: multi- (with six reaction fields) and mono-strips. The test team scheduled the tests are required by the valid Standard Laboratory Athletes’ Test Program to rate the creatine phosphate level i.e. the interim stable products of creatine decay in µmol/ L [3]; plus the creatine phosphate per body mass ratios.

The competitive performance in combined events was scored on a Sinclair table scale, with the weightlifting results per body mass ratios – interpreted as indicative of the absolute skill levels. The weightlifting sample was trained as required by the well-tested practical training program described in our prior studies [5]. The precompetitive trainings with blood sampling were run prior to the Asian and World Championships on the individual physical fitness peaks, mostly four weeks before the main event.

Results and discussion. The sample represented a range of weight classes from 55kg to 140kg. The group averages in the combined event were M = 331.2kg; and S = 43.2. The result in points (on the Sinclair table scale) averaged M = 395.4; S = 20.0; with creatine phosphate level estimated at M = 144.8 µmol/ l; S = 11.8. The creatine-phosphate-to-body-mass (body mass ratio) was M = 1.82 µmol/ l / kg; S = 0.5.

A correlation analysis found a significant correlation (r = 0.74, p <0.01) between the individual body mass and competitive result in the combined total; with the positive albeit insignificant correlations between the results in kg (r = 0.33) or points (r = 0.57) and the creatine phosphate totals. Of special interest was a comparison of the creatine phosphate test rates in the elite weightlifters and sports orienteering competitors whose group averages were M = 93.88 points/ l; m = 20.44 [1].

Of no less interest was the statistically significant correlation of the competitive result in points and creatine-phosphate-to-body-mass ratio estimated at r = 0.78, p <0.01. This means that the individual skill level in the weightlifting elite largely depends on the creatine phosphate muscle contraction mechanism. This correlation may be due to the creatine phosphate growth being associated with the growth of the myofibrillar ATP resynthesis rate of special influence for the muscle contraction [3]. One more explanation is that the creatine growth activates the intracellular mechanisms that spur up on operations of the genetic apparatus of muscle fibers to make more intensive the synthesis of nucleic acids and the contractile protein (actin) and, hence, facilitate growth of myofibrils mass [4].

The study also found that biochemical creatine phosphate tests are rather informative and indicative of the training process efficiency and vector versus the muscle contraction power (creatine phosphate energy mechanisms). Such tests provide more objective and accurate data on bodily processes and, hence, facilitate the individual training service customization efforts for success. We still need to know, however, whether or not such objective test technologies are productive and beneficial enough for the fundamentally new training technologies and models design purposes, for us to be able to selectively control the creatine phosphate energy mechanisms in muscles and thereby improve the training service efficiency on a targeted basis.

One of the key goals of every training system is to activate the creatine phosphate energy mechanisms and avoid excessive accumulation of lactic acid, which should never exceed 6-8 µmol/ l [7] – since, as provided by some study reports, high lactate level tends to slow down the creatine phosphate production, suppress the working capacity and compromise specific training goals [7]. The high and long-standing lactate levels in muscle cells may heavily damage the cell structures and membranes to slow down the rehabilitation processes and suppress synthesis of structural proteins, including myofibrils [4].

The above by-effects of excessive lactate may be prevented in the weightlifting sport by high-intensity (80-100% of the individual maximum) 20-25-minute workouts with the core weights and 4-6 reps 1-2 times and 15-20-min rest breaks – for the lactic acid utilization and creatine phosphate energy mechanisms restoration purposes [4].

Excessive alactate trainings, however, are known to suppress the physiological aspects of the creatine phosphate energy mechanisms with the relevant regresses in the creatine phosphate energy mechanisms power building i.e. they undermine the muscle contraction strength and speed. Some studies report the elite weightlifters occasionally making resort to workouts geared to push up the lactate level to 14-plus µmol/ L [2] – that, as we believe, are detrimental to the specific goals and cumulative benefits of the training systems. To prevent excessive lactate increase, we would recommend the workouts being alternated with 15-20-min passive rest breaks after every exercise [4] as this time is required for the lactate level to sag by 50-60% [6].

Conclusion. The study data and analyses showed the biochemical tests on the whole and the creatine phosphate tests in particular being beneficial for monitoring the individual responses to trainings in the elite weightlifters’ training systems and their management efficiency. The study found an experimentally proved significant correlation between the competitive performance and the creatine-phosphate-to-body-mass ratios in the elite weightlifters.

References

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