The effect of a 4-week core strengthening program on determinants of wrestling performance in junior Greco-Roman wrestlers: A randomized controlled trial

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Dehnou, Vahid Valipour^a | Azadi, Sajad^a | Gahreman, Daniel^b | Doma, Kenji^{c; *}

Affiliations: [a] Sport Sciences Department, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Lorestan Province, Iran | [b] College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia | [c] Sport and Exercise Science, College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Kenji Doma, Sport and Exercise Science, College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. E-mail: kenji.doma@jcu.edu.au.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Core-strength is vital for Greco-Roman wrestling, although studies have yet to establish the effectives of core-specific training in this sport. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of core-specific strength training on determinants of Greco-Roman wrestling performance in elite junior athletes. METHODS:Twenty state-level, junior, Greco-Roman wrestlers were randomized into a core-specific training group (COR; n= 12) and a control group (CON; n= 8). The COR group undertook a 4-week, core-specific training program concurrently with their typical training program, whilst the CON group completed 4 weeks of typical training only. Both groups completed overhead medicine ball throw (OMBT), Suplexes, bridges and medicine ball chest throw (MBCT) prior to and following the intervention. RESULTS: The COR group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in bridges (p= 0.037; F= 5.046) and OMBT (p< 0.001; F= 26.43) than the CON group, with moderate to large between-group effect sizes (ES = 0.79–2.35). In addition, the effect size calculations were moderate-to-large (0.79–0.87) for Suplex and MBCT, with measures for the COR group greater than the CON group. CONCLUSION: Accordingly, core-specific training programs should be combined with wrestling-specific conditioning programs to improve back and hip extensor performance in junior Greco-Roman wrestlers.

Keywords: Muscle strength, physical conditioning, martial arts, injury risk

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-181328

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 423-430, 2020