Ginszt, M, Saito, M, Zięba, E, Majcher, P, and Kikuchi, N. Body composition, anthropometric parameters, and strength-endurance characteristics of sport climbers: a systematic review. J Strength Cond Res 37(6): 1339–1348, 2023—Sport climbing was selected to be part of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 with 3 subdisciplines: lead climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering. The nature of physical effort while speed climbing, lead climbing, and bouldering performance is different. This literature review aimed to describe differences between body composition, anthropometric parameters, and upper-limb strength-endurance variables between sport climbers with different ability levels and nonclimbers. The following databases were searched: PubMed and Scopus. The following keywords were used: “sport climbing,” “rock climbing,” “lead climbing,” and “bouldering.” Articles were considered from January 2000 to October 2021 if they concerned at least one of the following parameters: body composition (mass, body mass index, body fat, lean muscle mass, bone mineral density), anthropometric parameters (height, ape index), muscle strength (MVC finger strength in half-crimp grip, MVC finger strength to body mass, handgrip strength), and muscle endurance (force time integral, pull-ups). A review shows that body mass and body fat content were lower in the sport climbers compared with controls and in elite sport climbers compared with those less advanced. Sport climbers presented higher values of MVC finger strength in half-crimp grip, MVC finger strength to body mass, handgrip strength, and force time integral parameter than control subjects. Significantly higher MVC values in half-crimp grip were observed in elite sport climbers than in advanced athletes. None of the analyzed work showed differences between sport climber groups in the ape index. The abovementioned parameters may be a key factor in elite sport climbing performance.

A recent case-control study identified 28 DNA polymorphisms associated with strength athlete status. However, studies of genotype-phenotype design are required to support those findings. The aim of the present study was to investigate both individually and in combination the association of 28 genetic markers with weightlifting performance in Russian athletes and to replicate the most significant findings in an independent cohort of Japanese athletes. Genomic DNA was collected from 53 elite Russian (31 men and 22 women, 23.3 ± 4.1 years) and 100 sub-elite Japanese (53 men and 47 women, 21.4 ± 4.2 years) weightlifters, and then genotyped using PCR or micro-array analysis. Out of 28 DNA polymorphisms, LRPPRC rs10186876 A, MMS22L rs9320823 T, MTHFR rs1801131 C, and PHACTR1 rs6905419 C alleles positively correlated (p < 0.05) with weightlifting performance (i.e., total lifts in snatch and clean and jerk in official competitions adjusted for sex and body mass) in Russian athletes. Next, using a polygenic approach, we found that carriers of a high (6–8) number of strength-related alleles had better competition results than carriers of a low (0–5) number of strength-related alleles (264.2 (14.7) vs. 239.1 (21.9) points; p = 0.009). These findings were replicated in the study of Japanese athletes. More specifically, Japanese carriers of a high number of strength-related alleles were stronger than carriers of a low number of strength-related alleles (212.9 (22.6) vs. 199.1 (17.2) points; p = 0.0016). In conclusion, we identified four common gene polymorphisms individually or in combination associated with weightlifting performance in athletes from East European and East Asian geographic ancestries.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of online home-based resistance exercise training on fitness, depression, stress, and well-being. A total of 67 individuals participated. Of them, 28 participants (13 men and 15 women, average age: 45.1 ± 12.2 years) performed the same exercise training online (n = 17), using Zoom, or in person (n = 11) in 2020 (Study 1). In addition, 39 participants (15 men and 24 women; average age: 47.6 ± 10.8 years) performed eight weeks of online home-based resistance exercise training in 2021 (Study 2). The participants performed low-load resistance exercises twice a week for eight weeks (16 sessions). Muscle strength, thigh muscle cross-sectional area, fitness parameters, blood pressure, mental health (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale—CES-D; and Kessler Psychological Distress scale—K6), and well-being (Well-Being Index—WHO-5) were measured pre-and post-resistance training. In Study 1, eight weeks of online home-based resistance training improved CES-D (p = 0.003), and a similar tendency was observed in resistance training (RT) with the in-person group (p = 0.06). There was a significant improvement in CES-D symptoms after the online home-based resistance training in Study 2 (p = 0.009). However, there were no significant changes in the WHO-5 and K6. Our results suggest that online low-load resistance training improves fitness parameters and curbs depressive status.

The purpose of this study was to compare the frequency of COL1A1 rs1107946 polymorphism between sport climbers and controls from three ethnic groups (Japanese, Polish, and Russian) and investigate the effect of the COL1A1 rs1107946 polymorphism on the age-related decrease in flexibility in the general population. Study I consisted of 1929 healthy people (controls) and 218 climbers, including Japanese, Polish, and Russian participants. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the frequency of the AC genotype was higher in climbers than in the controls (p = 0.03). Study II involved 1093 healthy Japanese individuals (435 men and 658 women). Flexibility was assessed using a sit-and-reach test. There was a tendency towards association between sit-and-reach and the COL1A1 rs1107946 polymorphism (genotype: p = 0.034; dominant: p = 0.435; recessive: p = 0.035; over-dominant: p = 0.026). In addition, there was a higher negative correlation between sit-and-reach and age in the AA + CC genotype than in the AC genotype (AA + CC: r = −0.216, p < 0.001; AC: r = −0.089, p = 0.04; interaction p = 0.037). However, none of these results survived correction for multiple testing. Further studies are warranted to investigate the association between the COL1A1 gene variation and exercise-related phenotypes.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between power-oriented genetic polymorphisms and weightlifting status, create a total genotype score (TGS), and validate the association between TGS models and power-oriented athletes. First, 192 weightlifters and 416 controls were studied, and 12 polymorphisms that have previously been associated with strength, power status, and phenotype were genotyped using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. We calculated the TGS for the 12 polymorphisms using a PWM (power-oriented whole model) and for 6 of them using a WRM (weightlifting-related model) based on a case–control study. Second, the TGS of the WRM was compared for 177 strength and power athletes and 416 controls. There was no significant difference in the PWM score between weightlifters and the controls. Weightlifters and elite weightlifters had higher WRM scores than the controls. However, the WRM score had no association with weightlifting performance. There was no significant difference in the WRM between power-oriented athletes and the controls. Our study was able to create a TGS model for weightlifters based on case–control results. However, the TGS model could not be applied to other power-oriented athletes.

The greater muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) is associated with greater skeletal muscle mass and strength, whereas muscle fiber atrophy is considered a major feature of sarcopenia. Muscle fiber size is a polygenic trait influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, the genetic variants underlying inter-individual differences in muscle fiber size remain largely unknown. The aim of our study was to determine whether 1535 genetic variants previously identified in a genome-wide association study of appendicular lean mass are associated with the CSA of fast-twitch muscle fibers (which better predict muscle strength) in the m. vastus lateralis of 148 physically active individuals (19 power-trained and 28 endurance-trained females, age 28.0 ± 1.1; 28 power-trained and 73 endurance-trained males, age 31.1 ± 0.8). Fifty-seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as having an association with muscle fiber size (p < 0.05). Of these 57 SNPs, 31 variants were also associated with handgrip strength in the UK Biobank cohort (n = 359,729). Furthermore, using East Asian and East European athletic (n = 731) and non-athletic (n = 515) cohorts, we identified 16 SNPs associated with athlete statuses (sprinter, wrestler, strength, and speed–strength athlete) and weightlifting performance. All SNPs had the same direction of association, i.e., the lean mass-increasing allele was positively associated with the CSA of muscle fibers, handgrip strength, weightlifting performance, and power athlete status. In conclusion, we identified 57 genetic variants associated with both appendicular lean mass and fast-twitch muscle fiber size of m. vastus lateralis that may, in part, contribute to a greater predisposition to power sports.