Injuries are common in team sports and can impact both team and individual performance. In particular, hamstring strain injuries are some of the most common injuries. Furthermore, hamstring injury ratios, in number of injuries and total absence days, have doubled in the last 21 seasons in professional soccer. Weakness in hip extensor strength has been identified as a risk factor in elite-level sprinters. In addition, strength imbalances of the hamstring muscle group seem to be a common cause of hamstring strain injuries. In this regard, velocity-based training has been proposed to analyze deficits in the force–velocity profile. Previous studies have shown differences between men and women, since there are biomechanical and neuromuscular differences in the lower limbs between sexes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the load–velocity profile between males and females during two of the most important hip extension exercises: the hip thrust and the deadlift. Sixteen men and sixteen women were measured in an incremental loading test following standard procedures for the hip thrust and deadlift exercises. Pearson’s correlation (r) was used to measure the strength of the correlation between movement velocity and load (%1RM). The differences in the load–velocity relationship between the men and the women were assessed using a 2 (sex) × 15 (load) repeated-measures ANOVA. The main findings revealed that: (I) the load–velocity relationship was always strong and linear in both exercises (R² range: 0.88–0.94), (II) men showed higher velocities for light loads (30–50%1RM; effect size: 0.9–0.96) than women for the deadlift, but no significant differences were found for the hip thrust. Based on the results of this study, the load–velocity equations seem to be sex-specific. Therefore, we suggest that using sex-specific equations to analyze deficits in the force–velocity profile would be more effective to control intensity in the deadlift exercise.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the load-velocity and load-power relationships of the decline bench press exercise (DBPE) and to compare sex-related differences. Twelve young healthy men and women performed a progressive loading test for the determination of 1RM strength and individual load-velocity and load-power relationship in the DBPE. A very close relationship between mean propulsive velocity (MPV) and %1RM was observed (R-2 = 0.94). This relationship improved when plotting data separately by sex (R-2 = 0.96-97). Individual load-velocity profiles gave an R-2 = 0.99 +/- 0.01. The relationship between mean propulsive power (MPP) and %1RM was R-2 = 0.23. When separating data by sex, R-2 = 0.64-73 were obtained. Individual load-power profiles gave an R-2 of 0.93 +/- 0.07. Significant sex-related differences were found for MPV, with males having faster velocities than females from 30% to 40% 1RM (p = 0.01) and for MPP, with males having greater MPP (W) than females from 30% to 95% 1RM (p < 0.001). The results of this study show that a strong correlation exists between relative load and MPV/MPP in the DBPE, allowing the possibility of using one to predict the other with great precision, especially when a sex-specific equation is used.

This study compared the effects of percentage-based training (PBT), self-paced velocity-based training (SPVBT), and fast velocity-based training (FVBT; i.e., performing with maximal velocity intent) on the free-weight back squat load-velocity relationship (LVR) and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in trained young males. Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to each group. For 10 weeks, participants performed two 4-week training cycles comprised of 3 weekly back squat sessions (70–85% of the one-repetition maximum [1RM]) with sets performed to momentary failure. Assessments were conducted at pre-, mid-, and post-training, and included vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (CSA), free-weight back squat 1RM, LVR parameters (slope, %1RM at zero mean concentric velocity [MCV] [LD0], MCV at 0%1RM [V0], area under the curve [Aline], MCV at 90 and 40%1RM, and CMJ parameters (height and average impulse force [IF]). LVR based load adjustments were performed at each session for the SPVBT and FVBT groups. CSA, 1RM, CMJ height increased similarly between groups and time points ( p < 0.001, ES > 0.48). LD0 (%1RM) decreased similarly between groups at post-training ( p = 0.043; ES: 0.12). Aline, Slope, V0, 90%1RM MCV, 40%1RM MCV and IF remained unchanged over time in all groups. However, V0, 40%1RM MCV and IF were higher for the SPVBT and FVBT groups, when compared to the PBT group at mid-training ( p < 0.028; ES > 0.26). These findings indicate that large training volumes performed to momentary failure alter the shape of the LVR, irrespective of velocity intent and autoregulation. Additionally, while velocity expression with heavier loads is well preserved, applying VBT within this context may improve velocity output when lifting lighter relative loads. Finally, CMJ height can be improved during hypertrophy-focused training cycles, with increases in maximal strength playing a crucial role. However, relying on VBT seems beneficial as it magnifies force expression in unresisted lower-body ballistic contractions.