We compared the effects of different weekly calf training sets on muscle size changes. Sixty-one untrained young women performed a calf training program for 6 weeks, 3 d·wk–1, with differences in resistance training volume. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: 6-SET, 9-SET, and 12-SET weekly calf training sets. The calf raise exercise was performed in sets of 15–20 repetitions maximum. The muscle thickness measurements of medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and soleus (SOL) were taken via B-mode ultrasound. We used the sum of the three-muscle thickness as a proxy for the triceps surae (TSSUM). The 12-SET group elicited greater increases than the 6-SET in LG (6-SET=+ 8.1% vs. 12-SET=+ 14.3%; P=0.017), SOL (6-SET=+ 6.7% vs. 12-SET=+ 12.7%; P=0.024), and TSSUM (6-SET=+ 6.9% vs. 12-SET=+ 12.0%; P=0.005), but there was no significant difference in MG changes (6-SET=+ 6.6% vs. 12-SET=+ 9.9%; P=0.067). There were no significant differences when comparing 9-SET vs. 6-SET and 12-SET (P≥0.099). Although all groups experienced calf muscle hypertrophy, our results suggest that the higher dose range may optimize triceps surae muscle size gains.

The use of an optical fiber infrastructure to accommodate cloud services is gaining a lot of momentum. This is mainly driven by the bandwidth and latency performance that optical transmission can guarantee. On the other hand failures in the optical infrastructure may result in the concurrent loss of a possibly high number of cloud services. For this reason, being able to offer cloud service resiliency at a contained cost is of the utmost importance for operators. This paper proposes a heuristic for the restoration of optical cloud services in the presence of a single fiber link failure. The heuristic leverages on two parameters specified in the service class (i.e., restoration delay and bandwidth degradation) in order to make the best use of the available optical resources during the recovery process. The numerical results presented in the paper show that the proposed restoration algorithm is able to improve cloud service restorability without a negative impact on the cloud service blocking probability.

Lisboa, F, Gomes, F, Kunevalik, G, Manske, I, Santos, V, Prado, A, Cavalcanti, A, Tricoli, I, Costa, B, Kassiano, W, Stavinski, N, Francsuel, J, and Cyrino, ES. Ankle position-dependent muscle swelling during seated leg curl: ultrasonographic insights into the hamstrings and medial and lateral gastrocnemius. J Strength Cond Res 40(4): 400–405, 2026—The seated leg curl is one of the most prescribed exercises in hamstring strength training. Although it is a monoarticular exercise, changing the position of the ankle may influence the engagement of the muscles involved during the exercise (i.e., hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscles). We compared the lateral gastrocnemius (LG), medial gastrocnemius, and hamstrings (HT) during the seated leg curl exercise with the ankle in a neutral ankle position (NAP), plantar flexion position (PFP), and a control condition (CON), in which subjects did not perform any exercise and instead remained at rest for a duration equivalent to the exercise sessions. Each condition was performed on a different day, once per week. Muscle swelling was measured immediately after exercise and at the corresponding time point in the control condition. Seventeen young women (18–37 years) performed the experimental protocols and control condition in a crossover and counterbalanced design. In the experimental conditions, subjects performed a specific warm-up with 50% of the initial load for the exercise, completing 12 repetitions, followed by 3 sets to concentric failure, with a 2-minute interval between sets in the following conditions: NAP and PFP. The primary outcome showed that NAP resulted in greater swelling in LG compared with the CON (mean difference = 0.05 cm; 95% CI: 0.004–0.11; ES = 0.6) and with PFP (mean difference = 0.07 cm; 95% CI: 0.009–0.14; ES = 0.6). For HT, swelling was greater in NAP compared with CON (mean difference = 0.18 cm; 95% CI: 0.08–0.2; ES = 1.1) and in PFP compared with CON (mean difference = 0.14 cm; 95% CI: 0.02–0.2; ES = 0.9), but no significant difference was found between NAP and PFP (mean difference = 0.03 cm; 95% CI: −0.16 to 0.24; ES = 0.2). Our findings suggest that in the NAP condition, there is muscle swelling in both the LG and HT, whereas in the PFP condition, muscle swelling is observed only in the HT.

Introduction: Preparation methods are often used to improve performance (e.g., number of repetitions) within the resistance training session. However, there is still no consensus in the scientific literature on whether there is a superior preparation method for improving performance, particularly in older adults. Methods: We compared the effects of preparation by specific warm-up (SW), static stretching (SS), and control condition (CC) on the total number of repetitions in four exercises: leg extension, triceps pushdown, seated leg curl, and preacher curl. Fifty-seven older women (≥ 60 years) performed the experimental protocols (SW and SS) and the CC in a cross-over and counterbalanced design. Following the preparation protocol, the main exercises were performed in two sets until volitional concentric failure, with a two-minute rest interval between sets and 2–3 min between exercises. The main outcome was the total number of repetitions. Results: The SS improved performance compared to the SW and the CC in the leg extension and seated leg curl resistance exercises. In contrast, the SW impaired performance compared to the SS and CC in the triceps pushdown and preacher curl exercises. Conclusion: Our results suggest that SS may improve performance in lower-limb exercises, while the SW appears to negatively affect performance in upper-limb exercises in resistance-trained older women.

This study analyzed the effects of 2 years of training interruption imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on muscular strength, body composition, metabolic biomarkers, and physical performance in older women engaged in resistance training (RT). Additionally, to assess resilience capacity, we compared the changes provoked by 12 weeks of retraining with those achieved after 12 weeks of training (pre-pandemic block 1) on physiological and functional outcomes. Muscular strength, body composition, metabolic biomarkers, and physical performance were analyzed at five time points. A progressive RT program was performed during the pre-pandemic block 1 (12 weeks of training) and block 2 (24 weeks). Subsequently, 2 years of training interruption were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the participants performed 12 weeks of retraining. A significant impairment in all outcomes was observed after 2 years of training interruption compared to pre-pandemic block 2. Retraining did not change muscle mass, lipid profile, and functional motor tests compared to pre-pandemic block 1. When compared to the pre-pandemic block 1, retraining induced greater 1RM gains in the chest press (20.4% vs. 6.2%), leg extension (15.9% vs. −1.0%), preacher curl (31.1% vs. 8.2%), and total lifted load (21.4% vs. 3.6%), and similar fat mass loss at gynoid (−4.9% vs. −3.7%) and trunk (−3.8% vs. −4.2%). The results indicate that two years of training interruption imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in older women engaged in RT led to worsening physiological and functional outcomes, which did not fully recover/regain after retraining, suggesting low resilience capacity. Novelty: Two years of training interruption imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic impair physiological and functional outcomes in older women engaged in resistance training. Retraining led to resilience capacity only in muscular strength gains.