Tobin Silver

Effects of the Bench Shirt on Sagittal Bar Path

Silver, T, Fortenbaugh, D, and Williams, R. Effects of the bench shirt on sagittal bar path. J Strength Cond Res 23(4): 1125-1128, 2009-Powerlifting, like many sports, uses specialized equipment to enhance performance and decrease the chance of injury. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine whether wearing a bench press shirt would alter the natural mechanics of the bench press, causing a more efficient lift when pressing the same weight as without the bench shirt. Participants (n = 5) completed 2 series of 1-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press tests, with 1 week of rest in between 1 series without the bench shirt (no-shirt), and 1 series with a bench shirt (bench shirt). Results revealed that the vertical bar path ranges were significantly less in the bench shirt condition (35.7 ± 4.8 cm) compared with the no-shirt condition (40.2 ± 7.0 cm) (p < 0.05). Significant differences were found between the bars optimal (81.4 ± 14.2 cm) and observed (96.7 ± 19.1 cm) total distances traveled in the no-shirt condition (p < 0.01), but no significant differences were found between the bars optimal (71.6 ± 12.7 cm) and observed (86.3 ± 10.5 cm) total distances traveled in the bench shirt condition. These findings suggest that the bar path in bench shirt trials is more efficient and consistent than in the no-shirt trials. This pattern demonstrates that a bench shirt can improve load capacity. It is also possible that the bench shirt decreases the forces that act on the shoulder for a given weight and, thus, may decrease the risk of injury.

Comparing Acute Bouts of Sagittal Plane Progression Foam Rolling vs. Frontal Plane Progression Foam Rolling

Abstract Peacock, CA, Krein, DD, Antonio, J, Sanders, GJ, Silver, TA, and Colas, M. Comparing acute bouts of sagittal plane progression foam rolling vs. frontal plane progression foam rolling. J Strength Cond Res 29(8): 2310–2315, 2015—Many strength and conditioning professionals have included the use of foam rolling devices within a warm-up routine prior to both training and competition. Multiple studies have investigated foam rolling in regards to performance, flexibility, and rehabilitation; however, additional research is necessary in supporting the topic. Furthermore, as multiple foam rolling progressions exist, researching differences that may result from each is required. To investigate differences in foam rolling progressions, 16 athletically trained males underwent a 2-condition within-subjects protocol comparing the differences of 2 common foam rolling progressions in regards to performance testing. The 2 conditions included a foam rolling progression targeting the mediolateral axis of the body (FRml) and foam rolling progression targeting the anteroposterior axis (FRap). Each was administered in adjunct with a full-body dynamic warm-up. After each rolling progression, subjects performed National Football League combine drills, flexibility, and subjective scaling measures. The data demonstrated that FRml was effective at improving flexibility (p ⩽ 0.05) when compared with FRap. No other differences existed between progressions.

The effects of heavy resistance training and a high protein diet (3.4g/kg/d) on body composition, exercise performance and indices of health in resistance-trained individuals - a follow-up investigation

Background The consumption of a high protein diet (> 4g/kg/d) in trained men and women who did not alter their training program has been previously shown to have no significant effect on body composition. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine if a high protein diet in conjunction with a body part, split-routine heavy resistance training program would affect indices of body composition, performance and health.