Behavior of creatine kinase in a variable resistance session

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Post-activation potentiation (PAP) enhances athletic performance.
• Intra-set variable resistance training may optimize PAP.
• Creatine kinase (CK) is a marker of muscle damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a pre-activation protocol with intra-set variable resistance on creatine kinase levels and sprint performance in female athletes.
• To understand the behavior of metabolic and total creatine kinase following this specific training intervention.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental, within-participant design involving six female sprinters.
• Experimental condition: pre-activation with intra-set variable resistance, 1-minute rest, followed by three 30-m sprints.
• Measured variables: metabolic CK, total CK, and 30-m sprint times.

Main Results:

• Both experimental and control conditions elevated creatine kinase levels 24 hours post-effort.
• Only the experimental condition demonstrated improved 30-m sprint performance.
• The pre-activation protocol with intra-set variable resistance enhanced sprint capacity.

Conclusions:

• The pre-activation protocol using intra-set variable resistance can improve sprint performance in female athletes.
• Significant increases in creatine kinase indicate muscle stress.
• Rest periods exceeding 24 hours are recommended between sessions to mitigate substantial creatine kinase elevation.