Performance and Physiological Responses to Strength Training Programs in Elite Judo Athletes

Campos, BT, Rodrigues, JGdS, Cal Abad, CC, Bachi, ALL, dos Santos, CMM, Tritto, AC, Kons, RL, Penna, EM, and Prado, LS. Performance and physiological responses to strength training programs in elite judo athletes. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2026-This study compared the effects of 2 short-term strength training models, block planning (BP) and undulating planning (UP), on performance, physiological, and perceptual responses in elite judo athletes. We hypothesized that BP would induce greater physiological strain due to the concentration of training stimuli. Eighteen judokas (14 men and 4 women) were randomly assigned to BP (n = 9) or UP (n = 9) for 4 weeks, performing 6 weekly strength sessions alongside technical-tactical training. Performance outcomes included countermovement jump (CMJ), muscle power (back squat and bent-over row), and the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT). Monitoring variables included internal load, heart rate variability (HRV), and well-being, while physiological markers included creatine kinase, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and cortisol. Data were analyzed using 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA (p < 0.05). Both groups improved SJFT performance (p < 0.01), with no between-group differences. Block planning increased lower-limb peak power (p = 0.01; d = 0.90), whereas UP showed no meaningful change. Upper-limb power and CMJ did not change in either group. Internal load showed different temporal patterns between models. Block planning presented higher HRVcv values (p = 0.04), indicating greater autonomic perturbation. Creatine kinase and TNF-α increased over time in both groups (p ≤ 0.05), while cortisol showed an interaction without clear post hoc differences. In conclusion, BP improved lower-limb power but increased physiological strain, whereas UP elicited similar judo-specific improvements with lower recovery demands. These findings highlight the importance of training organization for balancing performance and recovery in elite judo athletes.