AUTHOR=Liu Yang , Liu Xiuxia , Geng Jiaxian 

TITLE=Effects of unilateral, bilateral, and combined unilateral+bilateral complex resistance training on bench press and squat strength in adolescent boxers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1321519

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2024.1321519

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> To assess the effects of 8 weeks of unilateral (UNI), bilateral (BI), and combined unilateral + bilateral (UNI + BI) resistance training on bench press and squat strength in adolescent boxers.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Using the Gym Aware linear accelerometer, free-weight squat and bench press strength exercises were evaluated after an 8-week training intervention. Thirty adolescent boxers were randomly assigned to three groups: UNI, height: 1.73 ± 0.08 m, weight: 55.42 ± 5.85 kg; UNI + BI, height: 1.7 ± 0.06 m, weight: 54.73 ± 5.33 kg; and BI, height: 1.74 ± 0.06 m, weight: 59.67 ± 8.39 kg. Each group followed their designated UNI/BI/UNI + BI compound resistance training protocols, and the effects of 8 weeks of single-sided and bilateral intervention training on the performance of free-weight squat and bench press exercises at 30%, 50%, and 80% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM) were evaluated.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Significant improvements were observed in the 30% 1RM, 50% 1RM, and 80% 1RM outcomes for both squat and bench press exercises before and after the interventions (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). In the intergroup comparison, GymAware measurements revealed that the UNI and UNI + BI groups exhibited superior peak power values for squat and bench press exercises at 30% 1RM compared to the BI group.</p><p><bold>Discussion:</bold> UNI and UNI + BI training led to significantly higher output power values in bench press and squat exercises at 30% 1RM compared to the BI training group.</p>