Many critical sport tasks are characterised by the presence of very high forces and exchanges of mechanical energy, often reaching the body`s biological limits (1). To meet these demands, the muscles and joints must serve multiple functions which can be characterised by their mechanical outputs such as acting as motors, dampers, struts or springs (2). One sport which tests the extremes of these varied functions is artistic gymnastics. Vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) of 14.4x body weight (BW) have been reported during landings (3), reaching 3 meters above the landing surface (4). Tumbling involves vGRFs as high as 15.1x BW in 120-130ms (5), with sprint speeds of 9.95 m.s-1 reported while accelerating to the vault (6). A commonality between these tasks are large braking forces, with eccentric overload training potentially offering a promising method of stimulating adaptations here (7). Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 3-week eccentric overload training phase on landing and drop jump force-time characteristics. Methods Participant A 25-year-old international male gymnast who trained full-time participated in this study. The gymnast was 5 months post shoulder surgery with a good level of global function, providing an opportunity to explore training methods. He had been weight training for 5+ years and had attained high levels of global strength, e.g. isometric mid-thigh pull: 6.8xBW.
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