Hybrid neuromuscular training promotes musculoskeletal adaptations in inactive overweight and obese women: A training-detraining randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 503 - 512
• Main Authors: Batrakoulis, Alexios, Tsimeas, Panagiotis, Deli, Chariklia K., Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios, Ubago-Guisado, Esther, Poulios, Athanasios, Chatzinikolaou, Athanasios, Draganidis, Dimitrios, Papanikolaou, Konstantinos, Georgakouli, Kalliopi, Batsilas, Dimitrios, Gracia-Marco, Luis, Jamurtas, Athanasios Z., Fatouros, Ioannis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 04.03.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adaptation; Body weight; bone health; Bone mass; Bone mineral density; Endurance; females; functional movement patterns; Intermittent exercise; mobility; Muscle strength; muscular strength; Obesity; Overweight; Physical fitness; mobility; Intermittent exercise; functional movement patterns; females; bone health; muscular strength
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2020.1830543

This study investigated the effects of a 10-month high-intensity interval-type neuromuscular training programme on musculoskeletal fitness in overweight and obese women. Forty-nine inactive females (36.4 ± 4.4 yrs) were randomly assigned to either a control (N = 21), a training (N = 14, 10 months) or a training-detraining group (N = 14, 5 months training followed by 5 months detraining). Training used progressive loaded fundamental movement patterns with prescribed work-to-rest intervals (1:2, 1:1, 2:1) in a circuit fashion (2-3 rounds). Muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, passive range of motion (PRoM), static balance, functional movement screen (FMS) and bone mass density (BMD) and content (BMC) were measured at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Ten months of training induced greater changes than the controls in (i) BMD (+1.9%, p < 0.001) and BMC (+1.5%, p = 0.023) ii) muscular strength (25%-53%, p = 0.001-0.005); iii) muscular endurance (103%-195%, p < 0.001); and iv) mobility (flexibility: 40%, p < 0.001; PRoM [24%-53%, p = 0.001-0.05;]; balance: 175%, p = 0.058; FMS: +58%, p < 0.001). The response rate to training was exceptionally high (86-100%). Five months of detraining reduced but not abolished training-induced adaptations. These results suggest that a hybrid-type exercise approach integrating endurance-based bodyweight drills with resistance-based alternative modes into a real-world gym setting may promote musculoskeletal fitness in overweight and obese women.