Simple Rules & Research Round Up in 2024

by Charlie Bausman

Below is a summary of our Research Round-Up and Simple Rules series from 2024.

If you’re unfamiliar, our Research Round-Up articles focus on discovering recent academic strength and conditioning research or reviews to analyze and summarize. Our Simple Rules articles focus on trends and activities commonly found in the general fitness world, and research academic work to validate it’s efficacy.

Have a topic you’d like us to explore? Email charlie@mtntactical.com

Research Round Up

Research Round-Up: Managing Knee Osteoarthritis with Non-Pharmacological and Emerging Therapies

  • Read the article here
  • Reviewed 24 interventions for arthritis management, ranked by effectiveness.
  • Top interventions: Diet therapy, resistance training, and aquatic therapy.
  • Weight management and/or weight loss paired with consistent strength training at moderate intensity remains the most effective method in reducing arthritic knee symptoms. Warm water therapy and exercise, mineral baths, and balance training disciplines are simple but effective methods to improving symptoms. Specialized techniques that would require trained professional assistance such as ultrasound therapy and extracorporeal shockwave therapy may also provide improvements.

Research Round-Up: Evidence-Based Versus Instructor-Led Physical Training for Law Enforcement Cadets

  • Read the article here
  • Compared evidence-based physical training (EBPT) designed by strength coaches versus traditional LE instructor-led training.
  • A study comparing two simultaneous law enforcement academies evaluated a physical training program designed by strength and conditioning coaches using evidence-based practices against a traditional, instructor-led program. The evidence-based approach led to significantly greater improvements in physical fitness assessments, including mobility, power, endurance, and agility, while reducing injury rates by 40% compared to the traditional program.
  • Evidence-based programming emphasized progressive overload and functional fitness specific to job demands.

Research Round-Up: Injury Prevention in Grappling Sports

  • Read the article here
  • Grappling sports have high injury rates (19.6 per 1,000 hours of training, up to 109 during competitions).
  • Common injuries: Ligament tears, joint dislocations, and muscle strains.
  • This article reviewed injury rates, mechanisms of injuries, and recommended warm-up solutions for grappling-specific sports such as Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, and Judo. Grappling sports involve close contact and intense physical engagement, making athletes susceptible to various injuries, especially in the knees, shoulders, and lower back. Flexibility and interlimb asymmetries were found to be the most common traits associated with a higher risk of injury. The author of the study review has created a sport-specific warm-up based on the data, sport-specific movements pulled from best practices across sports.

Research Round-Up: Physical Performance Testing in Climbing

  • Read the article here
  • Assessed tests for grip strength, flexibility, and rate of force development (RFD) in climbers.
  • Found isometric finger strength testing and vertical jump power highly predictive of climbing performance.
  • This systematic review examines testing methodologies for evaluating strength, endurance, flexibility, and overall physical performance in climbing. With 156 studies analyzed, the review provides a comprehensive look at the methods used to assess climbers’ abilities and highlights the most reliable and valid tests. The results highlight simple, sport-specific movement patterns associated with testing and progressing climbing-specific fitness traits.

Research Round-Up: Velocity-Based Training vs. Traditional 1RM Training

  • Read the article here
  • Velocity-based training (VBT) enhanced power and strength gains with reduced neuromuscular fatigue compared to 1RM.
  • VBT emphasized maintaining bar speed thresholds to maximize training efficiency.
  • Velocity Based Training outperformed traditional 1RM percentage-based progressions in developing jump height, sprint speed, and agility among experienced athletes. Maximal strength gains were nearly identical between the two test groups, although the VBT Group recorded less fatigue via Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) reporting.

Research Round-Up: Law Enforcement Academy Fitness Levels & Injury Rate Correlation

  • Read the article here
  • Explored injury risks during academy training relative to fitness levels.
  • Cadets with lower initial fitness were 2–3 times more likely to suffer injuries. Stronger correlations were observed between higher fitness test scores and reduced injuries.
  • The study analyzed 401 recruits from five academy classes at a Southern California law enforcement agency. It found that aerobic fitness (as measured by the multistage fitness test) and high-intensity, multi-directional running (measured by the 75-yard pursuit run) were the strongest predictors of academy success. Strength endurance and upper/lower body power were not significant factors. To improve graduation rates, both recruits and academies should prioritize aerobic conditioning and consider reducing running volumes to prevent injuries.

Simple Rules

Simple Rules for Booze: How Much Is OK for Athletic Performance and Recovery?

  • Read the article here
  • Alcohol impairs muscle protein synthesis, recovery, and sleep.
  • Moderate consumption (1–3 drinks) has minimal impact on performance.
  • Recommendations: Based on our review of the academic literature, 0.5g of alcohol consumption/bodyweight in kilograms is an easily followed rule to enjoy a drink, but not harm your performance or recovery. Pair this with 3 days a week max to avoid reaching psychological and physiological dependency issues.

Simple Rules for Marijuana: Performance Impact & Guidelines for Use

  • Read the article here
  • THC can impair reaction time, coordination, and strength, while CBD may have pain-relieving benefits.
  • Recommendations:
    • Limit use to 1-3 times per week: Using marijuana no more than 3x/week minimizes the risk of impairing motor skills or sleep quality.
    • Allow at least 12-24 hours for recovery: After consuming marijuana, especially in moderate to high doses, allow ~12 hours for THC to clear before resuming intense training and ~24 hours for competition.
    • Monitor dosage carefully: Start with low doses (5-10 mg THC) to minimize impairment. Avoid higher doses unless you have sufficient time for recovery.
    • Opt for edibles: Use edibles or non-inhaled products to avoid respiratory harm, particularly if your sport requires aerobic capacity.

Simple Rules: Pre-Workout Supplements

  • Read the article here
  • Common ingredients: Caffeine (3–6 mg/kg), beta-alanine (2–5g), and citrulline malate (6–8g).
  • Benefits include increased focus, endurance, and strength output.
  • Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (MIPS) are popular among athletes to boost energy, focus, endurance, and strength during workouts. However, their effectiveness depends on the ingredients, how they are used, and the quality of the product. Our review of academic studies shows that pre-workout does indeed have a positive effect on training, specifically for muscular endurance, moderate loading strength training, endurance interval, and threshold work (specific to running), while results are less clear for high-intensity conditioning (work capacity). Notably, studies that compared just caffeine versus Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (MIPS) showed equal results for strength training, but less was discovered on its impact for endurance and work capacity training. Caffeine is far less expensive than MIPS products and maybe a more cost-efficient method.

Simple Rules: Cold/Contrast Water Immersion Recovery for Athletes

  • Read the article here
  • Cold-water immersion (CWI) reduces inflammation and accelerates recovery in endurance and work-capacity efforts.
  • Recommended use: Cold (50–60°F) or alternating hot/cold immersions post-training for 10–20 minutes.
  • Water immersion recovery effectively reduces muscle soreness, enhances performance retention, and accelerates recovery across various training modalities. Contrast Water Therapy (CWT) consistently outperforms Cold Water Immersion (CWI), offering a 10-20% increase in recovery across strength, endurance, and work capacity. Hot water immersion (HWI) and thermoneutral water immersion (TWI) did not have significant effectiveness in recovery and soreness.

Simple Rules: Sauna Use for Athletic Recovery

  • Read the article here
  • Infrared sauna improves recovery by enhancing blood flow, leading to 20% faster muscle soreness reduction and quicker neurological recovery compared to passive recovery.
  • Recommended post-workout: 20–30 minutes in a sauna at 110–115°F
  • Unlike traditional saunas, IR saunas use infrared light to penetrate deeper into tissues, which may enhance muscle relaxation, blood flow, and recovery. The articles reviewed show that an IR sauna session at 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit immediately post-training leads to a ~20% greater reduction in muscle soreness and 42-60% improved neurological recovery after high-intensity strength or endurance training compared to the non-sauna control groups. Based on these findings, IR Sauna can be a very effective tool in recovery and follow-up training after intense training.

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