AbstractsPsychology

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Velocity-Based Training (VBT) as a form of auto-regulation on strength and power metrics in collegiate athletes. Seventeen NCAA Division II collegiate softball players participated in the study, and were randomly assigned to either a control group or a VBT group after being paired according to strength-bodyweight ratios. A six-week training period was completed, with the control group performing back squats and bench press with a conventional fixed-volume program, while the VBT group performed back squats and bench press with a variable volume program in which volume was determined by the number of sets competed before a 10% drop-off in movement velocity, as measured by an accelerometer device. All training outside of back squat and bench press was identical between groups. Subjects were tested for vertical jump height (VJ), mean rate of force development (MRFD), peak power (PP), peak force in an isometric quarter-squat (PF), and bench press one-repetition maximum (BP 1RM) before and after the training period. PP (F [1, 13] = 4.892, p = .045, η2 = .273) significantly increased over time for both groups (3395.33 ± 553.6 W to 3545.83 ± 549.3 W for the control, 3559.35 ± 462.4 W to 3707.69 ± 337.8 W for VBT). No significant interactions were found between time and group, or between groups for any dependent variables. These results indicate that the use of VBT to regulate training volume in collegiate softball players may be as effective as conventionally periodized training. Advisors/Committee Members: Suprak, David N. (David Nathan), Brilla, Lorraine R., 1955-, San Juan, Jun G..