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The article offers information on a study that evaluates the muscle strength and basal serum testosterone and urea levels in soccer athletes. The study analyzed the testosterone and urea concentrations of blood samples taken from 24 soccer players in pre-competitive period. It compared the effectiveness of the non-linear training and non-periodized training in promoting increase in serum testosterone levels and reduction in urea levels.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the ergogenic effect of NaHCO3 on muscular strength. Eleven healthy male subjects, experienced in resistance training were randomly assigned to ingest two different solutions of sodium bicarbonate or sodium chloride. Treatments were dissolved in water, and ingested 2h before a muscular strength test. Following a double-blind placebo controlled design, each volunteer accomplished a 10 repetition maximal (10RM) test on the bench press (BP) and on the pull press (PP) during three conditions: (1) without supplement (C); (2) with bicarbonate supplementation (S); and (3) placebo (P). All tests (C, S and P) were repeated and the second test was assumed as reference. Test repeatabilties were studied using Wilcoxon matched pairs test and the workload relative to 10RM in the BP and PP was compared by repeated measures ANOVA with Fisher post hoc test (α=0.05). Concerning the BP test, no significant differences were recorded, averaging 99.7α18 kg (C), 103.2α17.8kg (S) and 103.6α18.3 Kg (P). Similarly, the PP resulted in 68α10.7kg (C) and 70.1α11.0kg (S) and 69.6α10.8Kg (P), showing no significant differences. According to this experimental design the present results suggest that ingestion of NaHCO3 does not affect the muscular strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]