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The aim of this study was to determine the acute effects of wearable resistance forearm (WRf) loading versus shank (WRs) loading on change of direction (COD) performance in netball athletes. Ten elite female netball athletes (age: 24.9 ± 5.0 years, height: 180.1 ± 6.5 cm, weight: 81.3 ± 15.0 kg) participated in this within‐subject repeated measures study under three conditions: (1) no load (NL), (2) WRs and (3) WRf, both wearable resistance conditions loaded with 1% body mass on each limb. Athletes performed a modified 5‐0‐5 COD test with additional timing splits and inertial measurement units placed in their shoes. Total time was significantly longer for both WR conditions with a small effect compared to NL (p < 0.05, ES = 0.22–0.25). The greatest differences between WRs and WRf as compared to NL were in the acceleration phase with moderate effect sizes (0–2 m) (p < 0.05, ES = −0.67–0.79). Both loading conditions had moderate to large significant effects on peak deceleration (ES = 0.56–0.82) and maximum speed (ES = −0.50–0.60). No significant differences were observed between WR conditions. It appeared that WRs and WRs acutely affected COD performance and therefore might provide a potential training stimulus to elicit positive COD performance adaptations if used over an extended period of time. The choice of overload depended on the musculature that needed training. Highlights: Both WRs and WRf significantly affected the total time and acceleration as compared to no load during a modified 5‐0‐5 COD test.Only WRs loading affected the deceleration split time compared to NL and WRf.No significant differences were observed during the COD phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research which was conducted to investigate the effects of haltere/handheld loading on the kinematics of horizontal jumping and to investigate whether an optimum relative load (% body mass (BM) exists to maximize jump distance. Researchers evaluated 16 athletes. They found that haltere/handheld loading augments vertical and horizontal force and impulses and that the optimum relative load for enhancing jump distance was 9.2 +or- 3.4% of body mass.