Casey Watkins

Seattle University · College of Arts and Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between traditional tests of maximal and ballistic strength, with the results of a 6 s cycle sprint (6sCS) in international level Rugby Union (Rugby) players. Thirty-three international level male Rugby players participated in the study. Each player completed the 6sCS, sprint run, standing lo...

Despite previous support for plyometric training, optimal dosing strategies remain unclear. Purpose : To investigate vertical and horizontal jump kinetic performance following a low-volume plyometric stimulus with progressively increased session jump volume. Methods : Sixteen academy rugby players (20.0 [2.0] y; 103.0 [17.6] kg; 184.3 [5.5] cm) vol...

Background Many perform resistance training (RT) to increase muscle mass and strength. Energy surpluses are advised to support such gains; however, if too large, could cause unnecessary fat gain. We randomized 21 trained lifters performing RT 3 d/wk for eight weeks into maintenance energy (MAIN), moderate (5% [MOD]), and high (15% [HIGH]) energy su...

Background A goal of many who perform resistance training (RT) is to increase muscle mass and strength. An energy surplus is commonly advised to support such gains; however, if too large, it could cause unwanted fat gain without augmenting adaptation. Thus, we randomized 21 trained lifters into maintenance energy (MAIN), 5% (MOD), and 15% (HIGH) en...

Purpose Whole-body fat oxidation during exercise can be measured non-invasively during athlete profiling. Gaps in understanding exist in the relationships between fat oxidation during incremental fasted exercise and skeletal muscle parameters, endurance performance, and fat oxidation during prolonged fed-state exercise. Methods Seventeen endurance...

Endurance athletes are frequently exposed to environmental heat stress during training. We investigated whether exposure to 33°C during training would improve endurance performance in temperate conditions and stimulate mitochondrial adaptations. Seventeen endurance-trained males were randomly assigned to perform a 3-week training intervention in 18...

Watkins, CM, Storey, A, McGuigan, MR, Downes, P, and Gill, ND. Horizontal force-velocity-power profiling of rugby players: A cross-sectional analysis of competition-level and position-specific movement demands. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2021-Speed and acceleration are crucial to competitive success in all levels of rugby union. However, p...

Watkins, CM, Storey, A, McGuigan, M, and Gill, ND. Implementation and efficacy of plyometric training: Bridging the gap between practice and research. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2021-Plyometric training is an effective method for improving speed and acceleration. However, a gap seems to exist between research recommendations and practition...

Watkins, CM, Gill, ND, Maunder, E, Downes, P, Young, JD, McGuigan, MR, and Storey, AG. The effect of low-volume preseason plyometric training on force-velocity profiles in semiprofessional rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-Rugby union is a physically demanding and complex team sport requiring athletes across all position...

Vertical jump is a valuable training, testing, and readiness monitoring tool used across a multitude of sport settings. However, accurate field analysis has not always been readily available or affordable. For this study, two-dimensional motion capture (Mo-Cap), G-Flight micro-sensor, and PUSH accelerometer technologies were compared to a research-...

Rugby union requires players to demonstrate horizontal pushing force in activities such as a scrum, ruck, and tackle. Sprinting is also vital for players on offense and defense. Both horizontal pushing force and sprinting require producing maximal force with a forward body lean. Therefore, a relationship between horizontal pushing force and sprint...

The Athos ® wearable system integrates surface electromyography (sEMG ) electrodes into the construction of compression athletic apparel. The Athos system reduces the complexity and increases the portability of collecting EMG data and provides processed data to the end user. The objective of the study was to determine the reliability and validity o...

Speed is a crucial aspect in softball, and can be the difference between winning and losing. Base stealing is a method used to produce runs. There has been debate over which starting position is the most advantageous to maximize acceleration and speed to reach the next base the fastest. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of differe...

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(4): 68-74, 2018. Softball and baseball are games that require multiple skill sets such as throwing, hitting and fielding. Players spend a copious amount of time in batting practice in order to be successful hitters. Variables commonly associated with successful hitting include bat velocity and torso rota...

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(4): 68-74, 2018. Softball and baseball are games that require multiple skill sets such as throwing, hitting and fielding. Players spend a copious amount of time in batting practice in order to be successful hitters. Variables commonly associated with successful hitting include bat velocity and torso rota...

BACKGROUND: Assessing players' leg strength ratios prior to season is important in order to measure performance and identify weaknesses. Leg ratios are calculated by dividing the moment of hamstring by quadriceps. The simple (concentric only) HQ ratio and the dynamic control ratio (DCR) (Hamstring eccentric/Quadriceps concentric) are used to detect...

Coaches closely monitor training loads and periodize sessions throughout the season to create optimal adaptations at the proper time. However, only monitoring training loads ignores the innate physiological stress each athlete feels individually. Vertical jump (VJ) is widely used as a measure of lower body power, and has been used in post-match stu...

Sled towing is a common form of overload training in sports to develop muscular strength for sprinting. This type of training leads to acute and chronic outcomes. Acute training potentially leads to postactivation potentiation (PAP), which is when subsequent muscle performance is enhanced following a preload stimulus. The purpose of this study was...

Plyometric exercise is popular in commercial exercise programs aiming to maximize energy expenditure for weight loss. However, the effect of plyometric exercise on blood glucose is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of relatively high intensity plyometric exercise on blood glucose. Thirteen subjects (6 females age= 21....

The bench press and pushup are commonly used for training upper body muscular strength and endurance. Although they are often used interchangeably, differences between the two relative to body mass load are unknown. Furthermore, sex differences may exist due to anthropometric body mass specificity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rela...

Sled towing is a common form of overload training to develop muscular strength for sprinting. This type of training leads to either acute or chronic changes. Acute training leads to postactivation potentiation (PAP), which is when subsequent muscle performance is enhanced following a preload stimulus. Proper rest time allows for reduced fatigue and...

Sled towing is a popular method of overload training in many eld sports. The initial acceleration and top speed phases are components in developing peak velocity in athletes. Acute training may lead to postactivation potentiation (PAP), which occurs when subsequent muscle performance is enhanced following a preload stimulus. However, this is highly...

Sled towing is a popular method of overload training for many eld sport athletes. Postactivation potentiation (PAP) occurs when subsequent muscle performance is enhanced following a preload stimulus. Previous cycling research has shown a correlation between strength level and sprint speed potentiation where stronger athletes tend to require a short...

The game of lacrosse involves change of direction, running speed, and stick speed during shots. Agility, while carrying a stick, is essential to avoid contact with an opponent. PURPOSE To examine the eeect of carrying a stick on agility in male and female collegiate lacrosse players. METHODS 28 collegiate lacrosse players (17 female, age= 20.47±1.7...