Michail Michailov

National Sports Academy Vassil Levski | NSA · Theory and Methodology of Sports Training

Recent reviews have highlighted conflicting findings regarding the validity of finger flexor strength and endurance tests in sport climbers, often due to small sample sizes and low ecological validity of the tests used. To address these gaps, 185 male and 122 female climbers underwent maximal finger flexor strength, intermittent and continuous fing...

Aim This study aimed to: (a) assess the relationships between climbing performance and finger and shoulder girdle muscle endurance; and (b) provide evidence on the validity of the specialized exercise tests used for the purpose. Materials and methods 28 male sport climbers (climbing ability 23 ± 2.43 IRCRA scale) performed four tests muscle failur...

Background Climbing is an intricate sport composed of various disciplines, holds, styles, distances between holds, and levels of difficulty. In highly skilled climbers the potential for further strength-specific adaptations to increase performance may be marginal in elite climbers. With an eye on the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, more climbers are...

The rate of upper limb force development (RFD) is one of the important performance factors in sport climbing. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of various force-time indicators for the assessment of finger and shoulder girdle strength in climbing. Ten male lead climbers (climbing ability: advanced; IRCRA: 22 ± 2)...

This study compared perceptional and physiological responses of finger flexor exercise performed with free flow and blood flow restriction (BFR). Thirteen male advanced climbers completed three sessions of finger flexor resistance exercise at (1) 40% of MVC (Low) and (2) 75% of MVC (High) and (3) BFR at 40% of MVC (Low + BFR) in a randomized and co...

The aim of the study was to determine the acute effects of single-whole-body vibration (WBV) on resting metabolic rate (RMR) and carbohydrate–lipid profile of blood in young, healthy women. The participants, in a randomised controlled crossover study, participated in two trials: WBV and a vibration simulation (placebo). The WBV was performed in the...

Purpose The aim of the study was to evaluate distinct performance indicators and energy system contributions in 3 different, new sport-specific finger flexor muscle exercise tests. Methods The tests included the maximal strength test, the all-out test (30 s) as well as the continuous and intermittent muscle endurance test at an intensity equaling...

The relative importance of key performance factors is poorly studied in high-level climbers. This study aimed to (1) determine the role of forearm muscle strength and endurance in high-level rock climbing, (2) and provide suitable dynamometric test parameters for muscle endurance assessment in high-level climbers. Six higher elite (redpoint Fr.9a)...

Purpose: An advanced system for the assessment of climbing-specific performance was developed and used to: (a) investigate the effect of arm fixation (AF) on construct validity evidence and reliability of climbing-specific finger-strength measurement; (b) assess reliability of finger-strength and endurance measurements; and (c) evaluate the relati...

Introduction. Studies have demonstrated an important role of muscle strength and endurance in climbing. However, little research has explored the speed parameters of the muscles of climbers. This study aimed to evaluate biomechanical indices of the functional status of the upper limbs in climbers. Material and methods. Group G1 (n = 3) were athlete...

Antropomotoryka (Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences), 2017, vol.27, no.3 (79), 31-39. Aim. The aim of the study was to compare the main indicators characterizing body build, including the strength and endurance potential of elite mountain and rock climbers. Methods: The study was comprised of high-class male athletes, performing rock and...

The muscles that exert most during sport climbing are the finger flexors followed by elbow flexors (EF). Nevertheless, climbers’ EF strength and endurance were not tested in an isolated manner and EF endurance was not assessed at different relative intensities. Purpose: To determine the importance of EF maximal strength and endurance in sport climb...

The purpose of this study was to investigate physiological responses to climbing with different hold types. Eight elite climbers (red-point achievements 8a – 9a, French grades) performed two climbing tests to failure which were steady in pace and uniform in wall inclination, distances between holds and hold deepness. Only the hold contact surface i...

Introduction: Muscle group, age and sex affect the duration of isometric exercise, performed at a chosen percentage of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). It is not confirmed whether sport practice and the sport discipline are also factors in this regard. Aim: to create conditions for optimizing isometric exercise parameters. Methods: 25 athle...

Background. Bouldering and lead climbing are divergent disciplines of the sport of rock climbing. Bouldering moves are short and powerful, whilst sport climbing is longer and require a greater degree of endurance. Aim. The aim of this study was to compare forearm muscle oxygenation during sustained isometric contraction between lead climbers (LC) a...

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the effect of hand shaking during recovery phases of intermittent testing on the time–forcecharacteristics of performance and muscle oxygenation, and (2) assess inter-individual variability in the time to achieve thetarget force during intermittent testing in rock climbers. Twenty-two participants undertook three fi...

Unlabelled: Traditional treadmill or bicycle ergometry neglects the upper-body musculature that predominantly limits or terminates rock-climbing performance (ie, the inability to continually pull up one's body mass or "hang on"). Purpose: To develop an incremental maximal upper-body ergometer test (UBT) to evaluate climbers' aerobic fitness and...

In order to outline the performance limiting factors and to conduct an effective training process in rock climbing a characteristic of the physical activity is needed. On this basis proper training exercises and methods could be designed. Rock climbing has a variable character of the workload, includes many sub disciplines and demands complex devel...

Purpose: A main objective, was determination which factors motor, physiological and anthropometrical favors the elite rock climbers Methods: Research was conducted within to the group of 6 climbers. From that group one climber was selected and named Number 1 - the level 9a RP. The other climbers represented the level 8a - 8b+ RP. Result of the best...

Purpose: A main objective, was determination which factors motor, physiological and anthropometrical favors the hight elite rock climbers Methods: Research was conducted within to the group of 6 climbers. From that group one climber was selected and named Number 1 - the level 9a RP. The other climbers represented the level 8a - 8b+ RP. Result of th...

Objective: Physiological variables registered before an expedition could hardly serve to predict performance at high mountains as acclimatization ability is a major factor. The purpose of this study was to identify parameters that distinguish climbers with more chances to reach a summit and to examine the changes in some anthropometric parameters u...

The basic aim of this research was to determine the metric characteristics of the specific strength of sports climbers' tests. The research was conducted on a sample of 14 sports climbers at the national level, aged 18 to 27, those who can climb at least a VIII-route by means of 9 specific strength sports climbers' tests (three tests each for the e...

Method: Six climbers age 19 to 42, with experience of 3 to 27 years and self-reported red-point best achievement 8+ to 10-UIAA, have trained for 7 weeks, 3 times a week. The new method is represented by alternating in difficulty doing repetitions (8–10): of easy (20–30 hand moves) and “difficult” routes (15–20 moves) and breaks of 30–60 s (dependin...