Acute Effects of Neuroathletic Training-Integrated Resistance Training in Collegiate Athletes

Neuroathletic training is an emerging training approach that incorporates visual, vestibular, proprioceptive, and sensorimotor exercises with the aim of improving the quality of sensory input and motor readiness. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether integrating brief neuroathletic training drills into a conventional lower-extremity resistance training session could influence acute and short-term physical performance responses in trained collegiate athletes.

The study used a non-randomized, fixed-order, within-participant repeated-measures intervention design. Fifty-eight collegiate athletes completed two experimental sessions separated by one week. During the first experimental session, participants completed conventional lower-extremity resistance training. During the second session, participants completed the same resistance training program combined with neuroathletic training drills. Therefore, each participant served as their own control.

The resistance training protocol consisted of leg press, Romanian deadlift, leg extension, seated leg curl, dumbbell step-up, and Copenhagen exercise. Training volume, intensity, exercise order, and rest intervals were matched between conditions. During the conventional condition, rest intervals consisted of passive rest. During the NAT-integrated condition, participants completed a 6-8-minute pre-session neuroathletic activation block followed by brief neuroathletic primers before selected resistance sets and during rest intervals. These drills included binocular and monocular convergence-divergence tasks, unilateral eye occlusion, gaze stabilization, vertical and horizontal vestibular stimulation, head-position variations, and proprioceptive awareness exercises.

Performance assessments were conducted before training (T0), immediately after training (T1), 15 minutes after training (T2), and 30 minutes after training (T3) during each experimental condition. Outcome measures included 5-meter sprint acceleration, bilateral countermovement jump performance, right- and left-leg unilateral jump performance, eccentric hamstring strength assessed using the IVMES H-Bord during the Nordic hamstring exercise, bilateral maximum difference between hamstring strength outputs, and sit-and-reach flexibility.

Inclusion criteria

• Were collegiate athletes participating in organized sport training.
• Had participated in regular sport-specific training for at least one year.
• Had previous experience with lower-extremity resistance training.
• Had previous experience with the exercises used in the study, including leg press, Romanian deadlift, leg extension, seated leg curl, dumbbell step-up, and Copenhagen exercise.
• Were familiar with maximal or near-maximal sprinting, jumping, and lower-limb strength testing.
• Were able to complete 5-meter sprint testing, bilateral and unilateral jump testing, Nordic hamstring testing, sit-and-reach flexibility testing, and the resistance training protocols.
• Were able to perform maximal or near-maximal lower-limb tasks without pain or movement restriction.
• Agreed to attend both experimental sessions and all measurement time points.

Exclusion criteria

• Had an acute lower-extremity musculoskeletal injury during the previous three months.
• Had a hamstring strain, quadriceps strain, groin injury, ankle sprain, knee injury, hip injury, or low back pain limiting sport participation during the previous three months.
• Had undergone lower-extremity surgery during the previous 12 months.
• Experienced current pain during sprinting, jumping, Nordic hamstring testing, flexibility testing, or resistance exercise.
• Had a neurological disorder.
• Had diagnosed vestibular dysfunction.
• Had recurrent vertigo or unexplained dizziness.
• Had severe motion sensitivity.
• Had a balance disturbance.
• Had uncorrected visual impairment.
• Had diplopia or severe visual tracking difficulties.
• Had any condition preventing safe completion of eye-occlusion or gaze-stabilization exercises.
• Had experienced concussion within the previous six months.
• Had persistent post-concussion symptoms.
• Had cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, or systemic disease limiting high-intensity exercise.
• Used medication known to influence balance, alertness, reaction time, exercise tolerance, or neuromuscular performance.
• Failed to comply with pre-test instructions.
• Failed to attend both experimental sessions.
• Had incomplete data at any measurement time point.