Flywheel Resistance Training: Applications, Monitoring and Programming

Flywheel resistance training has gained increasing attention in sports science and rehabilitation due to its unique capacity to provide variable, high-intensity eccentric overload without relying on external weights. Unlike traditional resistance training, flywheel devices generate resistance proportional to the effort applied by the user, allowing for maximal concentric output and, critically, eccentric overload during the deceleration phase. This mechanism has been linked to enhanced neuromuscular adaptations, improved force-velocity characteristics, and reduced injury risk, making flywheel training an appealing tool for athletes, coaches, and clinicians alike.Despite growing interest, several questions remain regarding the optimal application, monitoring, and programming of flywheel resistance training across different populations and contexts. How does flywheel training acutely enhance performance through mechanisms such as post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE)? What neuromuscular and muscle activation patterns, as revealed through electromyography (EMG), underlie its training effects? What are the precise kinetic, kinematic, and force-velocity characteristics that distinguish flywheel training from conventional resistance modalities? How can flywheel training be effectively implemented during the demanding in-season period without compromising recovery or increasing injury risk? Furthermore, what role does flywheel training play in injury prevention and rehabilitation protocols, and how can practitioners best monitor training load and adaptations using available tools and technologies?This Research Topic aims to bring together original research, reviews, and methodological contributions that advance the scientific understanding of flywheel resistance training. We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) using flywheel resistance trainingo Neuromuscular adaptations and muscle activation during flywheel resistance training: insights from electromyography (EMG)o Mechanical profiling of flywheel resistance training: kinetics, kinematics and force-velocity characteristicso Implementation of flywheel resistance training during the in-season periodo The role of flywheel resistance training in injury prevention and rehabilitationo Monitoring flywheel resistance training: tools, technologies and performance metricso Programming strategies for flywheel resistance trainingo Applications of flywheel resistance training in clinical populationsBy consolidating current evidence and highlighting emerging research directions, this Research Topic seeks to provide practitioners, coaches, and researchers with a comprehensive resource to optimize the use of flywheel resistance training for performance enhancement, injury prevention, and rehabilitation across athletic and clinical populations. Topic editors: Pablo Asencio, Jose Luis Hernández-Davó Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83998/flywheel-resistance-training-applications-monitoring-and-programming