{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T08:52:54Z","timestamp":1782377574823,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"PeerJ","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782345600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Complex training is commonly used to enhance strength and explosive performance in athletes; however, the long-term influence of set configuration within complex training remains unclear in highly trained wrestlers. This randomized, volume-matched trial investigated whether set configuration influences long-term adaptations to complex training (CT) in national-level male Chinese-style wrestlers. Specifically, the study compared the effects of cluster-set complex training (CS-CT) and traditional-set complex training (TS-CT) on maximal strength, lower-limb explosive performance, anaerobic power, and sport-specific performance.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Sixteen highly trained wrestlers (Tier 3;\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0=\u00a016) completed an 8-week lower-body CT program performed twice weekly. Participants were randomly allocated to either CS-CT (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0=\u00a09) or TS-CT (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0=\u00a07). Training volume, intensity progression (70\u201385% 1RM), and exercise selection were identical between groups, differing only in set configuration. Primary outcomes included back squat one-repetition maximum (1RM), countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), drop jump (DJ), standing long jump (SLJ), Wingate anaerobic performance, and wrestling-specific field tests. Group \u00d7\u00a0time interaction effects were analyzed using Generalized Estimating Equations.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Both CS-CT and TS-CT produced significant improvements in back squat 1RM (both\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0&lt;\u00a00.05). The CS-CT group demonstrated significant within-group improvements in SLJ, SJ, DJ, and selected sport-specific tests (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0&lt;\u00a00.05), whereas the TS-CT group showed improvements in CMJ and hip-rotation kick performance (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0&lt;\u00a00.05). However, no significant group\u00a0\u00d7\u00a0time interaction effects were observed for any performance variable (all\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u00a0&gt;\u00a00.05).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      When total training volume and intensity are matched, complex training effectively enhances strength and explosive performance in national-level wrestlers. However, modifying set configuration (cluster\n                      <jats:italic>vs.<\/jats:italic>\n                      traditional) did not result in clearly superior long-term adaptations over an 8-week training period in highly trained athletes.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.21438","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T08:43:17Z","timestamp":1782376997000},"page":"e21438","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Does set configuration influence long-term adaptations to complex training in national-level wrestlers? A volume-matched randomized trial"],"prefix":"10.7717","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Yueqiang","family":"Ma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pengpeng","family":"Gou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Center of Strength and Conditioning, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Department of Sports and Health Sciences, Academy of Wellness and Human Development, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuxiong","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Center of Strength and Conditioning, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jialiang","family":"Yu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Center of Strength and Conditioning, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lijia","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Center of Strength and Conditioning, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kai","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China"},{"name":"School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Binbin","family":"Jia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Center of Strength and Conditioning, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Danyang","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"},{"name":"Center of Strength and Conditioning, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"4443","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.21438\/ref-1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3342","DOI":"10.3390\/app15063342","article-title":"Enhancing motor abilities in male basketball players through complex training: a systematic 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