The Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia inaugurated the 7th Annual Conference of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), an event that has become an international benchmark in the field of high-performance sports. The conference, which continues until next Friday at the Los Jerónimos Campus, will be attended by more than 350 participants and internationally renowned speakers.

José María Villalón, Head of Medical Services at Atlético de Madrid; Aldo Martínez, Physical Trainer of UFC World Champion Ilia Topuria; and Francesco Cuzzolin, the first European to lead the strength and conditioning area at an NBA team, the Toronto Raptors, are some of the most prominent speakers. Juanjo Brau, Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at FC Barcelona for 25 years, and Francesc Cos, a physical trainer with experience at top-level clubs such as Manchester City and FC Barcelona, are also participating. With their talks, these experts provide a complete overview of high-performance training and physical development in elite athletes.

The inaugural event took place in the Temple of the Monastery of Los Jerónimos. Estrella Núñez, UCAM Vice-Rector of Research, highlighted UCAM's commitment to research and the development of knowledge in the field of sport: ‘This conference helps us consolidate our leadership in research applied to sport, sharing experiences and learning with international experts.’ Ian Jeffreys, President of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), highlighted the international nature of the conference and the need to build a global network in the field of physical conditioning: ‘The growth of this event reflects how strength and conditioning is going global, and it is an honour for the NSCA to be here for this event.’

Lourdes Meroño, Dean of the UCAM Faculty of Sport, stressed the importance of training in this field for university students: ‘We want our students to acquire a unique training in sports science, combining theoretical knowledge and practical experience, and what better way than with such an event.’ For his part, Miguel Ángel Noguera, Regional Minister of Murcia City Council, congratulated the University for this initiative, noting that ‘UCAM is a reference in sport not only at a regional level, but also at a national and international level.’

Finally, Pedro Emilio Alcaraz, President of the conference and Director of UCAM Research Centre for High Performance Sportthe Centre (CIARD), praised the collaboration between the University and the sporting institutions present: ‘This conference is the result of many years of effort and joint work between the academia and professional sport, aiming to offer innovative and high-impact solutions.’

The short-term consequences of discontinuing training

Iñigo Mujika, a researcher at Universidad del País Vasco, gave the opening lecture with a presentation focused on the consequences of detraining or stopping physical activity in athletes. Mujika explained that interrupting aerobic training can lead to cardiovascular effects such as an increase in resting heart rate, atrophy of the heart and a decrease in maximum oxygen consumption. Furthermore, in metabolic terms, athletes can gain significant weight in just a few weeks, while the process of recovering fitness is much slower. However, he noted that muscle strength and power can be preserved for up to three weeks once training has ceased, and muscle mass is kept for about 21 days.

Lectures and workshops will continue until Friday. A perfect opportunity for attendees, who come from all over the world, to learn first-hand from leading experts.