## 4 Discussion  
The objectives of this study were to examine force-time and barbell velocity characteristics of traditional, AEL-MAX, and AEL-SUPRA back squats using various loading schemes in resistance-trained women. The main findings of this study were that significantly greater braking mean force and impulses were produced during the AEL conditions across all loads. Conversely, there were no other statistically or practically meaningful differences in the braking, propulsion, or barbell velocity characteristics between the TRAD and AEL conditions. Finally, the external load had a significant impact on braking and propulsion force, duration, and impulse and barbell velocity characteristics. Similar to the findings of previous AEL studies on resistance-trained men [11; 12; 13], the women in the current study showed the greatest overall braking stimulus during the AEL-SUPRA condition. Specifically, the differences in braking mean force and impulse were moderate and large-very large compared to TRAD back squats across the examined loads, respectively. In addition, the braking mean forces and impulses produced during the AEL-MAX condition also displayed small-moderate and large-very large differences compared to the TRAD condition, respectively. In contrast to braking mean force and impulse, there were no differences in braking duration between the AEL and TRAD squats (trivial-small effect sizes). These findings agree with those of [PERSON] and colleagues who used the same protocol with resistance-trained men [13] and suggest that, combined with greater braking mean forces, AEL may allow individuals to create a larger \"peaked\" impulse (i.e., a greater rate of force development). However, given that there were generally only small differences between the AEL-SUPRA and AEL-MAX conditions for braking mean force and impulse, it could be argued that supramaximal loads may not always be needed to provide an enhanced braking stimulus. However, if athletes are able to actively resist supramaximal loads, the additional load may benefit the development of eccentric strength during the back squat. With the exception of a shorter propulsion phase duration produced during TRAD squats performed with 50% 1 RM (moderate difference), there were no significant or practically meaningful differences in propulsion force-time characteristics between squat conditions. These findings are supplemented by non-significant, trivial-small differences between squat conditions for MBV and PBV across the examined loads. The lack of significant differences between conditions in the current study are similar to the findings found in men during the back squat [11; 12; 13], but in contrast to those during the bench press [14; 15; 16]. As mentioned previously, limited research has examined the force-time characteristics of AEL in resistance-trained women; thus, it is unclear if the positive propulsion effects shown during the bench press in previous studies would carry-over into this population. The lack of acute enhancement in propulsion force-time characteristics shown in the current study may be explained by the comparison of the average performance across all the repetitions performed in each exercise set. Researchers have shown that including AEL on the first repetition of a five-repetition set subsequently enhanced the eccentric rate of force development during the subsequent three repetitions, but performance returned to baseline during the 4 th and 5 th repetitions [12]. Thus, there may be carry-over effects from the first repetition to subsequent repetitions in a set; however, a further analysis of individual repetitions is needed to determine if these effects existed in the current population. [PERSON] and colleagues [13] indicated that a lack of acute benefits to the propulsion phase of AEL squats may be due to the wide range of relative strength characteristics within a subject population. Moreover, [PERSON] et al.