scholarly journals Improvement in peripherical visual attentional performance in professional soccer players following a single neurofeedback training.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sacha Assadourian ◽  
Antony Branco Lopes ◽  
Arnaud Saj
Keyword(s):  
Training Session ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Sports Performance ◽  
Attentional Deficits ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Eeg Neurofeedback ◽  
New Processing ◽  
Attentional Tasks ◽  
High Level

The effectiveness of EEG-neurofeedback (EEG-NFB) in modulating cognition has been the subject of much research for several years, particularly in relation to attentional functions in healthy subjects and those with attentional deficits. However, its effectiveness on sports performance remains poorly studied and its use is not widely practised among athletes, notably because of its accessibility and questionable effectiveness. The aim of this study is to show that this technology can be accessible, and that Alpha EEG-NFB is immediately effective. Fifteen professional soccer players took part in this study. Using a novel EEG headset that can be installed in less than one minute, and new processing software, the players performed two peripherical attentional tasks before and after, immediately and one month, a single Alpha EEG-NFB training session. The results showed a significant effect on both tasks immediately after EEG-NFB training, with a benefit of more than 30% and this performance continued after one month (20%). This study, the first to use this headset and software, shows that the improvement in sports performance can be related to cognitive performance, especially peripherical visual attentional functions. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the use of the EEG-NFB is accessible and effective for high-level athletes.

scholarly journals Dose-Response Relationships between Training Load Measures and Physical Fitness in Professional Soccer Players

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4321
Author(s):  
Saeid Younesi ◽  
Alireza Rabbani ◽  
Filipe Manuel Clemente ◽  
Rui Silva ◽  
Hugo Sarmento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Training Session ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Fitness Test ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Pooled Data ◽  
Final Velocity ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Before And After ◽  
External Loads

The aim of this cohort study was two-fold: (i) to analyze within-group changes of final velocity in a 30-15 intermittent fitness test (VIFT), final velocity in a Vameval test (Vvameval), 20-m sprint and countermovement jump (CMJ); (ii) to explore the relationships between VIFT and Vvameval outcomes and their changes with internal and external loads. Twenty-two professional soccer players (mean ± SD; age 27.2 ± 3.4 years, height 174.2 ± 3.6 cm, body mass 69.1 ± 6.4 kg, and body fat 10.4 ± 4.1%, 3.1 ± 1.5 years in the club) participated in this study. External and internal loads were obtained using global positioning system, heart rate and rate of perceived effort (sRPE) after each training session. Players were assessed in CMJ, 20-m sprint, Vameval and 30-15 intermittent fitness test, before and after the observed period. Very large relationships were observed between VIFT and Vameval for pre- (r = 0.76), post (r = 0.80) and pooled-data (r = 0.81). Vvameval showed less sensitivity (−22.4%, [−45.0 to 9.4]), ES −0.45 [−1.05 to 0.16]) than VIFT. ∆VIFT had unclear associations with all sRPE, but had moderate correlations with objective internal and external measures, while, ∆Vvameval varied between large and very large relationships with all sRPE, but had unclear associations with all other selected training loads. Objective internal and external loads may be used to track aerobic power related changes from VIFT.

scholarly journals Internal and External Training Load in Under-19 versus Professional Soccer Players during the In-Season Period

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 558
Author(s):  
Sullivan Coppalle ◽  
Guillaume Ravé ◽  
Jason Moran ◽  
Iyed Salhi ◽  
Abderraouf Ben Abderrahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Training Load ◽  
Rating Of Perceived Exertion ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
External Training ◽  
Soccer Team

This study aimed to compare the training load of a professional under-19 soccer team (U-19) to that of an elite adult team (EAT), from the same club, during the in-season period. Thirty-nine healthy soccer players were involved (EAT [n = 20]; U-19 [n = 19]) in the study which spanned four weeks. Training load (TL) was monitored as external TL, using a global positioning system (GPS), and internal TL, using a rating of perceived exertion (RPE). TL data were recorded after each training session. During soccer matches, players’ RPEs were recorded. The internal TL was quantified daily by means of the session rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE) using Borg’s 0–10 scale. For GPS data, the selected running speed intensities (over 0.5 s time intervals) were 12–15.9 km/h; 16–19.9 km/h; 20–24.9 km/h; >25 km/h (sprint). Distances covered between 16 and 19.9 km/h, > 20 km/h and >25 km/h were significantly higher in U-19 compared to EAT over the course of the study (p =0.023, d = 0.243, small; p = 0.016, d = 0.298, small; and p = 0.001, d = 0.564, small, respectively). EAT players performed significantly fewer sprints per week compared to U-19 players (p = 0.002, d = 0.526, small). RPE was significantly higher in U-19 compared to EAT (p =0.001, d = 0.188, trivial). The external and internal measures of TL were significantly higher in the U-19 group compared to the EAT soccer players. In conclusion, the results obtained show that the training load is greater in U19 compared to EAT.

Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Serie A Soccer Players’ Physical Qualities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ermanno Rampinini ◽  
Federico Donghi ◽  
Marco Martin ◽  
Andrea Bosio ◽  
Marco Riggio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerobic Fitness ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Peak Power ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Different Seasons

AbstractIn March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced most activities in Italy, including soccer, to cease. During lockdown, players could only train at home, with limited evidence regarding the effect of this period. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on professional soccer players’ physical performance. Aerobic fitness and vertical jump were assessed before and after four periods in two different seasons: COVID-19 lockdown, competitive period before lockdown, competitive period and summer break of the 2016–2017 season. Linear mixed models were used to examine within-period changes and between-period differences in changes observed during COVID-19 lockdown and the three other periods. Within-period changes in aerobic fitness showed a significant improvement following COVID-19 lockdown (p<0.001) and a significant decline during summer break (p<0.001). Between-period differences were significant in the comparison of COVID-19 lockdown with both the competitive 2019–2020 season (p<0.01) and summer break (p<0.001). For the vertical jump, only the between-period comparison revealed significant differences as the changes associated with COVID-19 lockdown were worse than those of the two competitive periods, for both absolute (p<0.05; p<0.001) and relative peak power (p<0.01; p<0.001). Home-based training during lockdown was effective to improve aerobic fitness, although it did not allow players to maintain their competitive period’s power levels.

scholarly journals Associations Between Selected Training-Stress Measures and Fitness Changes in Male Soccer Players

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1050-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Rabbani ◽  
Mehdi Kargarfard ◽  
Carlo Castagna ◽  
Filipe Manuel Clemente ◽  
Craig Twist
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Running Performance ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Body Load ◽  
Training Stress ◽  
Training Impulse

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between accumulated global positioning system–accelerometer-based and heart rate–based training metrics and changes in high-intensity intermittent-running capacity during an in-season phase in professional soccer players. Methods: Eleven male professional players (mean [SD] age 27.2 [4.5] y) performed the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15IFT) before and after a 5-wk in-season training phase, and the final velocity (VIFT) was considered their high-intensity intermittent-running capacity. During all sessions, Edwards training impulse (Edwards TRIMP), Banister TRIMP, Z5 TRIMP, training duration, total distance covered, new body load (NBL), high-intensity running performance (distance covered above 14.4 km·h−1), and very-high-intensity running performance (distance covered above 19.8 km·h−1) were recorded. Results: The players’ VIFT showed a most likely moderate improvement (+4.3%, 90% confidence limits 3.1–5.5%, effect size 0.70, [0.51–0.89]). Accumulated NBL, Banister TRIMP, and Edwards TRIMP showed large associations (r = .51–.54) with changes in VIFT. A very large relationship was also observed between accumulated Z5 TRIMP (r = .72) with changes in VIFT. Large to nearly perfect within-individual relationships were observed between NBL and some of the other training metrics (ie, Edwards TRIMP, Banister TRIMP, training duration, and total distance) in 10 out of 11 players. Conclusions: Heart rate–based training metrics can be used to monitor high-intensity intermittent-running-capacity changes in professional soccer players. The dose–response relationship is also largely detected using accelerometer-based metrics (ie, NBL) to track changes in high-intensity intermittent-running capacity of professional soccer players.

scholarly journals Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Needle Electrolysis and Rehab and Reconditioning Program for Rectus Femoris Muscle Injuries: A Cohort Study with Professional Soccer Players and a 20-Week Follow-Up

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (21) ◽  
pp. 7912
Author(s):  
Fermín Valera-Garrido ◽  
Sergio Jiménez-Rubio ◽  
Francisco Minaya-Muñoz ◽  
José Luis Estévez-Rodríguez ◽  
Archit Navandar
Keyword(s):  
Ultrasound Image ◽  
Rectus Femoris ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Muscle Injuries ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Rectus Femoris Muscle ◽  
Femoris Muscle

Rectus femoris muscle strains are one of the most common injuries occurring in sports such as soccer. The purpose of this study was to describe the safety and feasibility of a combination of percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) and a specific rehab and reconditioning program (RRP) following an injury to the rectus femoris in professional soccer players. Thirteen professional soccer players received PNE treatment 48 h after a grade II rectus femoris muscle injury, followed by a the RRP 24 h later. Assessment of recovery from injury was done by registering the days taken to return to train (RTT), return to play (RTP), and structural and functional progress of the injured muscle was registered through ultrasound imaging and match-GPS parameters. Also, adverse events and reinjuries were recorded in the follow up period of twenty weeks. The RTT registered was 15.62 ± 1.80 days and RTP was 20.15 ± 2.79 days. After fourteen days, the ultrasound image showed optimal repair. Match-GPS parameters were similar before and after injury. There were no relapses nor were any serious adverse effects reported during the 20-week follow-up after the RTP. A combination of PNE and a specific RRP facilitated a faster RTP in previously injured professional soccer players enabling them to sustain performance and avoid reinjuries.

scholarly journals Relative Training Load and Match Outcome: Are Professional Soccer Players Actually Undertrained during the In-Season?

Sports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Toni Modric ◽  
Mario Jelicic ◽  
Damir Sekulic
Keyword(s):  
Global Positioning System ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Training Load ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Positioning System ◽  
Distance Ratio ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Global Positioning

Previous studies examined training/match ratios (TMr) to determine the training load relative to the match load, but the influence of the relative training load (RTL) on success in soccer is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the possible influence of RTL on final match outcome in soccer (win, draw, and loss). Running performances (RP) of soccer players (n = 21) in the Croatian highest national soccer competition were analyzed during the season 2020–2021. Data were measured by the global positioning system in 14 official matches and 67 training sessions. RTL was assessed by TMr, which were calculated as the ratio of RP during training and match in the same week, evaluating the following measures: TDr (total distance ratio), LIDr (low-intensity distance ratio), RDr (running distance ratio), HIDr (high-intensity distance ratio), ACCr (total accelerations ratio), DECr (total decelerations ratio), HI-ACCr (high-intensity accelerations ratio), HI-DECr (high-intensity decelerations ratio). All TMr were examined separately for each training session within in-season microcycles (categorized as days before the match day, i.e., MD minus). Spearman correlations were used to identify association between match outcome and TMr. The results indicated negative associations between match outcome and TDr, LIDr, ACCr and DECr on MD-1 and MD-2). In contrast, positive associations were evidenced between match outcome, and HIDr on MD-3 and TDr, LIDr, ACCr and DECr on MD-5 (p < 0.05; all moderate correlations). These findings demonstrate that final match outcome in soccer was associated with greater RTL of (i) high-intensity running three days before the match, (ii) total and low-intensity running, accelerations and decelerations five days before the match, and (iii) lower RTL of total and low-intensity running, accelerations and decelerations one and two days before the match.

scholarly journals Performance of Professional Soccer Players before and after COVID-19 Infection; Observational Study with an Emphasis on Graduated Return to Play

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11688
Author(s):  
Anamarija Jurcev Savicevic ◽  
Jasna Nincevic ◽  
Sime Versic ◽  
Sarah Cuschieri ◽  
Ante Bandalovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Intensity ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Moderate Effect Size ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pcr Test

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in sport has been the subject of numerous studies over the past two years. However, knowledge about the direct impact of COVID-19 infection on the performance of athletes is limited, and the importance of studies on this topic is crucial during the current pandemic era. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the match running performance (MRP) of professional soccer players that occurred as a result of COVID-19 infection after fulfilling all of the prerequisites for a safe return to play (RTP). The participants were 47 professional soccer players from a team which competed in first Croatian division (21.6 years old on average) during the 2020/21 season. The total sample was divided into two subgroups based on the results of a PCR test for COVID-19, where 31 players tested positive (infected) and 16 tested negative. We observed the PCR test results (positive vs. negative PCR), the number of days needed to return to the team, number of days needed to RTP after quarantine and isolation, and MRP (10 variables measured by a global positioning system). The number of days where the infected players were not included in the team ranged from 7 to 51 (Median: 12). Significant pre- to post-COVID differences in MRP for infected players were only found for high-intensity accelerations and high-intensity decelerations (t-test = 2.11 and 2.13, respectively; p < 0.05, moderate effect size differences), with poorer performance in the post-COVID period. Since a decrease of the MRP as a result of COVID-19 infection was only noted in two variables, we can highlight appropriateness of the applied RTP. However, further adaptations and improvements of the RTP are needed with regard to high-intensity activities.

Effect of Heavy Resisted Sled Sprint Training During the Competitive Season on Sprint and Change-of-Direction Performance in Professional Soccer Players

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1066-1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. McMorrow ◽  
Massimiliano Ditroilo ◽  
Brendan Egan
Keyword(s):  
Training Group ◽  
Sprint Performance ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Confidence Limits ◽  
Sprint Training ◽  
Change Of Direction ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Competitive Season ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Total Program

Purpose: Resisted sled sprinting (RSS) is an effective tool for improving sprint performance over short distances, but the effect on change-of-direction (COD) performance is largely unknown. The present study investigated the effect of heavy RSS training during the competitive season on sprint and COD performance in professional soccer players. Methods: Over 6 wk in-season, an RSS training group (n = 6) performed RSS at a sled load of 30% body mass for a total program running distance of 800 m, whereas an unresisted sprint (URS) training group (n = 7) performed the same distance of unresisted sprinting. A 20-m maximal sprint with split times measured at 5, 10, and 20 m and the sprint 9-3-6-3-9 m with 180° turns COD test were performed before and after the intervention. Results: Sprint performance (mean, 95% confidence limits, qualitative inference) was improved in both groups over 5 m (URS, 5.1%, −2.4 to 12.7, likely moderate; RSS, 5.4%, 0.5–10.4, likely moderate), 10 m (URS, 3.9%, −0.3 to 8.1, very likely moderate; RSS, 5.0%, 1.8–8.0, very likely large), and 20 m (URS, 2.0%, −0.6 to 4.5, likely moderate; RSS, 3.0%, 1.7–4.4, very likely moderate). COD was improved in both groups (URS, 3.7%, 2.2–5.2, most likely large; RSS, 3.3%, 1.6–5.0, most likely moderate). Between-groups differences were unclear. Conclusion: Heavy RSS and URS training matched for running distance were similarly effective at improving sprint and COD performance in professional soccer players when performed in the competitive phase of the season.

scholarly journals COVID-19-Related Restrictions and Quarantine COVID-19: Effects on Cardiovascular and Yo-Yo Test Performance in Professional Soccer Players

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas de Albuquerque Freire ◽  
Márcio Tannure ◽  
Márcio Sampaio ◽  
Maamer Slimani ◽  
Hela Znazen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Random Order ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Maximal Speed ◽  
And Performance ◽  
High Level ◽  
Viral Outbreak

The present study aimed to verify the quarantine’s effects during a serious viral outbreak on the cardiovascular and performance associated with the Yo-Yo test in a sample of professional soccer players. 20 high-level soccer players (n = 20; age: 26 ± 4 years-old; weight: 76.85 ± 6.7 kg; height: 179 ± 6 cm) participated in this study. The intermittent Yo-Yo test was performed pre- and post- COVID-19 quarantine in a random order. During each test, the soccer players’ running performance outcomes were monitored using a portable 5-Hz GPS with a 100 Hz accelerometer and a paired t-test was conducted at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. The main results demonstrated significant differences between pre- versus post-COVID-19 quarantine in the following variables: relative distance (161.7 ± 5.9 &gt; 141.1 ± 33.8 m/min), maximal speed (18.7 ± 0.9 &gt; 18.2 ± 0.6 km/h), acceleration (60 ± 20 frequency &gt; 52 ± 16 frequency), deceleration (34 ± 13 frequency &gt; 27 ± 6 frequency), sprints &gt; 19 km/h [0.8 (0.2;3)% &gt;0.5 (0;0.5)%], and in high intensity running distance [16.48 (2.68;41.64)m &gt; 0.827 (0.164;3.0)m]. We concluded that COVID-19-related restrictions and quarantine COVID-19 demonstrated adverse effects on professional soccer players’ Yo-Yo tests performance.

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