A Comparison of Different Modes of Morning Priming Exercise on Afternoon Performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 763-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Russell ◽  
Aden King ◽  
Richard. M. Bracken ◽  
Christian. J. Cook ◽  
Thibault Giroud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Rugby Union ◽  
Jump Height ◽  
Countermovement Jump ◽  
Repeated Sprint ◽  
Mass Load ◽  
Hormone Responses ◽  
Sprint Cycling ◽  
Priming Exercise ◽  
Rugby Players

Purpose:To assess the effects of different modes of morning (AM) exercise on afternoon (PM) performance and salivary hormone responses in professional rugby union players.Methods:On 4 occasions (randomized, crossover design), 15 professional rugby players provided AM (~8 AM) and PM (~2 PM) saliva samples before PM assessments of countermovement-jump height, reaction time, and repeated-sprint ability. Control (passive rest), weights (bench press: 5 × 10 repetitions, 75% 1-repetition maximum, 90-s intraset recovery), cycling (6 × 6-s maximal sprint cycling, 7.5% body mass load, 54-s intraset recovery), and running (6 × 40-m maximal sprints, 20-s intraset recovery) interventions preceded (~5 h) PM testing.Results:PM sprint performance improved (P < .05) after weights (>0.15 ± 0.19 s, >2.04% ± 2.46%) and running (>0.15 ± 0.17 s, >2.12% ± 2.22%) but not cycling (P > .05). PM jump height increased after cycling (0.012 ± 0.009 m, 2.31% ± 1.76%, P < .001) and running (0.020 ± 0.009 m, 3.90% ± 1.79%, P < .001) but not weights (P = .936). Reaction time remained unchanged between trials (P = .379). Relative to control (131 ± 21 pg/mL), PM testosterone was greater in weights (21 ± 23 pg/mL, 17% ± 18%, P = .002) and running (28 ± 26 pg/mL, 22% ± 20%, P = .001) but not cycling (P = .072). Salivary cortisol was unaffected by AM exercise (P = .540).Conclusions:All modes of AM exercise improved at least 1 marker of PM performance, but running appeared the most beneficial to professional rugby union players. A rationale therefore exists for preceding PM competition with AM exercise.

scholarly journals Anthropometric Profiles and Physical Characteristics in Competitive Female English Premiership Rugby Union Players

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Xiang Yao ◽  
Christopher Curtis ◽  
Anthony Turner ◽  
Chris Bishop ◽  
Alex Austerberry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rugby Union ◽  
Physical Characteristics ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Jump Height ◽  
Drop Jump ◽  
Countermovement Jump ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
Competitive Success ◽  
Physical Attributes

Rugby union (RU) is a field-based team sport with a large number of high-intensity actions such as sprinting, change of direction, tackling, scrummaging, rucking, and mauling. Competitive success in female RU has previously been related to anthropometric and physical characteristics, and with the recent introduction of professionalism in female rugby, characterizing such physical attributes may provide insight into selection and training processes. Purpose: To identify anthropometric and physical characteristics of competitive female RU players and differences between playing positions. Methods: Twenty-two players were recruited from the top tier of female RU in the United Kingdom during the 2018–2019 Premiership season. Players were split into forwards and backs and underwent body composition testing via dual-X-ray absorptiometry and physical characteristic tests (10- and 20-m speed, 1-repetition-maximum bench press and squat, countermovement jump, drop jump, isometric midthigh pull, and 1200-m shuttle). Results: Moderate to large significant differences between playing positions in both anthropometric and physical characteristics were found (P < .01). Forwards displayed greater body mass (P = .03), fat mass (P = .01), and absolute upper-body strength (P = .03), whereas backs demonstrated superior countermovement jump height (P = .01), drop jump height (P = .01), greater reactive strength (P = .03), and speed (P = .03). Conclusion: These findings provide practitioners with a greater understanding of anthropometric and physical characteristics of professional female RU players.

Preconditioning Strategy in Rugby-7s Players: Beneficial or Detrimental?

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 918-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Marrier ◽  
Alexandre Durguerian ◽  
Julien Robineau ◽  
Mounir Chennaoui ◽  
Fabien Sauvet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress State ◽  
Testing Session ◽  
Recovery Stress ◽  
Match Play ◽  
Warm Up ◽  
Salivary Testosterone ◽  
Repeated Sprint ◽  
Psychophysiological State ◽  
Priming Exercise ◽  
Rugby Players

Purpose: Preconditioning strategies are considered opportunities to optimize performance on competition day. Although investigations conducted in rugby players on the effects of a morning preconditioning session have been done, additional work is warranted. The aim of this study was to monitor changes in physical and psychophysiological indicators among international Rugby-7s players after a priming exercise. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 14 under-18 international Rugby-7s players completed, at 8:00 AM, a preconditioning session consisting of a warm-up followed by small-sided games, accelerations, and 2 × 50-m maximal sprints (Experimental), or no preloading session (Control). After a 2-h break, the players performed a set of six 30-m sprints and a Rugby-7s match. Recovery–stress state and salivary stress-marker levels were assessed before the preloading session (Pre), immediately after the preloading session (Post 1), before the testing session (Post 2), and after the testing session (Post 3). Results: Experimental–Control differences in performance across a repeated-sprint test consisting of six 30-m sprints were very likely trivial (+0.2, ±0.7%, 3/97/1%). During the match, the total distance covered and the frequency of decelerations were possibly lower (small) in Experimental compared with Control. Differences observed in the other parameters were unclear or possibly trivial. At Post 2, the perceived recovery–stress state was improved (small difference) in Experimental compared with Control. No difference in salivary cortisol response was observed, while the preconditioning session induced a higher stimulation of salivary testosterone and α-amylase. Conclusions: The players’ ability to repeat sprints and physical activity in match play did not improve, but their psychophysiological state was positively affected after the present preconditioning session.

Signs of cognitive dysfunction in adult players of club level rugby

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Zoccola ◽  
Ann B Shuttleworth-Edwards ◽  
Sarah E Radloff
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Cognitive Dysfunction ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Rugby Union ◽  
Motor Speed ◽  
Visual Motor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rugby Players

The objective of this study was to investigate players of club level Rugby Union (hereafter rugby) over one rugby season, for signs of residual cognitive dysfunction due to repeated concussive events incurred during long-term participation in the sport. Adult male players of club level rugby, without a diagnosis of a concussion during the season ( n = 20), were compared with non-contact club level sports participants ( n = 22) of equivalent sex, age, education, and estimated IQ at pre-, mid-, and post-season intervals. Measures included the ImPACT Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Visual Motor Speed and Reaction Time composites, and the Purdue Pegboard test. Statistical group comparisons revealed consistently poorer performance for rugby players compared with controls for ImPACT Visual Motor Speed and Reaction Time composites at all test intervals, and for the Purdue Pegboard tasks at the first two test intervals. Repeat measures comparisons across the three test intervals demonstrated differential learning patterns between groups on ImPACT Visual Memory, ImPACT Reaction Time, and Purdue Both tasks, suggestive of cognitive vulnerability in the rugby group. Overall, the results reveal deleterious cognitive performance in adult club level rugby players relative to equivalent non-contact sports controls. The finding serves to endorse indications from other studies that demonstrate persistent brain injury effects in association with long-term participation in a contact sport. Recommendations for further research and management of concussion in rugby players are discussed.

scholarly journals Position-specific countermovement jump characteristics of elite Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 athletes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane M. Heffernan ◽  
Ross Neville ◽  
Mark Waldron ◽  
Ryan Stewart ◽  
Liam P. Kilduff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Force Production ◽  
Rugby Union ◽  
Relative Power ◽  
Jump Height ◽  
Strength Index ◽  
Countermovement Jump ◽  
World Cup ◽  
Positional Variation ◽  
Scientific Attention

Rugby union (RU) is an intermittent team sport, with diverse playing positions, played internationally by both men and women. Considerable scientific attention has been devoted to men’s RU, however despite the growth in the women’s professional game, there is a significant lack of available physiological and normative data. The purpose of the present study was to investigate positional variation in countermovement jump characteristics from elite women’s RU players. Qualitative data were collected from women’s Rugby World Cup (2017) competitors (n = 86; age: 27 ± 5 years; body mass: 77.8 ± 10.6 kg; height: 1.69 ± 0.07 cm) and jump data (countermovement jumps) were collected using a 1200 Hz force platform (n = 63). Athletes were divided into positional unit (backs: n = 39 and forwards: n = 47) and by positional subgroups. Backs had greater jump height (ES = 0.72, 95%CL ± 0.50), relative power output (ES = 0.84, 95%CL ± 0.50), relative force production (ES = 0.62, 95%CL ± 0.51) and reactive strength index (RSI; ES = 0.62, 95%CL ± 0.50), compared to forwards (for all, P < 0.02). Backrows, halves and back-three players had greater relative force, relative power and jump height, compared to the front and second rows (P < 0.03; ES > 0.70). These data could aid in programming for long-term player development in women’s RU and could have implications for “readiness” to compete at international level.

No Effect of Partial-Body Cryotherapy on Restoration of Countermovement Jump or Well-Being Performance in Elite Rugby Union Players During the Competitive Phase of the Season

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-104
Author(s):  
Adam Grainger ◽  
Paul Comfort ◽  
Shane Heffernan
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Real World ◽  
Muscle Soreness ◽  
Maintenance Phase ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rugby Union ◽  
Jump Height ◽  
Countermovement Jump ◽  
Competitive Season ◽  
Partial Body

Purpose: Partial body cryotherapy (PBC) has been shown to be beneficial for postexercise recovery; however, no study has demonstrated the effectiveness of PBC for recovery following elite rugby union training. Rugby union is a unique sport that involves high-velocity collisions and may induce greater performance decrements than other sports; thus, PBC could be beneficial. The application of PBC in “real world” has rarely been investigated during the competitive phase of a playing season and warranted investigation. Methods: In a counterbalanced sequential research design, professional rugby athletes (n = 18; age 25.4 [4.0] y; training age 7.2 [4.0] y; mass 99.8 [10.6] kg; height 188.3 [6.0] cm) were assigned to a 12-week PBC intervention, washout period (4 wk), and reassessed as their own controls. Self-reported well-being, muscle soreness, sleep quality, and countermovement jump height were assessed before and 40 hours after “real-world” training. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Cohen d were used for statistical analysis. Results: No differences were observed between PBC and control conditions (P > .05; d = 0.00–0.14) for well-being (−0.02% [0.08%] vs 0.01% [0.06%]), muscle soreness (−0.01% [0.11%] vs 0.01% [0.16%]), sleep quality (−0.03% [0.14%] vs 0.10% [0.29%]), or countermovement jump height (36.48–36.59 vs 38.13–37.52 cm; P = .54). Conclusions: These results suggest PBC is ineffective for the restoration of selected performance parameters during the performance maintenance phase of the competitive season. To ascertain the appropriation of its use, future investigations should seek to assess the use of cryotherapies at various phases of the elite rugby union competitive season.

Intensified Training Supersedes the Impact of Heat and/or Altitude for Increasing Performance in Elite Rugby Union Players

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Sebastien Racinais ◽  
Julien D. Périard ◽  
Julien Piscione ◽  
Pitre C. Bourdon ◽  
Scott Cocking ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Uptake ◽  
Maximal Oxygen Uptake ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Aerobic Performance ◽  
Training Camp ◽  
Repeated Sprint ◽  
Sprint Cycling ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rugby Players ◽  
Level 2

Purpose: To investigate whether including heat and altitude exposures during an elite team-sport training camp induces similar or greater performance benefits. Methods: The study assessed 56 elite male rugby players for maximal oxygen uptake, repeated-sprint cycling, and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 2 (Yo-Yo) before and after a 2-week training camp, which included 5 endurance and 5 repeated-sprint cycling sessions in addition to daily rugby training. Players were separated into 4 groups: (1) control (all sessions in temperate conditions at sea level), (2) heat training (endurance sessions in the heat), (3) altitude (repeated-sprint sessions and sleeping in hypoxia), and (4) combined heat and altitude (endurance in the heat, repeated sprints, and sleeping in hypoxia). Results: Training increased maximal oxygen uptake (4% [10%], P = .017), maximal aerobic power (9% [8%], P < .001), and repeated-sprint peak (5% [10%], P = .004) and average power (12% [14%], P < .001) independent of training conditions. Yo-Yo distance increased (16% [17%], P < .001) but not in the altitude group (P = .562). Training in heat lowered core temperature and increased sweat rate during a heat-response test (P < .05). Conclusion: A 2-week intensified training camp improved maximal oxygen uptake, repeated-sprint ability, and aerobic performance in elite rugby players. Adding heat and/or altitude did not further enhance physical performance, and altitude appears to have been detrimental to improving Yo-Yo.

scholarly journals Concussion History and Balance Performance in Adolescent Rugby Union Players

2021 ◽  
pp. 036354652199870
Author(s):  
Mark Matthews ◽  
William Johnston ◽  
Chris M. Bleakley ◽  
Richard J. Davies ◽  
Alan T. Rankin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dual Task ◽  
Inertial Sensor ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Rugby Union ◽  
Static Balance ◽  
Balance Performance ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
History Of ◽  
Concussion History ◽  
Rugby Players

Background: Sports-related concussion is a worldwide problem. There is a concern that an initial concussion can cause prolonged subclinical disturbances to sensorimotor function that increase the risk of subsequent injury. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether a history of sports-related concussion has effects on static and dynamic balance performance in adolescent rugby players. Hypothesis: Dynamic balance would be worse in players with a history of concussion compared with those with no history of concussion. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Male adolescent rugby players aged 14 to 18 years from 5 schools were recruited before the start of the 2018-2019 playing season. Participants completed questionnaires and physical tests, including dynamic Y balance and single-leg static balance (eyes closed) tests, while performing single and dual tasks. Dynamic balance was assessed using inertial sensor instrumentation. Dependent variables were normalized reach distance and the sample entropy (SEn) of the 3 axes ( x, y, and z). Results: Of the 195 participants, 100 reported a history of concussion. Those with a history of concussion demonstrated higher SEn in all directions, with highest values during anterior (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.4; 95% CI, 0.0-0.7; P = .027) and posteromedial (SMD, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9; P = .004) reach directions compared with those with no history. There was no difference between groups (concussion history vs control) in traditional Y balance reach distances in the anterior or posteromedial directions or single-leg static balance during both single- ( P = .47) and dual-task ( P = .67) conditions. Conclusion: Adolescent rugby union athletes with a history of concussion had poorer dynamic balance during performance tasks compared with healthy controls. Static single-leg balance tests, either single or dual task, may not be sensitive enough to detect sensorimotor deficits in those with a history of concussion.

Acute consumption of p-synephrine does not enhance performance in sprint athletes

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Gutiérrez-Hellín ◽  
Juan José Salinero ◽  
Javier Abían-Vicen ◽  
Francisco Areces ◽  
Beatriz Lara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Information ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Placebo Control Trial ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Jump Height ◽  
Countermovement Jump ◽  
Squat Jump ◽  
Jump Test ◽  
The Hours

P-Synephrine is a protoalkaloid widely used as an ergogenic aid in sports. This substance has been included in the World Anti-Doping Agency monitoring program, although scientific information about its effects on performance and athletes’ well-being is scarce. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of p-synephrine to increase performance in sprint athletes. In a randomized and counterbalanced order, 13 experienced sprinters performed 2 acute experimental trials after the ingestion of p-synephrine (3 mg·kg−1) or after the ingestion of a placebo (control trial). Forty-five minutes after the ingestion of the substances, the sprinters performed a squat jump, a countermovement jump, a 15-s repeated jump test, and subsequently performed 60-m and 100-m simulated sprint competitions. Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess side-effect prevalence. In comparison with the control trial, the ingestion of p-synephrine did not change countermovement jump height (37.4 ± 4.2 vs 36.7 ± 3.3 cm, respectively; P = 0.52), squat jump height (34.4 ± 3.6 vs 33.9 ± 3.7 cm; P = 0.34), or average 15-s repeated jumps height (31.8 ± 4.1 vs 32.2 ± 3.6 cm; P = 0.18). P-Synephrine did not modify maximal running speed during the 60-m (9.0 ± 0.5 vs 9.0 ± 0.4 m·s−1, respectively; P = 0.55) and 100-m sprint competitions (8.8 ± 0.5 vs 8.8 ± 0.5 m·s−1, respectively; P = 0.92). The ingestion of p-synephrine did not alter the prevalence of headache, gastrointestinal discomforts, muscle pain, or insomnia during the hours following the tests. Acute consumption of 3 mg·kg−1 of p-synephrine was ineffective to increase performance in competitive sprint athletes. Moreover, p-synephrine did not increase the occurrence of side effects after the competition.

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