Competitive Performance, Training Load and Physiological Responses During Tapering in Young Swimmers

Abstract The study examined the changes of training load and physiological parameters in relation to competitive performance during a period leading to a national championship. The training content of twelve swimmers (age: 14.2±1.3 yrs) was recorded four weeks before the national championship (two weeks of normal training and two weeks of the taper). The training load was calculated: i) by the swimmer’s session-RPE score (RPE-Load), ii) by the training intensity levels adjusted after a 7x200-m progressively increasing intensity test (LA-Load). Swimmers completed a 400- m submaximal intensity test, a 15 s tethered swimming and hand-grip strength measurements 34-35 (baseline: Test 1), 20-21 (before taper: Test 2) and 6-7 (Test 3) days before the national championship. Performance during the national championship was not significantly changed compared to season best (0.1±1.6%; 95% confidence limits: -0.9, 1.1%; Effect Size: 0.02, p=0.72) and compared to performance before the start of the two-week taper period (0.9±1.7%; 95% confidence limits: 0.3, 2.1%; Effect size: 0.12, p=0.09). No significant changes were observed in all measured physiological and performance related variables between Test 1, Test 2, and Test 3. Changes in RPE-Load (week-4 vs. week-1) were correlated with changes in performance (r=0.63, p=0.03) and the RPE-Load was correlated with the LALoad (r=0.80, p=0.01). The estimation of the session-RPE training load may be helpful for taper planning of young swimmers. Increasing the difference between the normal and last week of taper training load may facilitate performance improvements.

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Peak Age and Performance Progression in World-Class Weightlifting and Powerlifting Athletes

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2019-0093 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 1357-1363 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Paul A. Solberg ◽

Will G. Hopkins ◽

Gøran Paulsen ◽

Thomas A. Haugen

Keyword(s):

Individual Performance ◽

Peak Performance ◽

Performance Improvements ◽

Quadratic Curve ◽

Performance Trends ◽

World Class ◽

Age Of Peak Performance ◽

The Difference ◽

Performance Development ◽

And Performance

Purpose:To quantify age of peak performance and performance improvements in the years preceding peak age in elite weightlifting and powerlifting athletes using results from powerlifting World Championships in 2003–2017 and weightlifting World Championships and Olympic Games in 1998–2017.Methods:Individual performance trends were derived by fitting a quadratic curve separately to each athlete’s performance and age data. Effects were evaluated using magnitude-based inferences.Results:Peak age (mean [SD]) was 35 (7) y for powerlifters and 26 (3) y for weightlifters, a large most likely substantial difference of 9, ±1 y (mean, 90% confidence limit). Men showed possibly higher peak age than women in weightlifting (0.8, ±0.7 y; small) and a possibly lower peak age in powerlifting (1.3, ±1.8 y; trivial). Peak age of athletes who ever won a medal was very likely less than that of nonmedalists in weightlifting (1.3, ±0.6 y; small), while the difference in powerlifters was trivial but unclear. Five-year improvements prior to peak age were 12% (10%) for powerlifters and 9% (7%) for weightlifters, a small possibly substantial difference (2.9, ±2.1%). Women exhibited possibly greater improvements than men in powerlifting (2.7, ±3.8%; small) and very likely greater in weightlifting (3.5, ±1.6%; small). Medalists possibly improved less than nonmedalists among powerlifters (−1.7, ±2.3%; small), while the difference was likely trivial for weightlifters (2.3, ±1.8%).Conclusion:These novel insights on performance development will be useful for practitioners evaluating strategies for achieving success.

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Neuromuscular and Endocrine Responses of Elite Players During an Australian Rules Football Season

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.3.4.439 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 439-453 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Stuart J. Cormack ◽

Robert U. Newton ◽

Michael R. McGuigan ◽

Prue Cormie

Keyword(s):

Negative Correlation ◽

Effect Size ◽

Neuromuscular Fatigue ◽

Training Load ◽

Hormonal Status ◽

Australian Rules Football ◽

Catabolic State ◽

And Performance

Purpose:To examine variations in neuromuscular and hormonal status and their relationship to performance throughout a season of elite Australian Rules Football (ARF).Methods:Fifteen elite ARF players performed a single jump (CMJ1) and 5 repeated countermovement jumps (CMJ5), and provided saliva samples for the analysis of cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) before the season commenced (Pre) and during the 22-match season. Magnitudes of effects were reported with the effect size (ES) statistic. Correlations were performed to analyze relationships between assessment variables and match time, training load, and performance.Results:CMJ1Flight time:Contraction time was substantially reduced on 60% of measurement occasions. Magnitudes of change compared with Pre ranged from 1.0 ± 7.4% (ES 0.04 ± 0.29) to −17.1 ± 21.8% (ES −0.77 ± 0.81). Cortisol was substantially lower (up to −40 ± 14.1%, ES of −2.17 ± 0.56) than Pre in all but one comparison. Testosterone response was varied, whereas T:C increased substantially on 70% of occasions, with increases to 92.7 ± 27.8% (ES 2.03 ± 0.76). CMJ1Flight time:Contraction time (r = .24 ± 0.13) and C displayed (r = −0.16 ± 0.1) small correlations with performance.Conclusion:The response of CMJ1Flight time:Contraction time suggests periods of neuromuscular fatigue. Change in T:C indicates subjects were unlikely to have been in a catabolic state during the season. Increase in C compared with Pre had a small negative correlation with performance. Both CMJ1Flight time:Contraction time and C may be useful variables for monitoring responses to training and competition in elite ARF athletes.

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Training Load, Injury Burden, and Team Success in Professional Rugby Union: Risk Versus Reward

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-0387.19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (9) ◽

pp. 960-966 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Stephen W. West ◽

Sean Williams ◽

Simon P.T. Kemp ◽

Robin Eager ◽

Matthew J. Cross ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Harmful Effect ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Training Load ◽

Performance Training ◽

Team Success ◽

Modelling Techniques ◽

And Performance ◽

Injury Burden ◽

Mixed Modelling ◽

Future Work

Context Individual and team injury burden and performance are 2 key considerations facing practitioners in the daily prescription of an athlete's training load. Whereas a considerable number of researchers have examined univariate relationships between training load and performance, training load and injury, or injury and performance, few investigators have examined all 3 concurrently. Objective To assess the association among training load, injury burden, and performance in professional rugby union. Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting The English Premiership competition. Patients or Other Participants Individual injury and training load data, as well as team performance data, were captured during the 2015–2016 (n = 433 players) and 2016–2017 (n = 569 players) seasons. Main Outcome Measure(s) Data were aggregated into team average scores for each week, including weekly (acute) load, smoothed chronic load, changes in load, injury burden, and weekly performance. Linear mixed modelling techniques were used to assess the association among measures. Results Injury burden was negatively associated with performance, with a high weekly burden associated with a likely harmful (P = .01) decrease in performance. Training load measures displayed only trivial associations with performance. Only the acute:chronic workload ratio measure was clearly associated with injury burden, with a possibly harmful effect (P = .02). Both squad size and player availability were associated with only trivial changes in performance. Conclusions Whereas no association between average training load and performance existed, associations between training load and injury burden and between injury burden and performance were clear. Further investigation using more sensitive and individualized measures of load, performance, and injury may elicit a clearer relationship and should be considered for future work.

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Paralympic Sprint Performance Between 1992 and 2012

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2014-0560 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1052-1054 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lara Grobler ◽

Suzanne Ferreira ◽

Elmarie Terblanche

Keyword(s):

Significant Role ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Performance Improvements ◽

Olympic Athletes ◽

Performance Trends ◽

The Difference ◽

And Performance ◽

Track Athletes ◽

Made In ◽

Paralympic Games

The Paralympic Games have undergone many changes since their inception in 1960, one being the advances made in running-specific prostheses (RSPs) for track athletes with lower-limb amputations.Purpose:To investigate the sprinting-performance changes in athletes with lower-limb amputations since 1992 to assess whether the influence of developments in RSP technology is evident.Methods:The results of the Olympic and Paralympic Games ranging between 1992 and 2012 for the 100-m and 200-m were collected, and performance trends, percentage change in performance, and competition density (CD) were calculated.Results:The results indicate that the greatest performance increases were seen in athletes with lower-limb amputations (T42 = 26%, T44 = 14%). These performance improvements were greater than for Olympic athletes (<3%), as well as Paralympic athletes from other selected classes (<10%). The T42 and T44 classes also showed the lowest CD values.Discussion:These results suggest that although there is an overall trend for improved Paralympic sprint performances, RSP technology has played a noteworthy role in the progression of performances of athletes with amputations. It is also hypothesized that the difference in the performance improvements between the T42 and T44 classes is due to the level of disability and therefore the extent to which technology is required to enable locomotion.Conclusion:It is evident that RSP technology has played a significant role in the progression of performances in athletes with lower-limb amputations.

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A Modification of the Payne-Jones Method of Identifying Abnormal Differences in WISC-R Performance and Verbal IQ's

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.12.1.27 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 27-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Louis M. Hsu

Keyword(s):

Full Scale ◽

True Score ◽

Verbal Iq ◽

Score Difference ◽

The Difference ◽

And Performance

The difference (D) between a person's Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Performance IQ (PIQ) has for some time been considered clinically meaningful ( Kaufman, 1976 , 1979 ; Matarazzo, 1990 , 1991 ; Matarazzo & Herman, 1985 ; Sattler, 1982 ; Wechsler, 1984 ). Particularly useful is information about the degree to which a difference (D) between scores is “abnormal” (i.e., deviant in a standardization group) as opposed to simply “reliable” (i.e., indicative of a true score difference) ( Mittenberg, Thompson, & Schwartz, 1991 ; Silverstein, 1981 ; Payne & Jones, 1957 ). Payne and Jones (1957) proposed a formula to identify “abnormal” differences, which has been used extensively in the literature, and which has generally yielded good approximations to empirically determined “abnormal” differences ( Silverstein, 1985 ; Matarazzo & Herman, 1985 ). However applications of this formula have not taken into account the dependence (demonstrated by Kaufman, 1976 , 1979 , and Matarazzo & Herman, 1985 ) of Ds on Full Scale IQs (FSIQs). This has led to overestimation of “abnormality” of Ds of high FSIQ children, and underestimation of “abnormality” of Ds of low FSIQ children. This article presents a formula for identification of abnormal WISC-R Ds, which overcomes these problems, by explicitly taking into account the dependence of Ds on FSIQs.

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Materials Issues and Characterization of Low-k Dielectric Materials

MRS Bulletin ◽

10.1557/s0883769400034205 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 22 (10) ◽

pp. 49-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

E. Todd Ryan ◽

Andrew J. McKerrow ◽

Jihperng Leu ◽

Paul S. Ho

Keyword(s):

Process Integration ◽

Dielectric Materials ◽

Propagation Delay ◽

Thermomechanical Properties ◽

General Criterion ◽

Crosstalk Noise ◽

Total Delay ◽

Interlayer Dielectrics ◽

Performance Improvements ◽

And Performance

Continuing improvement in device density and performance has significantly affected the dimensions and complexity of the wiring structure for on-chip interconnects. These enhancements have led to a reduction in the wiring pitch and an increase in the number of wiring levels to fulfill demands for density and performance improvements. As device dimensions shrink to less than 0.25 μm, the propagation delay, crosstalk noise, and power dissipation due to resistance-capacitance (RC) coupling become significant. Accordingly the interconnect delay now constitutes a major fraction of the total delay limiting the overall chip performance. Equally important is the processing complexity due to an increase in the number of wiring levels. This inevitably drives cost up by lowering the manufacturing yield due to an increase in defects and processing complexity.To address these problems, new materials for use as metal lines and interlayer dielectrics (ILDs) and alternative architectures have surfaced to replace the current Al(Cu)/SiO2 interconnect technology. These alternative architectures will require the introduction of low-dielectric-constant k materials as the interlayer dielectrics and/or low-resistivity conductors such as copper. The electrical and thermomechanical properties of SiO2 are ideal for ILD applications, and a change to material with different properties has important process-integration implications. To facilitate the choice of an alternative ILD, it is necessary to establish general criterion for evaluating thin-film properties of candidate low-k materials, which can be later correlated with process-integration problems.

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Acute Effects of Different Postactivation Potentiation Protocols on Traditional Rowing Performance

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010080 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 80

Author(s):

Alfonso Penichet-Tomas ◽

Jose M. Jimenez-Olmedo ◽

Luis Serra Torregrosa ◽

Basilio Pueo

Keyword(s):

Effect Size ◽

Muscle Power ◽

Average Power ◽

Postactivation Potentiation ◽

Warm Up ◽

Maximal Load ◽

Rowing Performance ◽

Load Intensity ◽

And Performance ◽

Student’S T

Postactivation potentiation (PAP) describes an initial muscular activation with a submaximal or maximal load intensity that produces acute improvements in muscle power and performance in subsequent explosive activities. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of different PAP protocols in rowing performance. A crossover design involving seven rowers was used, in which two different PAP protocols were applied: PAP of maximal conditioning contractions (PAP MCC) on a rowing ergometer to provide greater transferability and, thus, enhance the magnitude of PAP stimuli on subsequent rowing performance; and PAP of maximal strength contractions (PAP MSC) in half squat and bench pull exercises, similar to the main exercises in rowing strength training, to perform a 20 s “all-out” test simulating a competition start. Student’s t-test was used to compare means of the variables (p < 0.05). Effect size statistics were calculated using Cohen’s d. The PAP MCC protocol resulted in significant differences, with an extremely large effect size in average power output (p = 0.034, d = 0.98) in the first 3 (p = 0.019, d = 1.15) and first 5 (p = 0.036, d = 0.91) strokes. This group also reached a greater number of strokes (p = 0.049, d = 2.29) and strokes per minute (p = 0.046, d = 1.15). PAP with maximal conditioning contractions in rowing warm-up enhanced subsequent rowing sprint and is an advisable strategy to potentiate performance at the start of rowing competitions and sprint regattas.

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Transdiagnostic comparison of visual working memory capacity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders ◽

10.1186/s40345-020-00217-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Catherine V. Barnes-Scheufler ◽

Caroline Passow ◽

Lara Rösler ◽

Jutta S. Mayer ◽

Viola Oertel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Working Memory ◽

Visual Working Memory ◽

Effect Size ◽

Working Memory Capacity ◽

Memory Capacity ◽

Medium Effect ◽

Full Spectrum ◽

Small Effect Size ◽

The Difference

Abstract Background Impaired working memory is a core cognitive deficit in both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Its study might yield crucial insights into the underpinnings of both disorders on the cognitive and neurophysiological level. Visual working memory capacity is a particularly promising construct for such translational studies. However, it has not yet been investigated across the full spectrum of both disorders. The aim of our study was to compare the degree of reductions of visual working memory capacity in patients with bipolar disorder (PBD) and patients with schizophrenia (PSZ) using a paradigm well established in cognitive neuroscience. Methods 62 PBD, 64 PSZ, and 70 healthy controls (HC) completed a canonical visual change detection task. Participants had to encode the color of four circles and indicate after a short delay whether the color of one of the circles had changed or not. We estimated working memory capacity using Pashler’s K. Results Working memory capacity was significantly reduced in both PBD and PSZ compared to HC. We observed a small effect size (r = .202) for the difference between HC and PBD and a medium effect size (r = .370) for the difference between HC and PSZ. Working memory capacity in PSZ was also significantly reduced compared to PBD with a small effect size (r = .201). Thus, PBD showed an intermediate level of impairment. Conclusions These findings provide evidence for a gradient of reduced working memory capacity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, with PSZ showing the strongest degree of impairment. This underscores the importance of disturbed information processing for both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Our results are compatible with the cognitive manifestation of a neurodevelopmental gradient affecting bipolar disorder to a lesser degree than schizophrenia. They also highlight the relevance of visual working memory capacity for the development of both behavior- and brain-based transdiagnostic biomarkers.

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Remote Thermal Performance Monitoring and Diagnostics: Turning Data Into Knowledge

Volume 2: Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM); Plant Systems, Structures, Components and Materials Issues; Simple and Combined Cycles; Advanced Energy Systems and Renewables (Wind, Solar and Geothermal); Energy Water Nexus; Thermal Hydraulics and CFD; Nuclear Plant Design, Licensing and Construction; Performance Testing and Performance Test Codes ◽

10.1115/power2013-98246 ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xiaomo Jiang ◽

Craig Foster

Keyword(s):

Anomaly Detection ◽

Gas Turbines ◽

Performance Monitoring ◽

Combined Cycle ◽

Integrated System ◽

Site Specific ◽

Performance Improvements ◽

Maintenance Schedule ◽

Effectiveness Monitoring ◽

And Performance

Gas turbine simple or combined cycle plants are built and operated with higher availability, reliability, and performance in order to provide the customer with sufficient operating revenues and reduced fuel costs meanwhile enhancing customer dispatch competitiveness. A tremendous amount of operational data is usually collected from the everyday operation of a power plant. It has become an increasingly important but challenging issue about how to turn this data into knowledge and further solutions via developing advanced state-of-the-art analytics. This paper presents an integrated system and methodology to pursue this purpose by automating multi-level, multi-paradigm, multi-facet performance monitoring and anomaly detection for heavy duty gas turbines. The system provides an intelligent platform to drive site-specific performance improvements, mitigate outage risk, rationalize operational pattern, and enhance maintenance schedule and service offerings via taking appropriate proactive actions. In addition, the paper also presents the components in the system, including data sensing, hardware, and operational anomaly detection, expertise proactive act of company, site specific degradation assessment, and water wash effectiveness monitoring and analytics. As demonstrated in two examples, this remote performance monitoring aims to improve equipment efficiency by converting data into knowledge and solutions in order to drive value for customers including lowering operating fuel cost and increasing customer power sales and life cycle value.

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