Relationships between physiological characteristics and match demands in elite-level male field hockey players

This study investigated the physical characteristics, match demands and their relationships in elite-level male field hockey players (n = 23; 24 ± 3 years). Testing data were collected to investigate the physiological profiles of the players, while match demands were quantified with GPS data over 26 matches. There were significant differences (p = <0.05) between positional groups for pull ups, relative and absolute lower body strength, and body composition. Average total match distance for all the players was (5420 ± 1518 m). There were significant differences between positional groups for defenders (5770 ± 1419 m) vs strikers (4739 ± 1409 m) and midfielders (5549 ± 1545 m) vs strikers. The most high-speed-running (>4.5 ms−1) distance was covered by midfielders (950 ± 275 m) and strikers (908 ± 284 m). Midfielders (116 ± 15 m min) and strikers (120 ± 20 m min) achieved higher intensities during matches compared to defenders (105 ± 13 m min). There were small differences between positional groups for physiological variables, but large variation between positional groups for match demands. There was a significant negative relationship between 2.4 km time trial vs high-speed running (p = <0.05), player load.min and match speed (p = <0.001). Also, there was a negative association between repeat sprint ability total time and high-speed running distance (p = <0.02) and match speed (p = <0.02). The countermovement jump height was associated with match speed (p = <0.05) and there was a negative relationship between body fat % and match speed (p = <0.02). When considering key performance indicators while using GPS devices, match speed (m.min) provides the most valuable information in field hockey players.

Strength and Speed Profiles Based on Age and Sex Differences in Young Basketball Players

Team sports are in continuous evolution, and physical performance is acquiring greater importance in the game. The assessment of physical fitness is the most reliable method for knowing if the athlete’s physical fitness is appropriate. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to identify profiles of physical-physiological demands with different specific tests of physical fitness related to the maximum strength of the lower body and speed. Moreover, some differences based on the sex and age of the players were identified. One hundred and forty-nine basketball players were analyzed (men n = 103 vs. women n = 46, weight: 74.74 ± 11.65 kg vs. 56.89 ± 3.71 kg, height: 184.66 ± 11.67 vs. 164 ± 4 and BMI: 21.7 ± 0.83 vs. 21.6 ± 0.90). The players performed an Abalakov test, a multi-jump test, and a repeat sprint ability test. Each player was equipped with a WIMU PRO device, and photoelectric cells were used. A MANOVA was performed to discover the differences between ages, and a t-test was used regarding sex. The results showed significant differences based on age and sex in variables related to time and Player Load/min (p < 0.001). The variables related to steps (contact, step, flight) also showed significant differences as a function of age (p < 0.001) and sex (p < 0.05). The multi-jump test showed differences based on age (p < 0.05 except in between jumps), but not on sex. These results confirm the importance of working together on lower body strength and speed skills. In addition, the planning of the work on these abilities must be individualized and according to the characteristics of the athlete.

The Importance of In-Season Strength and Power Training in Football Athletes: A Brief Review and Recommendations

Football (soccer) performance requires a diversity of physical attributes and biomotor abilities, such as strength, power, jump mechanics, repeat sprint ability, change of direction and on-ball skills. In-season training focus is often based on metabolic conditioning activities such as small sided games, tactical and technical football drills and traditional running drills in order to further develop and maintain aerobic and anaerobic capacity. However, this often comes at the expense of strength training, which may be compromised for additional time on the pitch. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide an evidenced-based approach, to the periodisation of strength and power during a football season. Secondly, the increased popularity of incorporating on-pitch pre-rehabilitation and injury prevention programs that utilise unstable exercises during the entire season to maintain strength and power will also be discussed. Collectively, literature suggests that strength and power maintenance can be achieved with one strength session per week for football athletes. However, it is important for strength and conditioning coaches to continue the development of strength and power characteristics during a football season, which not only assists on-pitch performance but may also attribute to reduction of injury risk. Evidence supporting the effectiveness of on-pitch pre-rehabilitation programming centred on unstable training is lacking at this time.

Impact of Active and Passive Hypoxia as Re-Warm-Up Activities on Rugby Players’ Performance

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of four types of re-warm-up (R-WU) activity, namely rest in normoxia (RN) at FiO2 = 20.9%, rest in hypoxia (RH) at FiO2 = 15%, activity (4 × 5 jumps/15 s) in normoxia (AN) and activity in hypoxia (AH) on physical performance. Ten elite male rugby players completed a 15-min warm-up followed by one of the 15-min randomized R-WU strategies. After R-WU, countermovement jump (CMJ), 20 m sprint and repeat sprint ability (RSA) tests were assessed. Compared to passive strategies (RN and RH), tympanic temperature was higher after active R-WU (AN and AH) (p = 0.016). Higher values of CMJ height (p = 0.037) and 20 m sprint (p = 0.02) were found in AH than in RN. In addition, mean RSA was lower (p = 0.008) in AH than in RN and RH. Blood lactate concentration was higher (p = 0.007) after RN and AN strategies than after AH. Muscle O2 saturation (p = 0.021) and total Hb (p = 0.042) were higher after AH than after the other three conditions and after RN, respectively. Therefore, an active R-WU under hypoxia could be useful to elite rugby players, once it had attenuated the decline in tympanic temperature during a 15-min period after warm-up, improving jump, sprint and RSA performance.

Physical Fitness Characteristics of High-level Youth Football Players: Influence of Playing Position

The aim of this study was to determine whether the speed, agility, aerobic and anaerobic capacities of football players varied by playing positions. Elite youth football players (n = 123, age = 15.7 ± 0.5 years) who played in six different positions, as goalkeepers (GK), full backs (FB), central defenders (CD), wide midfielders (WM), central midfielders (CM), and attackers (AT), were assessed. Multivariate analysis of variances was used to compare the following variables: Linear running sprint for 5 m (S5) and 10 m (S10), flying sprint for 20 m (F20), agility 505 test with turn on the dominant (A505D) and non-dominant leg (A505N), agility K-test, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery (YYIR1) test and repeat sprint ability (RSA) test. The results showed significant influence of playing positions on linear-running sprint performance (F1,123 = 6.19, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.23). Midfielders reached significantly higher performance levels (CM = 2.44 ± 0.08 s, WM = 2.47 ± 0.13 s) in the A505N test compared to GK (2.61 ± 0.23 s). Outfield players had significantly higher performance in both YYIR1 and RSA tests compared to GK (p < 0.01). The results of this study may provide insightful strategies for coaches and clinical practitioners for developing position-specific conditioning programs.

Physical and Physiological Characteristics of Various-Sided Games in Elite Women’s Soccer

Purpose:To investigate the physical and physiological response to different formats of various-sided games.Methods:Eighteen elite women’s soccer players wore 15-Hz global positioning system devices and heart-rate (HR) monitors during various-sided games (small, 4 vs 4 and 5 vs 5; medium, 6 vs 6 and 7 vs 7; large, 8 vs 8 and 9 vs 9).Results:Players covered more relative sprinting distance during large-sided games than in small-sided (P < .001, d = 0.69) and medium-sided (P < .001, d = 0.54) games. In addition, a greater proportion of total acceleration efforts that had a commencement velocity <1 m/s were observed in small-sided games (44.7% ± 5.5%) than in large-sided games (36.7% ± 10.6%) (P = .018, d = 0.94). This was accompanied by a greater proportion of acceleration efforts with a final velocity equivalent to the sprint threshold in large-sided games (15.4% ± 7.7%) than in small-sided games (5.2% ± 2.5%) (P < .001, d = 1.78). The proportion of time spent in HR zone 4 (>85% maximum HR) was greater during small-sided games (69.8% ± 2.5%) than in medium- (62.1% ± 2.8%, d = 2.90) and large-sided games (54.9% ± 3.1%) (P < .001, d = 5.29).Conclusions:The results from this study demonstrate that coaches can use small-sided games as an aerobic conditioning stimulus and to develop players’ explosiveness and repeat-sprint ability over short durations. Large-sided games can be used to maintain aerobic capacity and develop maximum speed over longer distances.