The effect of menstrual cycle on anaerobic power and jumping performance

Background and Study Aim. There has been a significant increase in the participation levels of women in competitive sports in recent years. This has contributed to the increase of research on women's participation in sports and their health. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the menstrual cycle on anaerobic power and jumping performance. Material and Methods. In this study, 15 female athletes between the ages of 18-24, who have a regular menstrual cycle for the last 6 months Wingate Anaerobic Power Test and Active Jumping Test applied to athletes during their menstrual phases (second day of the menstruation period) and follicular phases (14th day of the menstruation period). In the statistical analysis of the data, descriptive analyses of test measurements of athletes were calculated as mean and standard deviation. Whether there is a significant difference between the measurements taken on two different days was analyzed using the t-test in dependent groups. Results. It was determined that the anaerobic power and active jump performances of the participants had an effect on peak power, fatigue index and active jump performance between day 2 and day 14 values. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between these values (p<0.05). Conclusions. This situation can be explained as a result of the hormonal changes in the menstrual period of the athletes and the effects of psychological factors specific to this period.

Maturational effect on physical capacities and anabolic hormones in under-16 elite footballers: a cross-sectional study

Purpose The purposes of this study were to describe the fitness and hormonal levels according to playing time (PT) (i.e., PT during season less (PT1) or more (PT2) than 50% of the total time) and maturation level (ML) (i.e., normal (ML1) and early maturity levels (ML2)), and to analyze the differences between groups for the measures of aerobic capacity, anaerobic power, power performance, and hormonal concentrations. Methods Twenty-four youth footballers of a U16 team participated in this study. Anthropometric measures, maturity status, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), maximal oxygen uptake, fatigue index, and countermovement jump were collected. Results Significant differences were found between both PT and ML groups for maturational status, aerobic capacity, power performance, and IGF1 concentrations. The interaction of PT and ML revealed significant differences for maturity offset and power performance. When using the skeletal age as a covariant, the previously significant differences found were reduced only to the fatigue index measure. Conclusions The response variables analyzed in the present study seem to be influenced by PT and ML. This must be considered when planning training, and coaches must be sensible to these effects as they may assume a preponderant role in PT.

Effect of Cycle-Based High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate to Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training in Adolescent Soccer Players

Cardiorespiratory fitness, anaerobic power, and lower extremity strength are essential for soccer players at all levels. An effective program should be developed to improve physical strength for adolescent soccer players who need to combine academic and technical training. This study analyzed the impact of short-term high intensity interval training (HIIT) training and traditional moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) on adolescent soccer players. Participants included 56 adolescent soccer players who were divided into HIIT and MICT groups. The training program was conducted 3 times a week for 4 weeks using cycle ergometer. Each session included the same resistance training program, and the characteristics of HIIT and MICT were applied to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and anaerobic power. Body composition analysis, graded exercise test for peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), Wingate anaerobic power test, and isokinetic knee strength test were performed. VO2 peak was improved in HIIT and MICT, but anaerobic threshold and heart rate recovery significantly improved in the HIIT group. Wingate anaerobic peak power had increased significantly in sets 1, 2, and 3 in the HIIT group, but showed significant improvement only in set 1 in the MICT group. The isokinetic strength improved significantly in the HIIT group at 60°/s and in the MICT group at 240°/s. There was no significant change in body composition in either group. In conclusion, short-term HIIT administered to adolescent soccer players effectively improved cardiorespiratory fitness in HIIT and MICT groups. While HIIT increased anaerobic threshold and power, MICT effectively improved muscle endurance. Short-term intensive training can be considered a time-efficient training strategy.

Effect of Daily Oral Lactobacillus Plantarum PS128 on Exercise Capacity Recovery after a Half-Marathon

A half-marathon (HM) is a vigorous high-intensity exercise, which could induce lower extremity musculoskeletal injury risks for recreational runners. They usually consume nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in order to shorten their return to play but ignore the side effects, such as peptic ulcers and renal and vascular disorders. Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 (PS128) could improve inflammation and oxidative stress by modulating the gut microbiota, thus potentially improving muscle damage and recovery. However, few studies have addressed the PS128 exercise capacity recovery 96 h after HM. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of PS128 on exercise capacity and physiological adaptation after HM. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, crossover trial was used for the experiment. HM was conducted at the beginning and end of the 4-week nutritional supplement administration. Eight recreational runners took two capsules (3 × 1010 CFU/capsule) of PS128 each morning and evening before meals for 4 weeks as the PS128 treatment (LT), or they took two capsules of placebo for 4 weeks as the placebo treatment (PT). In both treatments, an exercise capacity test (lower extremity muscle strength, anaerobic power, lower extremity explosive force, and aerobic capacity) and blood test (muscle fatigue, muscle damage, oxidative stress, and renal injury) were performed before the administration of the nutritional supplement (baseline), 48 h before HM (pre), and 0 h (0 h post), 3 h (3 h post), 24 h (24 h post), 48 h (48 h post), 72 h (72 h post), and 96 h (96 h post) after HM. There was no significant difference in the total duration of HM between PT and LT, but PT was found to be significantly higher than LT at Stage 4 (15,751–21,000 m) of HM (3394 ± 727 s vs. 2778 ± 551 s, p = 0.02). The lower extremity muscle strength measured using an isokinetic dynamometer in PT was significantly lower than that in LT at 72 h after HM. The lower extremity explosive force from the countermovement jump (CMJ) in PT was significantly decreased compared to 24 h prior. There was no significant difference between anaerobic power and aerobic capacity between the two treatments after HM. After HM, LT had lower muscle damage indices, such as myoglobin (3 h post-PT vs. -LT: 190.6 ± 118 ng/mL vs. 91.7 ± 68.6 ng/mL, p < 0.0001) and creatine phosphokinase (24 h post-PT vs. -LT: 875.8 ± 572.3 IU/L vs. 401 ± 295.7 IU/L, p < 0.0001). Blood urea nitrogen recovered in 24 h (24 h pre- vs. post-LT, p > 0.05) and higher superoxide dismutase was found in LT (96 h post-PT vs. -LT: 0.267 ± 0.088 U/mL vs. 0.462 ± 0.122 U/mL, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, PS128 supplementation was associated with an improvement in muscle damage, renal damage, and oxidative stress caused by HM through microbiota modulation and related metabolites but not in exercise capacity.

EXPLORING OF CHANGES OF ANTHROPOMETRIC STRUCTURES AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCES OF 8-13 YEAR-OLD MALE BASKETBALL PLAYERS

In the study, it was aimed to determine how the anthropometric structure and athletic performance elements of male basketball players changed in terms of age levels. The research group consists of male athletes between the ages of 8-13 who are licensed in the basketball. All athletes completed the anthropometric tests (stature, body weight, arm span, abdominal and triceps skinfold thickness and athletic performance tests (standing long jump, countermovement jump, maximum vertical jump, modified sit and reach, alternate wall toss, 20-m sprint and pro-agility). A significant difference was determined in the comparison of stature, body weight, arm span in terms of age groups in the research group. [respectively = F(3-72) = 71.954; 23.505; 63.109 p<0.05]. A significant difference was found between the vertical jump, hand-eye coordination, speed, anaerobic power performances of the participants in terms of age levels. [respectively= F(3-72) = 19.871; 22.939; 16.253; 37.579, p<0.05]. There was no significant difference between the groups in the flexibility variable in terms of age level (p>0.05). The significant difference between the age groups in terms of broad jump (x2(2) = 13.340), maximum vertical jump (x2(2) = 24.087) p<0.017) and agility x2(2) = 7.022, p<0.017) are due to the 8-9 age groups and the 12-13 age groups. In conclusion, the change in the anthropometric structures of basketball players such as stature, body weight, and arm span increases in proportion to the increase in age levels. In addition, it is seen that all athletic performance parameters, except flexibility, increase with the increase in age level. From this point of view, especially the trainers working in the infrastructure should design their training programs by taking into account the developmental characteristics of the athletes. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0984/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>