Article
Sport Sciences
Chris Bishop, Jake Berney, Jason Lake, Irineu Loturco, Richard Blagrove, Anthony Turner, Paul Read
Summary: The study found a bilateral deficit during jumping tasks, where a larger bilateral deficit was associated with faster change of direction speed performance but not linear speed. Developing movement competency on one limb may enhance change of direction speed performance.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Oliver Gonzalo-Skok, Chris Bishop
Summary: The study analyzed the differences in change of direction (COD) deficit among young male basketball players of different age and biological ages. Results showed that older age groups performed better in linear and COD times, especially those players with post-peak height velocity (PHV). There were no significant differences found in any group or inter-limb asymmetries when controlling for age at PHV. The study highlights the impact of maturation on COD performance, while COD deficit does not seem to be affected. Practitioners should consider biological status when creating a COD profile.
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kenneth P. Clark
Summary: This study explores the effects of body dimensions on mechanical determinants of sprinting performance using fundamental kinematic and kinetic relationships. The research highlights the inherent biological tradeoffs and emphasizes the importance of considering leg length in interpreting the relationship between mechanical variables and sprinting speed. The framework proposed in the study could help athletes with specific body dimensions and sprinting performance goals establish minimum requirements for maximum velocity.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Erin H. Feser, Jonathon Neville, Denny Wells, Shelley Diewald, Mai Kameda, Neil E. Bezodis, Kenneth Clark, Ryu Nagahara, Paul Macadam, Aaron M. Uthoff, Farhan Tinwala, John B. Cronin
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of lower-limb wearable resistance (WR) placement (thigh and shank) on joint kinematics during the acceleration phase of sprint running. The results showed that the increase in 10 m sprint time was small with thigh WR and significant but small with shank WR. There were small differences in peak joint angles between unloaded and WR conditions, mainly observed in the hip and knee joints.
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Esther Morencos, Pablo Gonzalez-Frutos, Carlos Rivera, Santiago Veiga
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of single-leg Romanian deadlift flywheel training on speed, jumping, and change of direction performance. The findings suggest that flywheel training can have beneficial effects on certain performance measures, particularly in the early weeks of training.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Chris Bishop, Calum Brashill, Will Abbott, Paul Read, Jason Lake, Anthony Turner
Summary: The study aimed to investigate interlimb asymmetries and their relationship with physical performance in elite academy soccer players across different age groups. Despite no significant differences in the magnitude of asymmetry between groups, significant correlations were found in each age group between asymmetry and physical performance tests. The results suggest that even though interlimb asymmetry scores are comparable across age groups in elite academy soccer players, differences as low as 5% are associated with reduced physical performance during jumping, sprinting, and change of direction speed tasks.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Physiology
Marrium Bashir, Kim Geok Soh, Shamsulariffin Samsudin, Saddam Akbar, Shengyao Luo, Jaka Sunardi
Summary: Functional training has positive effects on athletes' sprinting, jumping, and functional movements, but the limited number of studies and short training duration and frequency, as well as the lack of additional exercises, may affect the outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Tomas T. Freitas, Lucas A. Pereira, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Eduardo L. Cadore, Rafael Grazioli, Paulo H. S. M. Azevedo, Ian Jeffreys, Irineu Loturco
Summary: This study investigated the relationships between linear and multidirectional sprint tests in elite young soccer players, using different speed measurements and their associated deficits. The results showed that there were significant correlations between linear sprinting velocities and smoother multidirectional tasks (such as CS and zigzag tests), but not with more aggressive COD maneuvers (such as 505 test).
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Timothy McNally, Suzi Edwards, Mark Halaki, Nicholas O'Dwyer, Tania Pizzari, Sarah Blyton
Summary: This study focused on hamstring strain injury (HSI) in sports and conducted a systematic search and meta-analysis. The findings revealed that high-intensity running increases hamstring activation and kinetic demands. These results can provide objective measures for clinicians in designing injury prevention and return-to-play strategies.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Zhenxiang Guo, Yan Huang, Zhihui Zhou, Bo Leng, Wangcheng Gong, Yixiong Cui, Dapeng Bao
Summary: The study found that combined balance and plyometric training can enhance the change of direction (COD) performance of badminton athletes more effectively than plyometric training alone, with higher improvement magnitude and effect size.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Henrieta Hornikova, Erika Zemkova
Summary: Research indicates a significant relationship between change of direction speed (CODS) and sprint speed, muscle strength, and jump ability, with the strength of this relationship depending on test design and parameters analyzed. Future studies should focus on test design and parameter selection to align with the fitness demands of specific sports.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Nicholas J. Brink, Demitri Constantinou, Georgia Torres
Summary: The study investigated the effect of high-intensity voluntary exercise on strength, speed, and power production, as well as the impact of different interventions on the outcomes of sprint acceleration tasks in professional football players. The results showed that voluntary exercise and weighted bounding training significantly improved sprint acceleration speed, with noticeable effects in a short period of time.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SPORT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jo-Lam Vuong, Johanna Heil, Nina Breuer, Matthaios Theodoropoulos, Nicola Volk, Antonia Edel, Alexander Ferrauti
Summary: This study examined the effects of combined change of direction (CoD) and plyometric training on sand in basketball players' jump, sprint, and CoD performances. The findings suggest that sand-based training elicits kinematic adaptations, increased muscle activation, and a shift towards concentric force development, all contributing to enhanced athletic capabilities.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Kenta Katsumata, Kazuhiro Aoki
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between vertical and horizontal jumping abilities and change of direction in elite male handball players. Results showed that standing long jump ability moderately correlates with COD time and deficit, suggesting SLJ measurement may be a useful predictor of athletic performance.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND KINESIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ghaith Aloui, Souhail Hermassi, Lawrence D. Hayes, El Ghali Bouhafs, Mohamed Souhaiel Chelly, Rene Schwesig
Summary: The study found that incorporating loaded plyometric with short sprints and change-of-direction training can enhance jump performance, sprinting, agility, and balance in soccer players, ultimately improving their athleticism.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Martijn Gabler, Olaf Prieske, Marije T. Elferink-Gemser, Tibor Hortobagyi, Torsten Warnke, Urs Granacher
Summary: Physical fitness measures, such as boat type, skeletal muscle mass, average power during a 2-minute bench pull test, and vertical jump height, were found to improve the prediction accuracy of race times in young kayak and canoe athletes. Adding these measures to demographic and anthropometric data resulted in better predictions compared to using demographic variables alone.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Arthur Zecchin, Enrico F. F. Puggina, Tibor Hortobagyi, Urs Granacher
Summary: The study found that foundation strength training is associated with weightlifting performance, suggesting the presence of a general strength component. Weightlifting exercises such as clean and jerk and snatch have a significant correlation with foundation strength exercises like overhead press, front squat, and deadlift. However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of using front squats and overhead presses to enhance weightlifting performance.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Hamza Ayadi, Helmi Ben Saad, Marwa Talbi, Abdeltif Boughzela, Wassim Moalla, Urs Granacher, Anis Chaouachi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of using fixed orthodontic appliance on dynamic balance, auditory/visual reaction times, and pain perception in adolescent and young adult elite athletes. The results showed that compared to the control group, the treatment group had lower anterior reach values on day(+3) and higher pain visual analogue scale values on day(+1), day(+3), and day(+7). The study concluded that fixed orthodontic appliance induced a high level of pain in elite athletes during the first week following its placement.
SOMATOSENSORY AND MOTOR RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Amira Zouita, Manel Darragi, Mariem Bousselmi, Zouita Sghaeir, Cain C. T. Clark, Anthony C. Hackney, Urs Granacher, Hassane Zouhal
Summary: This systematic review summarizes the recent evidence on the long-term effects of resistance training on muscular fitness, muscle morphology, and body composition in female elite athletes. The findings suggest that resistance training leads to significant improvements in muscle power, strength, speed, and jump performance in this population. However, further research is needed to determine the optimal training parameters for maximizing these outcomes in female elite athletes.
Review
Sport Sciences
Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo, Rohit K. Thapa, Jose Afonso, Alejandro Perez-Castilla, Chris Bishop, Paul J. Byrne, Urs Granacher
Summary: Plyometric jump training (PJT) has been found to improve the reactive strength index (RSI) more effectively than other active/specific-active control interventions. This conclusion is based on a meta-analysis of 61 articles involving 2576 participants, with low risk of bias, low heterogeneity, and moderate certainty of evidence. The improvements in RSI were greater for adults compared to youths, and were influenced by the duration, total number of sessions, and frequency of PJT.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mahrokh Dehghani, Amir Ali Jafarnezhadgero, Mohamad Abdollahpour Darvishani, Shirin Aali, Urs Granacher
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a multimodal exercise program on walking kinetics of boys with autism spectrum disorder. The results showed that the program had positive effects on the kinetic walking characteristics of these boys, and it is recommended to implement this type of exercise to improve gait kinetics in prepubertal boys with autism spectrum disorder.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paula Teich, Thea Fuehner, Urs Granacher, Reinhold Kliegl
Summary: Previous research found that keyage children exhibited a linear physical fitness development in the ninth year of life, while older-than-keyage children showed lower physical fitness compared to their age. This study investigated the longitudinal development of keyage and older-than-keyage children from third to fifth grade, and found that both groups showed improvements in most physical fitness components, except for cardiorespiratory endurance. Keyage children outperformed older-than-keyage children at the average ages of 9.5 or 10.5 years. The reasons for delayed school enrollment and the biological age differences among older-than-keyage children need further research.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ingo Sandau, Urs Granacher
Summary: This study aimed to establish a biomechanical model to calculate the optimal force-velocity relationship (FvR) profile and determine its influence on snatch performance. The results showed that snatch performance is maximized at an optimal FvR profile, with higher maximal barbell power output (P-max) and lower vertical barbell threshold velocity (v(thres)) leading to a more force-dominated FvR profile. However, sensitivity analysis revealed that v(thres) and P-max have a greater impact on snatch performance than the optimal FvR profile. Therefore, training protocols should focus on improving P-max and reducing v(thres) to enhance snatch performance.
Article
Sport Sciences
Walid Selmi, Raouf Hammami, Sofien Kasmi, Sonia Sehli, Haithem Rebai, Michael Duncan, Mokhtar Chtara, Urs Granacher
Summary: This study compares the effects of aerobic and speed training combined with soccer-specific training versus soccer-specific training only on aerobic performance, repeated sprint ability, and psychological adaptations in soccer players. The results indicate that the combination of aerobic and speed training with soccer-specific training significantly improves various performance measures and self-confidence in male soccer players.
SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Tibor Hortobagyi, Tomas Vetrovsky, Jennifer S. Brach, Martijn van Haren, Krystof Volesky, Regis Radaelli, Pedro Lopez, Urs Granacher
Summary: This study examined the effects of exercise training on muscle quality in healthy older individuals and individuals with neurological conditions. The results showed that exercise training had positive effects on muscle quality in healthy older individuals, but there is a lack of research on individuals with neurological conditions. More studies are needed to fill this research gap and understand the relevance of exercise-induced changes in muscle quality in daily function among older individuals.
SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo, Andrew Sortwell, Jason Moran, Jose Afonso, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Rhodri S. Lloyd, Jon L. Oliver, Jason Pedley, Urs Granacher
Summary: This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effects of plyometric-jump training (PJT) on physical fitness and sport-specific performance in youth. The results showed that PJT resulted in improvements in measures such as maximal dynamic strength, linear sprint speed, horizontal jump performance, reactive strength index, and sport-specific performance. These benefits seemed to occur regardless of the participants' maturity status.
SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Mohamed Amine Ltifi, Hassane Zouhal, Ismail Laher, Ayoub Saeidi, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Urs Granacher, Ridha Aouadi, Abderraouf Ben Abderrahman
Summary: This study found that wearing lower extremity WRs with micro-loads of 0.1% or 0.2% of body mass can attenuate physical fatigue indicated in attenuated RCoD performance while executing SSG.
BMC SPORTS SCIENCE MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Amir Ali Jafarnezhadgero, Azin Jahangirpour, Hamed Parsa, Heidar Sajedi, Urs Granacher, Anderson Souza Oliveira
Summary: Excessive body weight has an impact on ground reaction forces during running, particularly an increase in medio-lateral and torsional forces. Individuals with excessive body weight appear to adapt their running patterns in order to attenuate early vertical impact loading.
SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Jaime Fernandez-Fernandez, Faebio Yuzo Nakamura, Daniel Boullosa, Francisco Javier Santos-Rosa, Alba Herrero-Molleda, Urs Granacher, David Sanz-Rivas
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a neuromuscular training program combining plyometric exercises with acceleration, deceleration, and change-of-direction drills on the fitness qualities of young male tennis players. The results showed that both sand and hard surface training strategies were effective in improving fitness components, but different surfaces had different effects on certain fitness indices. Sand training led to higher perceived training loads and muscle soreness compared to hard surface training.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS PHYSIOLOGY AND PERFORMANCE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Guilherme Moraes Balbim, Narlon Cassio Boa Sorte Silva, Lisanne ten Brinke, Ryan S. Falck, Tibor Hortobagyi, Urs Granacher, Kirk I. Erickson, Rebeca Hernandez-Gamboa, Teresa Liu-Ambrose
Summary: This article conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of long-term aerobic exercise training on hippocampal volume and cardiorespiratory fitness in older individuals. The results showed that aerobic exercise training did not have a significant impact on hippocampal volume, but moderately improved cardiorespiratory fitness.