Effects of tapering on physical match activities in professional soccer players

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine: (i) the effect of decreasing training load (TL) during taper weeks on physical match activities in professional soccer players, and (ii) to disclose the relationship between weekly TL and physical match activities. Rating of perceived exertion was collected after each training session and match to quantify the TL in 19 professional players over 17 standard and 7 taper weeks during the season. Physical match activities were quantified by a computerised match analysis system and compared between standard training and taper weeks. Compared to standard weeks, the duration and frequency of training sessions during the taper weeks decreased (?21.7% and ?18.8%, respectively; P < 0.01) with no change in intensity (?4.8%; P = 0.09). Consequently, the weekly TL decreased during the taper weeks (?25.5%; P < 0.01). Increases in distance covered by intense running (+15.1%; P < 0.05), high-intensity running (HIR) (+15.7%; P < 0.01), number of sprints (+17.8%; P < 0.05) and number of high-speed runs (+15.7%; P < 0.05) were observed during the seven matches played after the taper weeks. High relationships were observed between TL and HIR distance covered, number of HIR and number of sprints (r = ?0.53; r = ?0.55; r = ?0.65, respectively; P < 0.01). Decreasing TL during taper weeks by reducing training duration and frequency but maintaining intensity was associated with an increase in physical activities during matches. However, it needs to be determined whether tapering or other match factors led to the changes in match activity.     

Motorische Leistungsfähigkeit von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland

Motor performance is an important health resource. Review articles revealed a decline of motor performance of approximately 10?% between 1975 and 2006. In the past most of the data available for such comparisons came from ad hoc studies with non-standardized methods. Within the framework of the ”Motorik-Modul“ (MoMo) study as part of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), it is possible for the first time to directly compare two cohorts in the ages of 4–17 years in a nationally representative database for Germany. The aim of this article is to report changes in motor performance of children and adolescents in the time period 2003–2006 (cohort baseline n = 4528) compared to 2009–2012 (cohort wave 1, n = 2820). Overall, it is clearly shown that the motor performance of children and adolescents in Germany did not decrease within the observational period of 6 years. The comparison of mean values of the baseline cohort compared to those of wave 1 showed that 28 out of 52 mean values of the two cohorts with a high probability did not differ based on 95?% confidence intervals (CI). In 24 out of the 52 mean values positive changes could be noted based on the individual 95?% CI values. There were more positive changes in primary school aged children than in other age groups. Within these positive changes, most effect sizes were small to medium. The results indicate that recent activities aiming at elevating motor performance levels may have started to make an impact and should be expanded, also in secondary schools. The comparative cohort study presented in this article is currently being checked by the ongoing MoMo wave 2 survey of 2014–2017.     

‘What on Earth are They Doing in a Racing Car?’: Towards an Understanding of Women in Motorsport

Abstract

Motorsport is an under-researched area of socio-historical study. There is particularly limited academic understanding of female involvement in the social world of motorsports. Therefore, this paper focuses on the role of the media in presenting and establishing motorsport for women. In particular, a documentary analysis of articles published by a UK national newspaper group from 1890, and a case study of an all-female UK-based motor-racing championship are used to account for gendered processes that have influenced attitudes and behaviours towards women motor racers. The motor car emerged through technological progress in an overtly masculine-dominated industrial period. Traditional assumptions and biologically deterministic attitudes towards women were used by men to position motoring and motor-racing as a male preserve. Newspaper reporting throughout the 1930s suggests an era of heightened success for women motor racers as a result of gaining access to a key resource in the form of Brooklands motor-racing circuit. Following the Second World War, there was increasing commercialization and professionalization of male-dominated motorsport, as well as renewed marginalization and trivialization of female participants within the newspapers. These processes continue to influence perceptions of women in contemporary motorsport.     

Mapping International Health onto Domestic Health: A Pentadic Cartography of Kathleen Sibelius’s Global Health Strategy

Pentadic cartography is a useful way to examine the motivational vocabularies of discourses and to provide alternative vocabularies for negotiating rhetorical terrains. Pentadic cartographers have used Kenneth Burke’s principles to examine and critique the motivational vocabularies of texts as their vocabularies compete against one another. This article expands the application of pentadic cartography by exploring maps as “overlays” or when two pentadic vocabularies do not necessarily compete but can complement one another. This study examines two potential competing mappings present in former Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sibelius’s (2012) speech outlining a new global health strategy, as well as an overlay map that negotiates domestic and global health. Each mapping is assessed for its abilities to open and to close the universe of discourse. The possibility of overlays as a supplement to pentadic cartography is outlined.     

Validity of Self-Reported Pedometer Steps per Day in College Students

The purpose of this article was to examine the validity of self-reported pedometer steps/day. Forty-seven participants were provided a New Lifestyles NL-2000 (NL-2000; Lees Summit, MO, USA) pedometer and a physical activity (PA) diary for 3 weeks, but not informed of the data-storing capabilities. For weeks 2 and 3, each participant was given a step goal of 3,000 steps/day above week 1 average. A 2 × 3 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences between reported steps/day. Bland–Altman plots assessed the mean bias and limits of agreement between reporting methods. Mean self-reported and NL-2000 steps/day were 9,264 ± 3,555 and 8,971 ± 3,590 steps/day (n = 26, p > .05). Mean biases were 216 ± 1,753 (week 1), –506 ± 1,355 (week 2), and –590 ± 1,360 (week 3) steps/day. Negative mean bias values indicate higher self-reported steps/day. Mean steps/day were similar between recording methods, but large differences were observed among individuals, suggesting self-reported steps/day may be valid for PA research at the population level, but not the individual level.     

Visual body pedagogies: how anti-oppressive education informs the teaching and learning of sporting bodies

In this article, the authors borrow from anti-oppressive education theory for its potential to disrupt how students visually conceive sporting bodies and to problematize the teaching and learning of these bodies within undergraduate physical education (PE) programs. Fourteen photo stories produced by students enrolled in PE programs at two universities were analysed using a semiotic approach to excavate the emergent themes of sporting bodies from the narratives. Relying on Kumashiro's anti-oppressive educational theoretical framework, the authors found that most of stories reified discursive practices that (re)produce gender oppression in sport. Despite these findings, the authors also discovered anti-oppressive pedagogies are useful for teaching against the body oppressions conveyed in the photo stories. How anti-oppressive education informs other areas of PE should be examined in the future.     

Effects of coffee and caffeine anhydrous on strength and sprint performance

Caffeine and coffee are widely used among active individuals to enhance performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of acute coffee (COF) and caffeine anhydrous (CAF) intake on strength and sprint performance. Fifty-four resistance-trained males completed strength testing, consisting of one-rep max (1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) at 80% of 1RM for leg press (LP) and bench press (BP). Participants then completed five, 10-second cycle ergometer sprints separated by one minute of rest. Peak power (PP) and total work (TW) were recorded for each sprint. At least 48 hours later, participants returned and ingested a beverage containing CAF (300?mg flat dose; yielding 3–5?mg/kg bodyweight), COF (8.9?g; 303?mg caffeine), or placebo (PLA; 3.8?g non-caloric flavouring) 30 minutes before testing. LP 1RM was improved more by COF than CAF (p?=?.04), but not PLA (p?=?.99). Significant interactions were not observed for BP 1RM, BP RTF, or LP RTF (p?>?.05). There were no sprint?×?treatment interactions for PP or TW (p?>?.05). 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant improvement in sprint 1 TW for CAF, but not COF or PLA. For PLA, significant reductions were observed in sprint 4 PP, sprint 2 TW, sprint 4 TW, and average TW; significant reductions were not observed with CAF or COF. Neither COF nor CAF improved strength outcomes more than PLA, while both groups attenuated sprint power reductions to a similar degree. Coffee and caffeine anhydrous may be considered suitable pre-exercise caffeine sources for high-intensity exercise.     

Effect of repeat-sprint training in hypoxia on post-exercise interleukin-6 and F2-isoprostanes

This investigation examined the oxidative stress (F₂-Isoprostane; F₂-IsoP) and inflammatory (interleukin-6; IL-6) responses to repeat-sprint training in hypoxia (RSH). Ten trained male team sport athletes performed 3(sets)*9(repetitions)*5?s cycling sprints in simulated altitude (3000?m) and sea-level conditions. Mean and peak sprint power output (MPO and PPO) were recorded, and blood samples were collected pre-exercise, and again at 8 and 60?min post-exercise. Both MPO and PPO were significantly reduced in hypoxia (compared to sea-level) in the second (MPO: 855?±?89 vs. 739?±?95?W, p?=?.006; PPO: 1024?±?114 vs. 895?±?112?W, p?=?.010) and third (MPO: 819?±?105 vs. 686?±?83?W, p?=?.008; PPO: 985?±?125 vs. 834?±?99?W, p?=?.008) sets, respectively. IL-6 was significantly increased from pre- to 1?h post-exercise in both hypoxia (0.7?±?0.2 vs. 2.4?±?1.4?pg/mL, p?=?.004) and sea-level conditions (0.7?±?0.2 vs. 1.6?±?0.3?pg/mL, p?d?=?0.80) suggesting higher IL-6 levels of post-hypoxia. F₂-IsoP was significantly lower 1?h post-exercise in both the hypoxic (p?=?.005) and sea-level (p?=?.002) conditions, with no differences between trials. While hypoxia can impact on exercise intensity and may result in greater post-exercise inflammation, it appears to have little effect on oxidative stress. These results indicate that team sport organisations with ready access to hypoxic training facilities could confidently administer RSH without significantly increasing the post-exercise inflammatory or oxidative stress response.     

Physical activity profiles and selected muscular fitness variables in English schoolchildren: A north–south divide?

The aim of the study was to compare and contrast habitual physical activity (PA) profiles and muscular fitness in schoolchildren from northern and southern regions of England. Data were collected from two secondary schools in the north east (NE) of England. The study procedures followed methods employed by the East of England Healthy Hearts Study in 10–16-year-old boys and girls based in the south east (SE) region of England and data were compared. Habitual physical activity (PAQ-A), vertical jump test, and hand-grip (HG) strength were assessed. We converted raw scores from all assessments to age- and sex-normalised z-scores. We recruited 597 children (58% boys) in the NE and compared findings to 597 age- and sex-matched boys and girls from the SE. Boys in the SE had significantly stronger HG scores, jumped higher, were more powerful (mean peak power: 2131?W vs. 1782?W; P?P?P?相似文献