Resisted sprint running is a common training method for improving sprint-specific strength. For maximum specificity of training, the athlete's movement patterns during the training exercise should closely resemble those used when performing the sport. The purpose of this study was to compare the kinematics of sprinting at maximum velocity to the kinematics of sprinting when using three of types of resisted sprint training devices (sled, parachute, and weight belt). Eleven men and 7 women participated in the study. Flying sprints greater than 30 m were recorded by video and digitized with the use of biomechanical analysis software. The test conditions were compared using a 2-way analysis of variance with a post-hoc Tukey test of honestly significant differences. We found that the 3 types of resisted sprint training devices are appropriate devices for training the maximum velocity phase in sprinting. These devices exerted a substantial overload on the athlete, as indicated by reductions in stride length and running velocity, but induced only minor changes in the athlete's running technique. When training with resisted sprint training devices, the coach should use a high resistance so that the athlete experiences a large training stimulus, but not so high that the device induces substantial changes in sprinting technique. We recommend using a video overlay system to visually compare the movement patterns of the athlete in unloaded sprinting to sprinting with the training device. In particular, the coach should look for changes in the athlete's forward lean and changes in the angles of the support leg during the ground contact phase of the stride.

The purpose of this paper was to study the ranges in height, weight, age, spike reach, and block reach of volleyball players in relation to the player position and the level of their respective teams in peak performance. The analysed sample included 1454 male and 1452 female players who participated in the volleyball competitions of the Olympic Games and World Championships in the 2000-2012 period. A descriptive, correlational, and longitudinal design was used. The variables studied were: the player position, body height, weight, body mass index, spike reach, block reach, age, and team level. The results show differences between body height, spike and block reaches, and the age of the players by their position. These differences are related to the needs of the different positions with regard to the actions they execute. Middle-blockers, outside-hitters, and opposites have the characteristics that are most suitable for blocking and spiking, and the setters and liberos appear to have characteristics conducive to setting and receiving as well as digging, respectively. The differences found in the studied variables with regard to the playing position are related to players' needs regarding the actions they perform. Player´s age was a variable that differentiated first teams at this level of competition for males, and physical capacities (body height, weight, spike reach, and block reach) were variables that differentiated first teams at this level of competition for females.

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of goalkeepers’ defence interventions in parallel with the type of opponent attack, the area of the last pass of attack, the shooting zone most often used, the body part most often used for the last pass or for shooting, and the technical and physical actions most often used for carrying out defensive technical skills. The sample consisted of 34 goalkeepers from the national teams that participated in 54 matches of the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan. The matches were analysed by systematic observation. A reliability kappa index of 0.95 was established between observers. The variables studied were: type of opponent attack, area of last pass of attack, field zone from which shot was taken, body part with which last part of attack or shot was made, zone of goalkeeper intervention, defensive technical and physical actions of goalkeeper intervention. Results related to opposing team's attacks showed that teams most often used positional attacks and the last pass came from the far zones. The foot was the body part most often used to finish the attack. Upon analysing the shots taken, we found that in relation to shooting angle, the central zones are the ones that are most utilized, and in relation to shooting distance, similar percentages were found in the zone outside the penalty area and the zone situated between the penalty area line and the goal area line. Results related to goalkeepers’ defence showed that the penalty area was the zone most often used, and the defensive actions most frequently used were the save, followed by foot control, and then the clear out. Our data provide reference values to adapt the training of goalkeepers to the characteristics of the competition.

Pecificity of these training methods. The most common way to control it is through the percentage of velocity lost in relation to maximum velocity. The present paper describes a study that aimed to establish the load for sprint training with sled towing. The study developed a regression equation for calculating the load in the maximum velocity phase. The calculation was done with 26 athletes from the Spanish and French national levels on a synthetic track surface and with spikes. The regression equation obtained was % body mass = (−0.8674 × % velocity) + 87.99. The equation, although specific for type of surface used and sled towing characteristics, is useful in establishing the optimal load for acceleration and maximum velocity training with sled towing....