This study assessed the measurement error of a monitoring system, the Video Manual Motion Tracker 1.0 (VMMT1.0), during time-motion analysis of basketball players. In this study, four reliability parameters were used to assess the measurement error of the system: the systematic bias, the inter-observer reliability, the intra-observer reliability and the absolute reliability. A basketball game video was used for the analysis. To assess the inter-observer reliability, two observers analysed a player's covered distance for 50 different periods of the game. To assess the relative and absolute reliability of the covered distance, the chosen players were monitored three times by 41 qualified observers. The findings did not indicate a significant systematic bias in the measurement error using the VMMT1.0 (one-way ANOVA, P > 0.05). The intra-observer reliability of the monitoring system was rated as very high (intraclass correlation, ICC = 0.999), similar to its inter-observer reliability (Pearson product-moment correlation, r = 0.994). The absolute reliability does not appear to be significant (standard error of measurement, SEM = 0.34 m). The results showed that the measurement error of the VMMT1.0 is acceptable and comparable with that of other time-motion analysis techniques.

Background: Explosive strength of the lower extremities and agility are important parts of game performance in basketball. Although numerous studies have focused on the assessment of the training effect of plyometric training, studies focusing...

Background: Basketball performance can be classified as an intermittent physical activity due to the changing situational game conditions and the number of intervening variables. It is necessary to have detailed knowledge about the performance...

Small-sided games (SSGs) are spontaneous forms of specific training where exercise intensity can be manipulated by modifying external factors. To ensure suitable usage of small-sided games in practice, we have to know which variables can influence internal responses and external loads. The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of presence of a goalkeeper and the pitch size on internal responses and the external load during five-a-side soccer games. Twenty nine junior soccer players (age: 18.11 ± 1.31 years; body mass index: 21.04 ± 2.58 kg·m-2; peak heart rate: 199.53 ± 7.51 beats·min–1) participated in the study. The heart rate, distance covered and the rate of perceived exertion were monitored. We found significantly higher average heart rates of players in 5v5 SSGs without goalkeepers than with them on a small pitch. Analysis showed significant differences in the time spent in 65-85% of the peak heart rate zone and ˂65% of the peak heart rate zone on the small pitch. Furthermore, we found significantly higher distance covered by players during five-a-side games with goalkeepers than without them played on the small pitch. Our results indicate that the pitch size is a very important variable that influences the work load of players. The inclusion of the goalkeeper decreases the work load of the player on a small pitch (28 × 20 m; 560 m2), but not on a medium or large pitch.

Background: Effective training depends on knowledge of the sport's requirements. Physical (external load) and physiological (internal load) analyses will provide valuable data that can be used for other research and to improve specific training requirements. Handball is an intermittent sport game, and it is important discover the factors, that affect the performance in a handball match. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare motion and heart rate of playing positions of female handball players during competitive matches.Methods: Heart rate and motion-time analyses were examined during six competitive matches of the Czech elite female handball league (U19). The average (± SD) age of the fourteen participants was 17.9 ± 0.3 years; their average weight 65.4 ± 6.9 kg, and their average height was 169.6 ± 6.9 cm. Results: During the matches, the longest average distance was covered by backs (7,138.3 ± 334.4 m), followed by wings (6,915.3 ± 362.2 m) and pivots (6,337.1 ± 477.3 m). A statistically significant difference was found only between backs and pivots (p = .01). The average heart rate of players in the most loaded position, pivots, was 185.3 ± 9.2 beats ⋅ min-1, corresponding to 90.1 ± 4.3% of HRmax. The second most loaded playing position were wings with the average heart rate of 183.8 ± 6.2 beats ⋅ min-1, corresponding to 89.9 ± 3.5% of HRmax. The average heart rate of backs was 182.9 ± 8.4 beats ⋅ min-1, corresponding to 89.2 ± 4.4% of HRmax. Conclusions: The results from the presented study show that handball is a game of intermittent high intensity and physiological profile where more than 80% of each game is spent in load-intensity above 85% HRmax. Between playing positions are differences in intensity of load, covered distance and in speed categories

Background: Research on the amount and type of fatigue caused by match load depends on protocols based on time-motion analysis of match performance in a given sport. The role of these protocols is to accurately simulate specific player match l...