Women’s participation in soccer has increased rapidly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological demands imposed on women’s NCAA Division I soccer players across a season according to speed, total distance traveled, and numbers of sprints measured via GPS (Polar Team Pro^®). Eighteen athletes (19.2 ± 1.1 years, 50.5 ± 6.5 mL/kg/min and 23.4 ± 3.6% fat) participated in this study. The analysis was obtained through 13 official matches. Speed zones were defined as Zone 1 (1.0 to 5.99 km·h⁻¹), Zone 2 (6.0 to 10.99 km·h⁻¹), Zone 3 (11.0 to 15.49 km·h⁻¹), Zone 4 (15.5 to 19.9 km·h⁻¹) and Zone 5 (sprint > 20 km·h⁻¹), with Zones 4–5 considered as high intensity running. Individual differences in playing time and total distance were highly variable due to substitutions. Average distance traveled per game in quartiles was 3.9 km, 5.6 km and 7.4 km in the 25th, 50th, and 75th quartiles, respectively. Relative to playing time, players travelled an average of 113.64 ± 17.12 m/min (range: 93.7 to 143.5 m/min) and ran one sprint every 4.12 ± 2.06 min. When distance was summated and analyzed for the entire team, significant difference between halves was found for speed Zones 2, 3 and 4, with greater values found in the first half. Total distance, high intensity running and sprint distance were significantly less than previously recorded in professional players. These findings suggest that coaches should consider the unique physiological demands and recovery opportunities present in NCAA play when constructing practices and conditioning programs.

Futsal is a sport that involves motor actions with high intensity and short duration, especially vertical jumps and sprints, which require fast application of strength and speed. The evaluation and training of these physical capacities is a routine practice of coaches, especially in the base categories, which are the entry point for many children and adolescents aiming for a professional career in futsal. With regard to the training of this public, puberty is a factor that must be considered, as a natural biological process involving several bodily transformations that can influence the performance of these physical capacities, especially considering that the categories are divided by chronological age, which does not always correspond to pubertal age. The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review of body modifications during puberty, and how these can affect the aspects that determine good performance in jumps and sprints. It was verified that this phase is associated with hormonal changes, an increase in muscle mass, and anthropometric aspects, as well as the maturation of the neuromuscular functions and refinement of the more complex motor activities, such as locomotion. Together, these factors can favor the fast application of force, and better performance of these players in terms of motor activities. However, it is important to emphasize that although these factors increase and naturally favor the players' performance in terms of strength and speed, it is a phase in which specific types of training focused on the aspects that determine good performance are fundamental to increase these capacities and diminish other aspects that also occur with the bodily development, such as a transient decrease in motor coordination and balance due to the rapid growth spurt, and tissue stiffness, which can sometimes occur during this period. Level of evidence V; Expert Opinion.

Objective: To analyze cardiac autonomic modulation response and functional capacity in physically active older women. Methods: Seventy-five older women (60-70 years) from the community were divided into the following groups: sedentary (n=19), hydro-gymnastics (n=18), pilates (n=19), and dance (n=19). Blood pressure, body composition, heart rate variability, and functional capacity were assessed for the characterization of the groups at rest and 48 hours after the last physical exercise session. Results: The sedentary group presented higher waist-to-hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate compared to the other groups (p<0.05). It was also observed that the dance group presented better functional capacity and VO2peak scores (all p<0.05). Regarding cardiac autonomic modulation, both dance and pilates groups demonstrated better RMSSD (26.71 ± 9.07 and 29.82 ± 7.16, respectively; p<0.05), LF (45.79 ± 14.81 and 45.95 ± 15.16 n.u., respectively; p<0.05), and LF/HF (0.92 ± 0.56 and 0.58 ± 0.26, respectively; p<0.05) scores. In the symbolic analysis, the dance group had a greater predominance of parasympathetic autonomic modulation than the other groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results conclude that physically active elderly women, practicing hydro-gymnastics, pilates or dance, presented physiological benefits, such as better functional capacity and improvements in hemodynamic variables and autonomic cardiac modulation. In addition, the group that practiced dance presented greater parasympathetic modulation, as well as greater functional capacity, when compared to the other modalities. Level of evidence: I; STARD: studies of diagnostic accuracy.

Introdução: O gene ACTN3 codifica a proteína α-actinina-3 nas linhas Z do sarcômero, que ancora a proteína actina no aparelho contrátil, presente exclusivamente nas fibras musculares do tipo II, apresentando maior capacidade glicolítica, que é essencial para esportes com ações de alta intensidade e curta duração, como é o caso do voleibol. Objetivo: Verificar a frequência e distribuição do gene ACTN3, genótipos RR e RX, que expressam α-actinina-3 (EX α-actinina-3), e genótipo XX, que não expressa α-actinina-3 (NE α-actinina-3), e sua relação com atletas brasileiras de voleibol. Materiais e Métodos: Fizeram parte do estudo noventa e sete (97) atletas da Superliga Feminina de Voleibol. Foram avaliados a massa corporal, a estatura e a idade, para caracterização da amostra. Analisaram-se amostras salivares por meio de PCR em tempo real, para determinação dos genótipos, e, para verificar a associação do genótipo ao status de atleta de voleibol nas três categorias (Equipes Nacionais, Seleção Nacional e Olímpica), foi feito o teste de Qui-quadrado de independência (2). Para obter a razão de chances do desfecho, foi realizada uma análise regressão log linear. Todos os testes foram realizados por meio do programa estatístico JAMOVI 2.4 (2023).Resultados: Entre as atletas da amostra que disputam a competição nacional, 91,8% apresentam o genótipo EX-α-actinina-3. Já quando consideramos as competições internacionais, 93,7% apresentou o genótipo EX-α-actinina-3. Em se tratando das atletas que atuam pela seleção brasileira nos jogos olímpicos, 100% da amostra apresentou o genótipo EX-α-actinina-3. Considerando que na população mundial a frequência é de 80%, é possível verificar que, à medida que se aproxima das atletas que participam da seleção feminina, há maior participação daquelas com genótipo EX-α-actinina-3. Além disso, houve associação entre os genótipos EX α-actinina-3 e a categoria nacional com o status de atleta de elite, onde (χ²) obteve o valor de p (0,023) e a razão da taxa (2,71) para o desfecho dos genótipos (EX α-actinina-3) serem atletas de elite. Conclusão: As características genéticas do atleta, o ambiente, a nutrição e a preparação física, técnica e tática são alguns dos fatores que contribuem para o desempenho esportivo. Entretanto, os resultados do presente estudo sugerem que os genótipos RR e RX que expressam α-actinina-3, presente nas fibras musculares do tipo II, parecem conferir uma vantagem a atletas de voleibol de alto rendimento.

Objective: Analyze thermal stress and changes in physiological variables in simulated BJJ fights in a hot environment. Methodology: The study included 12 male athletes, comprising 11 black belts and 1 brown belt. The athletes were divided into pairs according to their categories and there were four 10-minute bouts with 10 minutes of rest between bouts in a covered environment, during the night, with an ambient temperature (TA) of 29.3 ± 0.5ºC and relative air humidity (URA) of 75.9 ± 1.1%. The variables heart rate (HR), lactate, gastrointestinal temperature (Tgi) and skin temperature (Tskin), hand grip, dehydration rate, total sweating and specific urine density were evaluated. HR, lactate and Tgi data were collected before starting the simulated fights (pre 1, 2, 3 and 4), immediately after the end of each fight (post 1, 2, 3, and 4). All other variables were collected during the baseline period, which corresponds to pre 1, and in the post-fight assessments (post-fight 1, 2, 3, and 4). Results: There was a significant reduction in body mass post-fight compared to pre-simulated fights (p < 0.001). Despite ad libitum hydration, athletes transitioned from a euhydrated state to significant-to-severe dehydration by the end of the protocol. HR values were significantly higher post-fight (post 1, 2, 3, 4) compared to rest (pre-1) (p < 0.001). Blood lactate levels increased post-fight (post 1, 2, 3, 4) compared to rest (pre-1). Tgi increased significantly after the first fight (post 1, 2, 3, 4) compared to rest (pre 1) (p < 0.001) and remained stable until the fourth fight. Tskin showed a increase post-fight (post 1, 2, 3) compared to rest (pre-1) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The thermoregulatory mechanisms were sufficient to maintain thermal control during the simulated BJJ fights.