Purposes of this study were firstly, to determine the notational singles match analysis results of male badminton players and secondly, to determine relationships between notational singles match analysis determined strokes and foot movements in male badminton players, who participated in the African Badminton Championships. Twenty male singles matches from the team and individual events of the 2014 All Africa Badminton Championships were recorded live via video cameras and analysed using the Dartfish video analysis software package. Average match duration (1470.4 s), real time (432.9 s) and percentage of real time played (29.8%), number of rallies per match (68.4) and shots per rally (6.5) were calculated. Average shots per rally were found to be 6.5 and the work density, .4. Average stroke frequency per match was: drive – 122.1, clear – 118, smash – 56.2, net strokes – 54.3, drop-shot – 24.2 and the round-the-head stroke – 1.2. Foot movements delivered the following average results per match: chasse-step – 174.6, shuffle – 161.7, split-step – 61.6, half-lunge – 52.20, forward-lunge – 46.1 and scissors kick – 38.3. Significant Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficients existed between various foot movements and strokes. The study confirmed the applicability of computerised notational analyses in determining singles badminton match characteristics.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a microcycle (4 weeks) combined rugby conditioning plyometric compared with a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program on selected physical and motor performance components and anthropometric measurements of university-level rugby players. Players (18.94 ± 0.40 years) were assigned to either a control (n = 16) or experimental group (n = 19) from the U/19 rugby teams of the North-West University (South Africa). Twenty-six direct and indirect anthropometric measurements were taken, and the players performed a battery of 5 physical and motor performance tests before and after a microcycle (4 week) combined rugby conditioning plyometric (experimental group) and a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program (control group). The dependent t-test results showed that the control group's upper-body explosive power decreased significantly, whereas the stature, skeletal mass, and femur breadth increased significantly from pre- to posttesting. The experimental group showed significant increases in wrist breadth, speed over 20 m, agility, and power and work measurements of the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). Despite these results, the independent t-test revealed that speed over 20 m, average power output at 20 seconds, relative work of the WAnT, and agility were the only components of the experimental group that improved significantly more than the control group. A microcycle combined rugby conditioning plyometric program therefore leads to significantly bigger changes in selected physical and motor performance components of university-level rugby players than a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program alone. Based on these findings, coaches and sport scientists should implement 3 weekly combined rugby conditioning plyometric programs in rugby players' training regimens to improve the players' speed, agility, and power.

Sparks, M, Coetzee, B, and Gabbett, TJ. Internal and external match loads of university-level soccer players: a comparison between methods. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 1072–7077, 2017—The aim of this study was to use individualized intensity zones to compare the external (velocity and player load, PL) and internal loads (heart rate, HR) of a cohort of university-level soccer players. Thirteen soccer players completed a 40-m maximum speed test and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) to determine individualized velocity and HR thresholds. Heart rate values and global positioning system (GPS) data of each player were recorded during 5 league matches. A large (r = 0.46; p ≤ 0.01) correlation was found between time spent in the low-intensity (LI) velocity zone (LIVZ) and the LI HR zone. Similarly, there were moderate (r = 0.25; p ≤ 0.01) to large (r = 0.57; p ≤ 0.01) correlations between the relative and absolute time spent in the moderate-intensity (MI) velocity zone (MIVZ) and the MI HR zone. No significant correlations (p ≤ 0.01) existed between the high-intensity (HI) velocity zones (HIVZ) and the HI HR zone. On the other hand, PL showed significant correlations with all velocity and HR (absolute and relative) variables, with the exception of a nonsignificant correlation between the HI HR variables and PL. To conclude, PL showed good correlations with both velocity and HR zones and therefore may have the potential to serve as a good indicator of both external and internal soccer match loads.

And external match load determining method. Twenty-one players who participated in selected badminton championships during the 2014/2015 season served as subjects. The heart rate (HR) values and global positioning system (GPS) data of each player were obtained using a fix Polar HR Transmitter Belt and MinimaxX GPS device. Moderate significant Spearman's rank correlations were found between HR and absolute duration (r = 0.43 at a low intensity [LI] and 0.44 at a high intensity [HI]), distance covered (r = 0.42 at a HI), and player load (r = 0.44 at a HI). Results also revealed an opposite trend for external and internal measures of load, as the average relative HR value was found to be the highest for the HI zone (54.1%) compared with the relative measures of external load where average values (1.29–9.89%) were the lowest for the HI zone. In conclusion, our findings show that results of an internal and external badminton match load determining method are more related to each other in the HI zone than other zones and that the strength of relationships depend on the duration of activities that are performed in especially LI and HI zones. Overall, trivial to moderate relationships between results of an internal and external match load determining method in male, singles badminton players reaffirm the conclusions of others that these constructs measure distinctly different demands and should therefore be measured concurrently to fully understand the true requirements of badminton match play....

The aim of this study was to determine whether pre-match, in-match, resting and post-match heart rate variability (HRV) as well as resting and post-match heart rate recovery (HRR) can serve as significant predictors of male, elite, African, singles badminton players’ performance levels. Twenty-two male badminton players were categorised into successful and less successful player groups according to match results. Heart rates were recorded every second before (pre-match), during (in-match) and directly after (post-match) 46 matches to determine 14 HRV and 2 HRR indices. Binary, forward, stepwise logistic regression analyses’ results showed that log transformed low frequency to high frequency ratio (Ln-LFnu/Ln-HFnu ratio) and peak very low frequency power (VLF power (Hz)), were significantly (p < .05) related to group allocation of successful and less successful badminton players. Overall model fit was good and 75% of players could be classified into their original groups by making use of the HRV-based logistic regression formulas. Furthermore, all models had a large effect in predicting player classification, although only the pre- and in-match models emerged as being useful. In conclusion, short-term frequency domain-related HRV variables are related to badminton match performances and should be considered when measuring HRV in sport and exercise settings.

The aim of the study was to determine the fatigue rates and pacing strategies of players during matches by quantifying high-intensity running (HIR) in rolling 5-min periods. Ten semi-professional players were monitored with 10Hz global positioning system (GPS) units during 12 official A-league matches. Match data was categorised into total distance covered and HIR (>3.7 m/min) for rolling 5-min intervals. Distance covered in the first half were used to classify players into low- (LAG), moderate- (MAG) and high-activity groups (HAG). The MAG showed a moderate difference in HIR at 5-min after the peak period. The HAG showed moderate to large declines in distance covered between the first 15 min of the second half (103.9 m/min). They also showed small to moderate declines in HIR during the first 10 min of the second half (25.7 m/min). The LAG showed a small to moderate increase in distance covered during the last 10 min of the second half (95.7 m/min) compared to the first half (84.4 m/min). First-half activity profiles had a significant impact on recovery after the most intense 5-min periods. Also, our study showed an end-spurt occurring towards the end of a match supporting the possibility of pacing strategies.