The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of maximum strength and power levels on change of direction (COD) ability and deficit in elite soccer and rugby players. Seventy-eight elite athletes (soccer, n = 46; rugby, n = 32) performed the following assessments: squat and countermovement jumps (SJ and CMJ), 1 repetition-maximum in the half-squat exercise (HS 1RM), peak power (PP) in the jump-squat exercise, and 20-m linear sprint and Zigzag COD tests. Utilizing the median split analysis, athletes were divided into two groups according to their HS 1RM and PP JS (e.g., higher and lower HS 1RM and higher and lower PP JS). The magnitude-based inference method was used to analyze the differences between groups in the physical performance tests. Athletes in the high strength and power groups outperformed their weaker and less powerful counterparts in all speed and power measurements (i.e., 5-, 10-, and 20-m sprint velocity, Zigzag COD speed, and CMJ and SJ height). In contrast, stronger and more powerful athletes displayed greater COD deficits. The present data indicate that players with superior strength-power capacity tend to be less efficient at changing direction, relative to maximum sprinting speed, despite being faster in linear trajectories. From these results, it appears that current strength and power training practices in team-sports are potentially not the “most appropriate” to increase the aptitude of a given athlete to efficiently utilize his/her neuromuscular abilities during COD maneuvers. Nevertheless, it remains unknown whether more multifaceted training programs are effective in decreasing COD deficits.

Loturco, I, Pereira, LA, Reis, VP, Abad, CCC, Freitas, TT, Azevedo, PHSM and Nimphius, S. Change of direction performance in elite players from different team sports. J Strength Cond Res 36(3): 862–866, 2022—The primary aim of this study was to examine the differences in change of direction (COD) deficit between elite futsal, soccer, handball, and rugby players. A secondary aim was to compare the performance in both COD and linear speed tests among these athletes. One-hundred sixty-one elite male players from 4 team sports performed a 20-m linear sprint speed and a Zigzag COD speed test. The COD deficit was calculated as the difference between linear and Zigzag test velocities. Differences in COD speed, COD deficit, and sprint velocity were assessed via 1-way analysis of variance. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Soccer players displayed significantly lower performance than the remaining team sports, and rugby players performed better than all the other groups in the Zigzag COD test. Moreover, the COD deficit was significantly higher in soccer players in comparison with the other disciplines (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in the COD deficit among rugby, futsal, and handball players (p > 0.05). In summary, soccer players were slower than futsal, handball, and rugby players to change direction and presented the greatest COD deficit magnitude. By contrast, the fastest athletes in the COD speed test (rugby players) were not more effective than futsal and handball players at changing direction (as they exhibited similar levels of COD deficit). Coaches should be aware of this evidence, which reinforces previous findings, indicating that very specialized training strategies might be required to improve COD performance in professional athletes.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the number of repetitions to volitional failure, the blood lactate concentration, and the perceived exertion to resistance training with and without an airflow-restricting mask. Methods: Eight participants participated in a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover study. Participants were assigned to an airflow-restricting mask group (MASK) or a control group (CONT) and completed five sets of chest presses and parallel squats until failure at 75% one-repetition-maximum test (1RM) with 60 s of rest between sets. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs), blood lactate concentrations (Lac⁻), and total repetitions were taken after the training session. Results: MASK total repetitions were lower than those of the CONT, and (Lac⁻) and MASK RPEs were higher than those of the CONT in both exercises. Conclusions: We conclude that an airflow-restricting mask in combination with resistance training increase perceptions of exertion and decrease muscular performance and lactate concentrations when compared to resistance training without this accessory. This evidence shows that the airflow-restricting mask may change the central nervous system and stop the exercise beforehand to prevent some biological damage.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of altering the duration of the eccentric phase in isotonic contractions on muscle hypertrophy and strength of the quadriceps femoris. Ten healthy young adults (8 men and 2 women: Height: 173.3 ± 9.6 cm: Body mass: 69.84 ± 10.88 kg; Body...

Com o objetivo de analisar a possibilidade de identificar o limiar glicêmico (LG), bem como comparar e correlacionar as intensidades dos limiares glicêmico e de lactato (LL) em exercícios resistidos incrementais, 12 voluntários do sexo masculino (24,4 ± 1,2 anos) adaptados ao exercício resistido foram submetidos a testes incrementais realizados nos exercícios leg press 45º (LP) e supino reto (SR). As intensidades aplicadas nos estágios incrementais de 1 min foram de 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% e 90% da carga máxima (1RM) determinada anteriormente, ou até a exaustão voluntária. As coletas sanguíneas para as dosagens das concentrações de lactato e glicose sanguínea foram realizadas durante os 2 min de pausa entre os estágios (YSI 2300 S). O comportamento da glicemia e lactatemia foram similares em ambos os exercícios estudados. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas (p > 0,05) entre as percentuais de 1RM nos limiares lactatêmicos e glicêmicos observados, respectivamente, no LP (36,6 ± 1,4% e 32,9 ± 1,5%) e SR (31,2 ± 1,2% e 31,2 ± 1,8%). Alta correlação foi observada entre os limiares glicêmico e lactatêmico identificados tanto no LP (r = 0,80; p < 0,001) quanto no SR (r = 0,73; p < 0,006). Concluiu-se que foi possível identificar os limiares de lactato e glicêmico em exercícios resistidos incrementais. No entanto, o significado desses limiares bem como sua validade para avaliação funcional e prescrição de exercícios devem ser melhor investigados.