This study aimed to analyze the correlations among weekly (w) acute workload (wAW), chronic workload (wCW), acute/chronic workload ratio (wACWR), training monotony (wTM), training strain (wTS), sleep quality (wSleep), delayed onset muscle soreness (wDOMS), fatigue (wFatigue), stress (wStress), and Hooper index (wHI) in pre-, early, mid-, and end-of-season. Twenty-one elite soccer players (age: 16.1 ± 0.2 years) were monitored weekly on training load and well-being for 36 weeks. Higher variability in wAW (39.2%), wFatigue (84.4%), wStress (174.3%), and wHI (76.3%) at the end-of-season were reported. At mid-season, higher variations in wSleep (59.8%), TM (57.6%), and TS (111.1%) were observed. Moderate to very large correlations wAW with wDOMS (r = 0.617, p = 0.007), wFatigue, wStress, and wHI were presented. Similarly, wCW reported a meaningful large association with wDOMS (r = 0.526, p < 0.001); moderate to very large associations with wFatigue (r = 0.649, p = 0.005), wStress, and wHI. Moreover, wTM presented a large correlation with wSleep (r = 0.515, p < 0.001); and a negatively small association with wStress (r = −0.426, p = 0.003). wTS showed a small to large correlation with wSleep (r = 0.400, p = 0.005) and wHI; also, a large correlation with wDOMS (r = 0.556, p = 0.028) and a moderate correlation with wFatigue (r = 0.343, p = 0.017). Wellness status may be considered a useful tool to provide determinant elite players’ information to coaches and to identify important variations in training responses.

This study sought to analyze the relationship between in-season training workload with changes in aerobic power (VO_2max), maximum and resting heart rate (HR_max and HR_rest), linear sprint medium (LSM), and short test (LSS), in soccer players younger than 16 years (under-16 soccer players). We additionally aimed to explain changes in fitness levels during the in-season through regression models, considering accumulated load, baseline levels, and peak height velocity (PHV) as predictors. Twenty-three male sub-elite soccer players aged 15.5 ± 0.2 years (PHV: 13.6 ± 0.4 years; body height: 172.7 ± 4.2 cm; body mass: 61.3 ± 5.6 kg; body fat: 13.7% ± 3.9%; VO_2max: 48.4 ± 2.6 mL⋅kg^–1⋅min^–1), were tested three times across the season (i.e., early-season (EaS), mid-season (MiS), and end-season (EnS) for VO_2max, HR_max, LSM, and LSS. Aerobic and speed variables gradually improved over the season and had a strong association with PHV. Moreover, the HR_max demonstrated improvements from EaS to EnS; however, this was more evident in the intermediate period (from EaS to MiS) and had a strong association with VO_2max. Regression analysis showed significant predictions for VO_2max [F_(2,20) = 8.18, p ≤ 0.001] with an R² of 0.45. In conclusion, the meaningful variation of youth players’ fitness levels can be observed across the season, and such changes can be partially explained by the load imposed.

Development of innovative and time-efficient strategies to involve youth in physical activity is pivotal in the actual inactivity pandemic. Moreover, physical activity may improve academic performance, of great interest for educators. This present systematic review aimed to analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cognitive performance and psychological outcomes in youth. A database search (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO) for original research articles was performed. A total of eight articles met the inclusion criteria, and the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used. The studies’ results were recalculated to determine effect sizes using Cohen’s d. Different HIIT interventions reported improvements on cognitive performance at executive function (d = 0.75, +78.56%), linguistic reasoning (d = 0.25, +7.66%), concentration (d = 0.71, +61.10%), selective attention (d = 0.81, +60.73%), non-verbal and verbal abilities (d = 0.88, +47.50%; d = 1.58, +22.61%, respectively), abstract reasoning (d = 0.75, +44.50%), spatial and numerical abilities (d = 37.19, +22.85%; d = 1.20, +8.28%, respectively), and verbal reasoning (d = 1.00, +15.71%) in youth. Regarding psychological outcomes, HIIT showed higher self-concept (d = 0.28, +8.71%) and psychological well-being in boys and girls (d = 0.73, +32.43%, d = 0.39, +11.58%, respectively). To sum up, HIIT interventions between 4–16 weeks, for 8–30 min/session, at ≥85% maximal heart rate, would provide positive effects on cognitive performance and psychological outcomes in youth.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the eating behaviors, obesity and physical activity status of children of similar ages living in rural and urban areas and to examine these relationships during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic process. Method: The research was conducted using the scanning model. The research group consists of children living in rural and urban areas in Turkey. The sample of the study consists of a total of 733 adolescent participants, 351 females (47.9%) and 382 males (52.1%). After anthropometric measurements were made, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for older children and the Yale Food Addiction Scale for children 2.0 were used to determine the food addiction and physical activity status of children during the COVID19 pandemic process. Since the groups were homogeneously distributed, independent samples t-test and Pearson correlation test were used. Result: In terms of food addiction and physical activity levels, children living in the urban have higher scores than children living in rural areas. In addition, children living in the urban were taller and have higher body mass values than those in rural areas. In terms of physical activity level and food addiction levels, while girls living in the urban had higher activity levels than those living in rural areas, no statistically significant difference was found between the physical activity levels of boys. When evaluated in terms of general and gender, it was determined that children living in rural areas were overweight and obese at a higher rate. Obese children had higher levels of food addiction and lower physical activity levels than non-obese children. Conclusion: In order to prevent childhood obesity, the level of food addiction should be reduced as well as increasing the level of physical activity. This study is limited in terms of cross-sectional evaluation. Future research can experimentally reveal how much obesity is reduced by methods such as exercise and diet interventions.

Marta, C, Alves, AR, Casanova, N, Neiva, HP, Marinho, D, Izquierdo, M, Nunes, C, and Marques, MC. Suspension vs. plyometric training in children's explosive strength. J Strength Cond Res 36(2): 433–440, 2022—The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different training programs, that is, 8 weeks of suspension training (ST) or plyometric training (PT), on measures of strength and power in untrained healthy children. One hundred eighteen children (57 boys and 61 girls) aged 10–11 years (mean ± SD: 10.84 ± 0.46 years) were randomly assigned into PT (19 boys and 22 girls), ST (20 boys and 18 girls), and control (CT) (18 boys and 21 girls; no training program) group. Experimental groups were trained twice a week for 8 weeks. Countermovement jump, standing long jump, medicine ball throw, and 20-m sprint were measured at baseline and after intervention. The results showed a significant group effect on training-induced responses (F = 10.26; p < 0.01; = 0.33), with clear improvements from pre- to posttraining in PT and ST. Regardless of training group, no differences were found in boys and girls (F = 0.70; p = 0.62; = 0.03). After 8 weeks of training, PT and ST showed increased performances in 1-kg (mean ± CI 95%; 0.18 ± 0.05 and 0.19 ± 0.05 m) and 3-kg (0.12 ± 0.08 and 0.12 ± 0.09 m) medicine ball throws and 20-m sprints (−0.08 ± 0.03 s and −0.04 ± 0.04 s) compared with CT (p < 0.05; d > 0.60). Standing long jump was significantly increased after ST when compared with CT (0.07 ± 0.04 m; p < 0.01; d = 0.88). Plyometric training showed higher improvements than ST in sprint (0.04 ± 0.03; p = 0.01; d = 0.71). It is suggested that 8 weeks of ST or PT seems to be effective to improve strength- and power-related variables in healthy untrained children. These could be considered as alternatives to traditional resistance training and be applied in school-based programs.