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2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 October 2022) | Viewed by 42421

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Filipe Manuel Clemente

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Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, School of Sport and Leisure, 4960-320 Melgaço, Portugal
Interests: football; soccer; match analysis; performance analysis; network analysis
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Dr. Hugo Sarmento

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3040-156 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: match analysis; talent identification; sports training; team sports; small-sided games
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Dear Colleagues,

Fitness assessment and player’s monitoring are two key support strategies to improve the individualization of a training intervention in team sports. In the last decade, research interest in fitness assessment and monitoring has being quickly growing, in a number of publications, and also in the practical implementation in sports science departments supporting the teams. Now, athletic and technical/tactical tests performed periodically are part of the schedule, while using different training load monitoring, well-being, or readiness tests are part of daily or weekly approaches to be conducted with team sports players. Those processes ensure a better understanding of the status of the players and allow individual training approaches in case of need.

Naturally, the training process is a determinant of performance. For that reason, fitness assessment and monitoring are just parts of the process. The training design and plan are the big contributors for preparing the players for the competition, and particular attention should be paid to individualization processes, dose-response relationships or analyses of the heterogeneity of the effect of a given training intervention.

Therefore, and following the first following Special Issue “Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports”, we are launching the second edition that looks for articles covering the topics of fitness assessment, monitoring, and training intervention in team sports. In particular, we are interested in receiving high-quality and novel original articles, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses that may provide important information about (but not exclusively) the following topics:

(i) adjustment of a training intervention to a fitness assessment and monitoring;
(ii) individual and group effects of training interventions for sports performance or injury risk reduction;
(iii) individualized training approaches for sports players in return-to-play;
(iv) data treatment and workload measures for team sports analysis; and
(v) integration of covariables that may constrain the sports performance.

Dr. Filipe Manuel Clemente
Dr. Hugo Sarmento
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

team sports
athletic performance
technical performance
tactical performance
match analysis
performance analysis
load monitoring
training intervention
sports training
return-to-play

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Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (22 articles)

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Small-Sided Games and Behavioral Interventions on the Physical and Motivational Outcomes of Youth Soccer Players

by Rareș-Mihai Pop, Vlad Teodor Grosu, Emilia Florina Grosu, Alexandru Zadic, Liliana Mâță and Tatiana Dobrescu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114141 - 29 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1865

Abstract

The objective of this study was to test the effects of two types of intervention, one based on small-sided games (SSGs), and the other one that had, in addition, a behavioral component consisting of goal setting, public posting, and positive reinforcement. The participants were 16 male soccer players aged 12–14 years old who participated in a couple of training sessions per week between August and November 2021. We used Playr Catapult GPS devices to assess the effect of the intervention on the total distance covered and total sprint distance in the task of playing SSGs. We used Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 to test the effect of the intervention on players’ aerobic capacity and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire to investigate levels of motivational climate. Multiple two-way mixed ANOVAs were conducted and the results indicated that our intervention had a positive effect on the total distance and total sprint distance covered during SSGs. For aerobic capacity, even if the results were not significant, they indicate a high effect size. The effect of the intervention on task-oriented motivational climate and ego-oriented motivational climate was not significant. Discussions focus on the application of the intervention in team training settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

12 pages, 4562 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fatigue and Training Load Factors in Volleyball

by Damian Pawlik and Dariusz Mroczek

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11149; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811149 - 6 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3180

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to determine the internal and external loads experienced by volleyball players in a weekly cycle during the competitive season. Using accelerometers, as well as subjective rating perceived exertion (RPE) and total quality recovery scale (TQR) questionnaires, eleven female athletes were monitored during five days of training sessions over the course of the 2021 season. The data were evaluated for trends during the start period in preparation for the championship tournament. Analysis of the accelerometer data revealed a relationship between RPE and session rating perceived exertion (s-RPE), as well as the number of total accelerations. It was reported that on the training days of the same well-being level, the jump number values were significantly different. The results suggest that monitoring athletes for the number of accelerations can be used to understand the needs of volleyball players and to improve the design of training and recovery days to optimize athletes’ well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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15 pages, 1955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between Selected Screening Tests and Knee Alignment in Single-Leg Tasks among Young Football Players

by Bartosz Wilczyński, Łukasz Radzimiński, Agnieszka Sobierajska-Rek and Katarzyna Zorena

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(11), 6719; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116719 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3111

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between knee valgus in the frontal plane projection angle (FPPA) during single-leg squat (SLS), single-leg landing (SLL), and other selected clinical tests in young athletes. Forty-three young healthy elite football players (age: 13.2 (1.7) years) that were regularly training in a local sports club participated in the study. The FPPA was assessed using 2D video analysis. The screening tests included the passive single-leg raise (PSLR), hip external and internal rotation (hip ER and IR), sit and reach test, weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT), modified star excursion balance test (mSEBT), countermovement jump (CMJ), single-leg hop for distance (SLHD), and age peak height velocity (APHV). There was a significant positive relationship between the knee valgus angles in the SLS test and the sit and reach test (r = 0.34) and a negative relationship with the hip ER ROM (r = −0.34) (p < 0.05). The knee valgus angles in the SLL were negatively associated with the hip IR (r = −0.32) and ER ROM (r = −0.34) and positive associated with the WBLT (r = 0.35) and sit and reach test (r = 0.33) (p < 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that the results of the hip ER ROM and sit and reach tests were independent predictors of the FPPA in the SLS test (r² = 0.11, p = 0.03 and r² = 0.12, p = 0.02, respectively). The conducted study showed that individuals with more hip range of motion, more spine flexion extensibility, and less ankle dorsiflexion ROM may be more likely to experience high degrees of knee valgus in FPPA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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11 pages, 771 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Small-Sided Games Training versus High-Intensity Interval Training Approaches in Young Basketball Players

by Ersan Arslan, Bulent Kilit, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Eugenia Murawska-Ciałowicz, Yusuf Soylu, Mustafa Sogut, Firat Akca, Mine Gokkaya and Ana Filipa Silva

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2931; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052931 - 2 Mar 2022

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5238

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the 6-week small-sided games training (SSGs) vs. high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the psychophysiological and performance responses, and technical skills of young basketball players. Thirty-two male players (age: 14.5 ± 0.5 years of age) were randomly divided into SSGs group (n = 16) and HIIT group (n = 16) training methods thrice per week for 6 weeks. The players in the SSGs group performed two 5–8 min of 2 vs. 2 with 2 min rest periods, while the players in HIIT performed 12–18 min of runs at intensities (90 to 95%) related to the velocity obtained in the 30-15 intermittent fitness test (IFT). Pre-testing and post-testing sessions involved assessments of Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1, 30-15 intermittent fitness test, 5 and 30 m sprint times, vertical jump height, repeated sprint ability, defensive and offensive agility, and technical skills. The SSGs group demonstrated significantly higher agility-based technical responses in terms of the control dribbling and shooting skills (d = 1.71 vs. 0.20, d = 1.41 vs. 0.35, respectively) compared with the HIIT group. Conversely, the HIIT induced greater improvements in 30 m sprint times (d = 3.15 vs. 0.68). These findings provided that SSGs in youth basketball players may allow similar positive physical adaptations to HIIT, with an extra advantage of improving technical skills while improving enjoyability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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11 pages, 659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Talent Selection Based on Sport-Specific Tasks Is Affected by the Relative Age Effects among Adolescent Handball Players

by Zsófia Tróznai, Katinka Utczás, Júlia Pápai, Zalán Négele, István Juhász, Tamás Szabó and Leonidas Petridis

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11418; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111418 - 29 Oct 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2263

Abstract

Talent selection is often affected by the relative age effects (RAEs), resulting in the overrepresentation of relatively older (vs. relatively younger) players among those selected. The use of sport-specific tasks is suggested to reduce RAEs during talent selection. Purpose: To test the hypothesis that talent selection including only sport-specific tasks is not affected by the RAEs and to analyse the body size and biological maturity of the top selection level according to relative age. Methods: Participants were U14 female (n = 5428) and U15 (n = 4408) male handball players participating in four programs consisting of four selection levels (local, county, regional, and national) grouped in bi-annual age. Handball-specific generic skills, position-specific technical drills and in-game performance were the selection criteria evaluated by experts and coaches. Body dimensions were measured and bone age, as an indicator of maturity, was estimated. The relative age quartile distributions within the bi-annual cohorts were examined using Chi-square and Odds Ratios. Results: In terms of all the registered players no RAEs were evident. However, the RAEs of moderate effect size were evident at the county level; χ² = 53.2 (girls) and 66.4 (boys), OR = 2.5 and 3.3, respectively. The RAEs of a large effect size were found at the regional level; χ² = 139.5 (girls) and 144.9 (boys), OR = 8.2 and 5.2, respectively. At national level, RAEs were still present, but with no further increase in the effect size. At the highest selection level, there were no differences in the anthropometric measures between the relatively older and younger players. Conclusion: The findings provide support to the hypothesis that the selection process exacerbates RAEs even when using only sport-specific selection criteria. The performance metrics in technical skills, but also coaching assessments are likely involved. In addition, an advanced maturity and/or an above-average body size increases the selection odds for relatively younger players. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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12 pages, 700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of a 10-Week Combined Coordination and Agility Training Program on Young Male Soccer Players

by Francisco Tomás González-Fernández, Hugo Sarmento, Alfonso Castillo-Rodríguez, Rui Silva and Filipe Manuel Clemente

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10125; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910125 - 26 Sep 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4529

Abstract

The current literature has shown how working on coordination and agility produces effects on specific aspects in team sports. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a ten-week coordination training program applied to soccer on different tests that evaluate speed (30 m speed test), agility (Illinois Agility Test (IAT)) and lower body strength (countermovement jump (CMJ)). Forty U16 male soccer players from two nonprofessional teams (twenty in the control group (CG) (aged = 14.70 ± 0.47, body weight = 60.15 ± 8.07 kg, height = 1.71 ± 0.06 m) and twenty in the experimental group (EG) (aged = 14.50 ± 0.51, body weight = 58.08 ± 9.78 kg, height = 1.69 ± 0.06 m)) performed a combined coordination and agility program during 10 min every training day (3 days a week) for 10 weeks. The results of this study showed that coordination training produced adaptations in the power (CMJ of EG (p = 0.001)) and agility capacities (IAT of EG (p = 0.002)) of young soccer players, but not on speed performance at longer distances (CG, p = 0.20 and EG, p = 0.09). Despite the benefits of the training program, a combination of training methods that includes power, agility, speed, and strength can enhance such improvements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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16 pages, 2993 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Successful Reboot of High-Performance Sporting Activities by Japanese National Women’s Handball Team in Tokyo, 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Initiative Using the Japan Sports–Cyber Physical System (JS–CPS) of the Sports Research Innovation Project (SRIP)

by Issei Ogasawara, Shigeto Hamaguchi, Ryosuke Hasegawa, Yukihiro Akeda, Naoki Ota, Gajanan S. Revankar, Shoji Konda, Takashi Taguchi, Toshiya Takanouchi, Kojiro Imoto, Nobukazu Okimoto, Katsuhiko Sakuma, Akira Uchiyama, Keita Yamasaki, Teruo Higashino, Kazunori Tomono and Ken Nakata

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9865; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189865 - 18 Sep 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4999

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted sporting activities across the world. However, practical training strategies for athletes to reduce the risk of infection during the pandemic have not been definitively studied. The purpose of this report was to provide an overview of the challenges we encountered during the reboot of high-performance sporting activities of the Japanese national handball team during the 3rd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo, Japan. Twenty-nine Japanese national women’s handball players and 24 staff participated in the study. To initiate the reboot of their first training camp after COVID-19 stay-home social policy, we conducted: web-based health-monitoring, SARS-CoV-2 screening with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, real-time automated quantitative monitoring of social distancing on court using a moving image-based artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, physical intensity evaluation with wearable heart rate (HR) and acceleration sensors, and a self-reported online questionnaire. The training camp was conducted successfully with no COVID-19 infections. The web-based health monitoring and the frequent PCR testing with short turnaround times contributed remarkably to early detection of athletes’ health problems and to risk screening. During handball, AI-based on-court social-distance monitoring revealed key time-dependent spatial metrics to define player-to-player proximity. This information facilitated appropriate on- and off-game distancing behavior for teammates. Athletes regularly achieved around 80% of maximum HR during training, indicating anticipated improvements in achieving their physical intensities. Self-reported questionnaires related to the COVID management in the training camp revealed a sense of security among the athletes that allowed them to focus singularly on their training. The challenges discussed herein provided us considerable knowledge about creating and managing a safe environment for high-performing athletes in the COVID-19 pandemic via the Japan Sports–Cyber Physical System (JS–CPS) of the Sports Research Innovation Project (SRIP, Japan Sports Agency, Tokyo, Japan). This report is envisioned to provide informed decisions to coaches, trainers, policymakers from the sports federations in creating targeted, infection-free, sporting and training environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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12 pages, 696 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit to Accelerometer-Based Training Monotony and Strain during a Soccer Season: A within-Group Study for Starters and Non-Starters

by Hadi Nobari, Mustafa Sögüt, Rafael Oliveira, Jorge Pérez-Gómez, Katsuhiko Suzuki and Hassane Zouhal

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 8007; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18158007 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2472

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the intragroup differences in weekly training monotony (TM) and training strain (TS) between starter and non-starter male professional soccer players at accelerometry based variables throughout the periods of a season. TM and TS of different accelerations and decelerations zones for twenty-one players were followed for forty-eight weeks. Regardless of group, players obtained the highest mean TM (starters = 3.3 ± 0.6, non-starters = 2.2 ± 1.1, in arbitrary unit, AU) and TS (starters = 1288.9 ± 265.2, non-starters = 765.4 ± 547.5, AU) scores in the pre-season for accelerations at Zone 1 (<2 m/s²). The results also indicated that both groups exhibited similar TM and TS scores in accelerations at Zones 2 (2 to 4 m/s²) and 3 (>4 m/s²) across the entire season. While the starters showed the highest TM and TS scores at deceleration Zone 1 (<−2 m/s²) in the end-season, the non-starters exhibited the highest scores at the deceleration Zone 1 in pre-season. It seems that in pre-season, coaches applied higher levels of training with greater emphasis on deceleration for non-starters. This tendency was reduced over time for non-starters, while starters presented higher values of deceleration Zone 1. These results highlight the variations in TM and TS across the different periods of a full season according to match starting status among professional soccer players, and the results suggest that non-starter players should receive higher levels of load to compensate for non-participation in matches throughout a soccer season. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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9 pages, 356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Official and Friendly Matches through Acceleration, Deceleration and Metabolic Power Measures: A Full-Season Study in Professional Soccer Players

by Hadi Nobari, Sara Mahmoudzadeh Khalili, Rafael Oliveira, Alfonso Castillo-Rodríguez, Jorge Pérez-Gómez and Luca Paolo Ardigò

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5980; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115980 - 2 Jun 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4183

Abstract

Soccer is a popular team sport and highly demanding activity that requires high effort and long-term training plans. The goals of this study were to compare the accelerations, decelerations and metabolic power between official and friendly full matches, between the first and second halves of the matches, and between both halves of official and friendly matches. Twelve professional soccer players (age, 28.6 ± 2.7 years; height, 182.1 ± 8.6 cm; body mass, 75.3 ± 8.2 kg; BMI, 22.6 ± 0.7 kg/m²) participated in this study. A total of 33 official and 10 friendly matches were analyzed from the Iranian Premier League. All matches were monitored using GPSPORTS systems Pty Ltd. The following variables were selected: total duration of the matches, metabolic power, accelerations Zone1 (<2 m·s⁻²) (AccZ1), accelerations Zone2 (2 to 4 m·s⁻²) (AccZ2), accelerations Zone3 (>4 m·s⁻²) (AccZ3), decelerations Zone1 (<−2 m·s⁻²) (DecZ1), decelerations Zone2 (−2 to −4 m·s⁻²) (DecZ2) and decelerations Zone3 (>−4 m·s⁻²) (DecZ3). The major finding was shown in metabolic power, where higher values occurred in friendly matches (p < 0.05 with small effect size). Furthermore, total duration, AccZ3, DecZ1, DecZ2, and DecZ3 were revealed to be higher in official matches, while AccZ1 and AccZ2 were higher in friendly matches. The second half of the official matches revealed higher values for total duration compared to friendly matches (p < 0.05, moderate effect size). In conclusion, this study observed higher values of metabolic power in friendly matches compared to official matches. AccZ3, DecZ1, DecZ2, and DecZ3 were higher in official matches, while AccZ1 and AccZ2 were higher in friendly matches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

12 pages, 328 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Contextual Variables on Match Performance across Different Playing Positions in Professional Portuguese Soccer Players

by Joel Barrera, Hugo Sarmento, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Adam Field and António J. Figueiredo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5175; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105175 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 3666

Abstract

This study investigated the position-specific physical demands of professional Portuguese players. The effects of situational variables on the physical performance demands were also analysed (match location, match half and match result). Match performance observations were collected using Global Navigation Satellite System devices across 11 matches during a competitive season (2019–2020). Data were analysed according to five playing positions: goalkeepers (n = 11), central defenders (n = 42), wide defenders (n = 31), central midfielders (n = 34), open attackers (n = 28), and centre forwards (n = 14). Central midfield players completed the greatest total distance (10,787 ± 1536 m), while central defenders covered the least distance (9272 ± 455; p < 0.001). Open attackers covered the greatest high and very-high-speed distance (1504 ± 363 m), number of high-speed decelerations per match (11 ± 4) and were the fastest players (30.6 ± 1.5 km/h), along with center forwards (30.6 ± 2.0 km/h), versus all other positions (p < 0.05). Greater distances were performed in teams that were winning (9978 ± 1963 m) or drawing (10,395 ± 875 m) versus losing (9415 ± 2050) p = 0.036 and p = 0.006, respectively. Increases in distance covered at walking speeds were observed during the 2nd half (1574 ± 179 m) compared with the 1st half (1483 ± 176; (p < 0.003). A higher number of decelerations across all speeds were performed in the 1st half (144 ± 39) versus the 2nd half (135 ± 37). The distance covered in home matches (10,206 ± 1926 m) far exceeded away matches (9471 ± 1932 m; p < 0.001). The number of faster accelerations were higher in away (7 ± 5) versus home matches (6 ± 4; p < 0.049). The data demonstrate the different physical demands of each playing position and suggest that situational variables influence physical performance. These findings suggest position-specific physical training is required to condition players for the bespoke demands of each playing position. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

Review

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16 pages, 784 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Subject-Tailored Variability-Based Platform for Overcoming the Plateau Effect in Sports Training: A Narrative Review

by Ram Gelman, Marc Berg and Yaron Ilan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1722; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031722 - 2 Feb 2022

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5072

Abstract

The plateau effect in training is a significant obstacle for professional athletes and average subjects. It evolves from both the muscle-nerve-axis-associated performance and various cardiorespiratory parameters. Compensatory adaptation mechanisms contribute to a lack of continuous improvement with most exercise regimens. Attempts to overcome this plateau in exercise have been only partially successful, and it remains a significant unmet need in both healthy subjects and those suffering from chronic neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and metabolic diseases. Variability patterns characterize many biological processes, from cellular to organ levels. The present review discusses the significant obstacles in overcoming the plateau in training and establishes a platform to implement subject-tailored variability patterns to prevent and overcome this plateau in muscle and cardiorespiratory performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition: Fitness Assessment, Athlete’s Monitoring Cycle and Training Interventions in Team Sports)

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