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The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in physical performance after a 6-week skill-based conditioning training program in male competitive volleyball players. Sixteen male volleyball players (mean ± SD: age 22.3 ± 3.7 years, body height 190.7 ± 4.2 cm, and body mass 78.4 ± 4.5 kg) participated in this study. The players were tested for sprinting (5- and 10-m sprint), agility, and jumping performance (the vertical-jump test, the spike-jump test, and the standing broad jump [SBJ]). Compared with pretraining, there was a significant improvement in the 5- and 10-m speed. There were no significant differences between pretraining and posttraining for lower-body muscular power (vertical-jump height, spike-jump height, and SBJ) and agility. Based on our results, it could be concluded that a preseason skill-based conditioning program does not offer a sufficient stimulus for volleyball players. Therefore, a general conditioning and hypertrophy training along with specific volleyball conditioning is necessary in the preseason period for the development of the lower-body strength, agility and speed performance in volleyball players.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of differences in the level of change in linear speed and velocity in the modified change of direction test (COD) and to determine the relationship between speed deficits resulting from changes of direction and functional performance between groups of Polish U19 Volleyball National Team and Polish Women's Basketball 3 × 3 National Team. A total of 23 athletes: 12 volleyball players (age: 18 ± 0 years; body height: 183 ± 7 cm; body weight: 70 ± 8 kg) and 11 basketball players (age: 26 ± 4 years; body height: 180 ± 6 cm; body weight: 73 ± 10 kg) participated in the study. Athletes were tested for the following measures: Functional Movement Screen test (FMS), dynamic balance test Y-Balance, joints range of motion measurements, maximal sprint test (14 m), modified COD test (14 m) and change of direction deficit (CODD). A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. There was no significant correlation between sprint and CODD results in basketball team. In volleyball team there was a positive and significant correlation between COD, sprint and CODD. There was a negative and significant correlation between Y-Balance scores and sprint test results in the basketball team. Basketball team had a positive significant correlation between hip rotations and COD results. There was a negative significant correlation between shoulder movements and COD and CODD results in volleyball team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring good levels of physical fitness in women's basketball is crucial for success in this complex sport. Thus, the objective of the research is to compare the level of physical fitness in women's basketball between different competitive categories through a systematic review. For this purpose, four databases were consulted (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scielo and LILACS) in Portuguese, Spanish and/or English, in which 32 primary scientific articles were found on physical fitness in women's basketball in the competitive categories and 51 manuscripts complementary secondary about the theme. Physical fitness indicators are divided into anthropometric, metabolic and neuromuscular. Each indicator has a series of variables whose sum will allow us to understand the athlete's actual physical fitness status. The physical training of female players follows the same guidelines as male athletes, but three aspects deserve attention when prescribing programs: menstrual cycle, eating disorders and bone mineral loss. In addition, cardiovascular and neuromuscular characteristics distinguish genders and interfere with physical fitness gains. In general results, professional basketball players presented better averages in the group of indicators (63.1%), followed by formative (21.0%), college (10.5%) and semi-professional (5.26%) players. Finally, it was evident that as female players progress in chronological age, they mature biologically and acquire training support, advancing between the competitive categories. In this way, your physical fitness comes to denote improvement. However, there is a large individual biological variability that impacts the average numbers between the indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of small-sided games (SSG) for assessing physical fitness was evaluated in 21 female basketball players from senior (n = 8), under-18 years (n = 6), and under-16 years (n = 7) age categories. Players underwent fitness testing (countermovement jump [CMJ], agility T-test, repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test, and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test [YYIRT1]) and 3vs3-SSG before and after a 6-week preseason. Player demands were monitored during SSG using local positioning system and heart rate technology. Regarding discriminative validity, senior players produced better CMJ, agility T-test, and YYIRT1 performance (p < 0.05, effect size [ES] = 1.72–2.25), and more distance and PlayerLoad (p < 0.05, ES = 1.53–2.47) during SSG than under-18 players following the preseason. For criterion validity, total distance and distance completing high-intensity decelerations during SSG were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with CMJ (r = 0.44–0.66), YYIRT1 (r = 0.43–0.63), agility T-test (total distance only, r=-0.51), and RSA test performance (r=-0.49 to −0.52) among all players combined following the preseason. Regarding longitudinal validity, significantly better agility T-test and YYIRT1 performance (p ≤ 0.001, ES = 0.88–0.93) alongside lower heart rate during SSG (p = 0.001, ES = 0.88) were evident for all players combined following the preseason. These results partially support the validity of 3vs3-SSG to assess physical fitness in female basketball players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a holistic framework for the development of the technical, tactical, and fitness capacities required in soccer. It summarizes and organizes the main tactical and technical characteristics and the common physical demands of the game in accordance with different playing positions. Moreover, the typical fitness values found by playing positions are reviewed. A theoretical framework for a more individualized and specific training that integrates technical and tactical dimensions as well as fitness dimensions is proposed. Thus, through the identification of the main moments in a football game, a profile characterization of the contents for each capacity in each moment for all playing positions is presented and described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was two-fold: (1) To analyse physical fitness changes of youth football players after a full-season; and (2) to examine whether physical fitness changes are explainable by estimated maturity status, 2digit:4digit ratio (2D:4D) from each hand and training load (TL) measures. Methods: Twenty-seven youth elite Under-15 football players were daily monitored for training load measures during 38 weeks. At the beginning and at the end of the season, all players were assessed for physical fitness. Also, the maturity status estimation and the length of the second and fourth digits of both hands were collected at the beginning of the season. Results: Significant differences were found for all physical fitness measures after the season. The second and fourth digits of left and right hands had negative moderate correlations with change of direction (COD) changes (r=-.39 to − 0.45 | p =.05 to 0.02). Also, the maturity offset measure had negative moderate correlations with COD changes (r=-.40 | p =.04). From the reported significant correlations, the maturity offset, Left 4D, Right 2D and Right 4D significantly predicted the Mod.505 COD test changes (β = 0.41, p =.04; β = -0.41, p =.04; β = -0.45, p =.02; and β = -0.44, p =.03, respectively). Conclusion: The maturity offset and the 2D:4D measures have the potential to predict COD performance changes over-time in youth football players. Given the lack of associations between the maturity estimation, 2D:4D and training load measures, with the overall physical fitness measures, coaches should rely only at COD changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jumping and specific multidirectional repeated sprint ability are important in basketball. The objective of this study was to assess the contributions of 8-week combined versus single-mode training programs based on drop jump (DJ) and specific multidirectional repeated sprint (MRSA) on repeated sprint ability performances, body balance and lower limbs power in male professional basketball players. Methods: This study followed a randomized parallel study design. Fifty-two professional male basketball players from the Tunisian first division participated in this study. The players were randomly assigned to 4 groups: DJ group (JG; n = 13), MRSA group (RSG; n = 13), combined group (COMB; n = 13) and an active control group (CON; n = 13). The JG, RSG and COMB groups completed the 8-week training programs with 2 sessions per week while the CON continues their regular basketball training. Training volume was similar between groups all over the experimental period. Before and after the intervention, the four groups were evaluated for the stork test, Y-balance test, the repeated sprint ability test (IRSA5COD), the squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests, the single leg drop jump test, the five time-jump test and T—change of direction (CoD) test. Results: All measures displayed significant main effect, (medium/small) magnitude (effect size) improvements for time (post-test > pre-test) except the physiological parameters for IRSA5COD. Significant time × group interactions were revealed for body balance, T test, IRSA5COD (total time and best time) and jump tests (vertical/horizontal). Bonferroni corrected post-hoc tests revealed significant greater improvement in favor of RSG and COMB compared to JG for body balance, CoD and IRSA5COD. Moreover, greater improvement in CMJ, SJ and single leg DJ in favor of JG compared to the RSG. In addition, a greater CoD improvement was observed in favor of COMB when compared to the RSG. Conclusion: Combined and single-mode training programs based on DJ and MRSA contributed to a significantly better performance in specific basketball physical fitness parameters with results favoring combined interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of acute caffeine supplementation (3 mg/kg) administered in the morning and evening on performance-related variables in basketball players. Eleven, national-level, adolescent male basketball players underwent field-based fitness testing on four occasions: morning (10:00) with caffeine ingestion (AMCAFF), morning (10:00) with placebo ingestion (AMPLAC), evening (21:00) with caffeine ingestion (PMCAFF), and evening (21:00) with placebo ingestion (PMPLAC). Fitness testing included of a countermovement jump without arm swing (CMJ), CMJ with arm swing (CMJAS), squat jump (SJ), Lane Agility Drill (LAD), 20-m linear sprint, and Suicide Run with (SRD) and without dribbling (SR). Data were analysed using two-way repeated measures analyses of variance and paired t-tests, with effect sizes (ES) also determined for all pairwise comparisons. Follow-up t-test comparisons revealed that AMCAFF produced small-moderate, significant (p<0.001), improvements in CMJ (ES = 0.51), CMJAS (ES = 0.40), SJ (ES = 0.51), and SR (ES = −0.45) compared to AMPLAC. AMCAFF also produced a moderate, significantly (p<0.001) faster LAD (ES = −0.61) compared to PMCAFF. PMPLAC demonstrated small-moderate, significant (p<0.05) improvements in CMJ (ES = 0.43), CMJAS (ES = 0.48), and 20-m sprint (ES = −0.63) compared to AMPLAC. In contrast, AMPLAC resulted in large, significantly (p<0.001), faster SRD (ES = −1.46) and SR (ES = −1.59) compared to PMPLAC. Given the ergogenic effects of caffeine during basketball-specific fitness tests appear to be influenced by time of ingestion, basketball practitioners should consider administering caffeine only to players in the morning to improve vertical jump, sprinting, and change-of-direction performance, with no beneficial effects observed with caffeine ingestion in the evening. Highlights The effect of caffeine supplementation on basketball-specific performance related variables were mediated by ingestion time in elite, adolescent basketball players. AMCAFF produced small-moderate improvements in vertical jump, change-of-direction, 20-m linear sprint, and repeated-sprint performance compared to AMPLAC while PMCAFF produced trivial differences in each performance-related variable compared to PMPLAC. Comparisons between ingestion times in the placebo condition revealed vertical jump height and 20-m sprint speed were impaired in the morning compared to the evening, but these time-dependent differences were eliminated when caffeine was consumed in the morning. Basketball practitioners should consider administering caffeine only to players in the morning to improve vertical jump, sprinting, and change-of-direction performance, with no beneficial effects observed with caffeine ingestion in the evening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Annales Kinesiologiae is the property of Annales Kinesiologiae and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)