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Abstract: Duggan, JD, Byrne, P, Malone, S, Cooper, S-M, and Moody, J. The physical and physiological demands of intercounty camogie during competitive match-play. J Strength Cond Res 38(9): e510-e520, 2024-The aim of this study was to determine the physical and physiological demands of intercounty camogie match-play between positions and halves of play. Data were collected from 28 players during 18 competitive games using global positioning systems (10-Hz) and heart rate monitors (2.4-GHz). The study demonstrated that intercounty camogie players covered a total distance (TD) (m ± SD) of 6,040 ± 628 m, relative distance (RD) of 83 ± 13 m·min-1, and maximum speed of 25 ± 1 km·h-1. Furthermore, the players covered a mean sprint distance of 214 ± 112 m and 14 ± 6 sprints. Players' mean heart rate (HRmean) and HRmax was 138 ± 23 b·min-1 and 164 ± 20 b·min-1, respectively. There were decrements between halves in TD (p < 0.01, ES = -0.45), RD (p < 0.01, ES = -0.45), maximum speed (p < 0.05, ES = -0.18), HRmax (p < 0.05, ES = -0.23), running (p < 0.01, ES = -0.34), high-speed running (p < 0.01, ES = 0.34), sprinting (p < 0.01, ES = -0.10), HRmax (p < 0.05, ES = -0.23), and HRmax % (p < 0.05, ES = -0.24). Midfielders covered a greater TD compared with full-forwards (p < 0.05, ES = -0.38) and half-forwards (p < 0.05, ES = -0.38). Full-backs covered a significantly lower RD than midfielders (p < 0.05, ES = -1.2), half-backs compared with full-forwards (p < 0.05, ES = 1.14), and half-forwards compared with full-forwards (p < 0.05, ES = 1.15). Full-forwards covered significantly less RD when compared with half-backs (p < 0.05, ES = -1.14), midfielders (p < 0.05, ES = -1.47), and half-forwards (p < 0.05, ES = -1.15). The findings provide physical and physiological values on the match demands of intercounty camogie match-play., (Copyright © 2024 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Abstract: Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, S-M, Farrell, E, and Kinsella, S. Short-term effects of "composite training" on strength, jump, and sprint performance in hurling players. J Strength Cond Res 36(8): 2253-2261, 2022-The purpose of this study was to compare the short-term effects of "composite" training to sprint training on strength, jump, and sprint acceleration performance in hurling players. A randomized counterbalanced group design with baseline test, pretest and post-test measures was used. Twenty-five hurling players volunteered to participate and 21 completed the study. Subjects were divided into a "composite" (COMP group, n = 10) or a sprint training (SPRINT group, n = 11) group. Both groups trained twice per week for 7 weeks with the SPRINT group performing 6 repetitions of 20 m sprints and the COMP group completing 6 repetitions (1 repetition = 3 bounce drop jumps [BDJs] with a 20 m sprint after 15 seconds recovery). Significant differences existed pretraining to post-training for the COMP group for BDJ contact time (-7.25%; p = 0.05) and countermovement jump (CMJ) variables (height: 7.43%, p = 0.006; force: 5.24%, p = 0.05; power: 15.11%, p = 0.001). No significant differences were found between groups at baseline and for group by time interactions. Significant improvements were observed pretraining to post-training in both groups for the following: absolute 3 repetition maximum (3RM) back squat strength (12.73-17.62%, p = 0.01), 5 m (5.74-9.49%, p = 0.006-0.04), 10 m (4.27-5.59%, p = 0.007-0.02), and 20 m (3.35-3.98%, p = 0.003-0.01). In conclusion, "composite" training is effective in enhancing fast stretch-shortening cycle efficiency inducing CMJ force and power augmentation. However, "composite" and sprint training are effective training approaches for enhancing maximal strength and sprint performance in a time efficient manner in hurling players., (Copyright © 2022 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Abstract: Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, SM, and Kinsella, S. Acute effects of "composite" training on neuromuscular and fast stretch-shortening cycle drop jump performance in hurling players. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3474-3481, 2021-"Composite" training is a term developed by the authors and defined as the combination of a plyometric exercise with an explosive activity such as a sprint run, performed as a "combined repetition"/session. The purposes of this study were to investigate the acute effect of a "composite" training session on neuromuscular and fast stretch-shortening cycle bounce drop jumps (BDJs) in hurling players' immediately, after session, and after 7 days of recovery. Eight hurling players first completed a drop jump test to identify individual BDJ drop height, followed 72 hours later with a single "composite" training session. Three repetition maximum (3RM) back squat strength, BDJ, countermovement jump (CMJ), and sprint performance testing were performed 10 minutes before and immediately after session and 7 days after session. An analysis of variance reported a significant decrease in CMJ measures (height, velocity, and eccentric rate of force development) and sprint performance from presession to postsession (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, a significant increase was evident for CMJ performance (height and power), sprint performance (5 and 20 m), 3RM back squat strength, and BDJ performance (reactive strength index and height) from postsession to post-7-day recovery (p ≤ 0.05). Pairwise comparisons indicated that absolute and relative 3RM strength significantly increased from presession to post-7 days (absolute 3RM: p = 0.0001; relative 3RM: p = 0.01). The findings indicate that "composite" training results in an immediate decline in CMJ measures after session possibly due to acute muscle fatigue, and supercompensation augments maximum lower-limb strength after 7 days of recovery., (Copyright © 2019 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Byrne, PJ, Moody, JA, Cooper, SM, Callanan, D, and Kinsella, S. Potentiating response to drop-jump protocols on sprint acceleration: drop-jump volume and intrarepetition recovery duration. J Strength Cond Res 34(3): 717-727, 2020-The purpose of this study was to investigate the postactivation potentiation response first to bounce drop jump (BDJ) volume; second, BDJ intrarepetition recovery duration and recovery duration between BDJs and 20-meter (including 5- and 10-m split times) sprint performance. The study was undertaken in 2 parts, the first part compared different volumes of BDJs and the second part compared different BDJ intrarepetition recovery periods. The effect of recovery periods between the BDJs and the subsequent 20-m sprints was examined in both parts 1 and 2 (15 seconds, 4, 8, and 12 minutes). Fourteen (mean ± SD: age = 20.83 ± 1.26 years; height = 1.77 ± 0.04 m; and mass = 74.89 ± 6.07 kg) (part 1) and 15 (mean ± SD: age = 20.64 ± 1.00 years; height = 1.78 ± 0.06 m; and mass = 75.67 ± 6.28 kg) (part 2) male collegiate and club hurling players volunteered to participate. A randomized cross-over design was used to compare BDJ volumes (1, 2, and 3 sets of 3 repetitions) and BDJ intrarepetition recovery time (15 vs. 60 seconds) after a warm-up followed by 2 baseline 20-m sprints. The results in part 1 reported a significant improvement in 5- and 10-m sprint time for 1 set of 3 BDJs between baseline and 4 minutes (5 m: -2.34%, p = 0.04, effect size [ES] = -0.043; 10 m: -1.42%, p = 0.03, ES = -0.35), and baseline and 12 minutes (5 m: -3.33%, p = 0.03, ES = -0.57; 10 m: -2.13%, p = 0.01, ES = -0.52). Part 2 reported a significant improvement in 5-m sprint time between baseline and 15 seconds (5 m: -3.38%, p = 0.01, ES = -0.83; 10 m: -2.07%, p = 0.02, ES = -0.58) after the BDJs. The findings support the use of 1 set of 3 BDJs using a 15-second intrarepetition recovery period to maximize 5-, 10-, and 20-m sprint performance after 15 seconds of recovery after the final BDJ in hurling players. The acute response to this BDJ protocol proves to be time efficient and effective in acutely improving sprint acceleration.

Purpose: To understand how training periodization influences sprint performance and key step characteristics over an extended training period in an elite sprint training group., Methods: Four sprinters were studied during 5 mo of training. Step velocities, step lengths, and step frequencies were measured from video of the maximum velocity phase of training sprints. Bootstrapped mean values were calculated for each athlete for each session, and 139 within-athlete, between-sessions comparisons were made with a repeated-measures analysis of variance., Results: As training progressed, a link in the changes in velocity and step frequency was maintained. There were 71 between-sessions comparisons with a change in step velocity yielding at least a large effect size (>1.2), of which 73% had a correspondingly large change in step frequency in the same direction. Within-athlete mean session step length remained relatively constant throughout. Reductions in step velocity and frequency occurred during training phases of high-volume lifting and running, with subsequent increases in step velocity and frequency happening during phases of low-volume lifting and high-intensity sprint work., Conclusions: The importance of step frequency over step length to the changes in performance within a training year was clearly evident for the sprinters studied. Understanding the magnitudes and timings of these changes in relation to the training program is important for coaches and athletes. The underpinning neuromuscular mechanisms require further investigation but are likely explained by an increase in force-producing capability followed by an increase in the ability to produce that force rapidly.

Background: With accumulating evidence suggesting that CVD has its origins in childhood, the purpose of this study was to examine whether a high intensity training (HIT) intervention could enhance the CVD risk profile of secondary school aged adolescents in a time efficient manner., Methods: Participants in the study were adolescent school children (64 boys, 25 girls, 16.7 ± 0.6 years). The intervention group (30 boys, 12 girls) performed three weekly exercise sessions over 7 weeks with each session consisting of either four to six repeats of maximal sprint running within a 20 m area with 30 s recovery. The control group were instructed to continue their normal behaviour. All participants had indices of obesity, blood pressure and nine biochemical risk markers for cardiovascular disease recorded as well as four physical performance measures at baseline and post-intervention. Feedback was provided through informal discussion throughout the intervention period as well as post-intervention focus groups. Statistical differences between and within groups were determined by use of paired samples t-tests and ANCOVA., Results: Significant enhancements (P ≤ 0.05) in vertical jump performance, 10 m sprint speed and cardiorespiratory fitness was evident in the intervention group whereas a significant decrease in both agility and vertical jump performance was evident in the control group. Participants in the intervention group also experienced a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure post-intervention. Limited changes occurred with respect to the biochemical markers although both groups did experience a significant increase in LDL post-intervention whilst the control group experienced a significant decrease in total cholesterol. No apparent differences were evident between groups post intervention for any of the biochemical markers. Feedback indicated that participants endorsed the use of the intervention as an effective means of exercise., Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that high intensity exercise interventions may be used in the school setting for adolescents as a means of improving measures of physical fitness. Further investigations involving a larger cohort of participants, taken from different schools, is recommended., Trial Registration: NCT01027156.

This study examined the independent relationships between cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness with cardiometabolic risk in adolescents. Subjects were 192 adolescents (118 boys), aged 15–17.5 years. The 2 m multi-stage fitness test assessed cardiorespiratory fitness and the counter movement jump assessed muscular fitness. Additional measures included interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, adiponectin, fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Regression analysis revealed that cardiorespiratory fitness was negatively related to cardiometabolic risk (β = –0.014,p< 0.001). With additional adjustment for muscular fitness the relationship remained significant (β = –0.015,p< 0.001). Muscular fitness was negatively related to cardiometabolic risk (β = –0.021,p< 0.001) and remained significant after adjustment for cardiorespiratory fitness. Participants in the least-fit quartile for both cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness had significantly poorer cardiometabolic risk scores than those in the other quartiles. Findings revealed that muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness are significantly associated with cardiometabolic risk independently of one another. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]