Isometric Strength in Volleyball Players of Different Age: A Multidimensional Model

Nikola Majstorović,Vladimir Grbić,Goran Nešić,Marko Zadražnik,Milivoj Dopsaj,Zdravko Aničić,Zoran Savić,Aleksandar Vićentijević,Lazar Toskić

doi:10.3390/app10124107

Nikola Majstorović, Vladimir Grbić + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app10124107

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Abstract

Physical abilities modelling has a profound connection with long-term athlete development and talent identification. There is not enough data to support evidence about age-related changes in volleyball players’ isometric strength. This study aimed to define the age-related model of volleyball players multidimensional muscles’ contractile characteristics. The participants were divided according to gender (male n = 112, female n = 371) and according to age into four groups: under 15 (U15), under 17 (U17), under 19 (U19), and under 21 (U21) years old. Participants performed three isometric strength tests: handgrip, lumbar extensors, and ankle extensors. Maximal force and rate of force development results from all three tests were transformed into a single Score value as a representation of contractile potentials using principal component analysis. The main findings were that Score values of both genders showed significant differences between age groups (male: F = 53.17, p < 0.001; Female: F = 41.61, p < 0.001). Trends of those yearly changes were slightly more balanced for female subjects (3.9%) compared to male subjects (6.3%). These findings could help in strength training adjustments when working with volleyball players of a certain age, and enable coaches to detect ones that stand out positively, considering them as strong in regard to their age.

Highlights

Physical abilities monitoring has always been an important part in better understanding of each sports’ characteristics [1]
The participants were divided according to gender and according to age into four groups: under 15 years old (U15), under 17 years old (U17), under 19 years old (U19), and under 21 years old (U21)
The main findings of this research indicate that the youngest (U15) and the oldest groups differ from each other, as well as from middle two groups significantly (p < 0.001), and that (U21) groups differ from each other, as well as from middle two groups significantly (p < 0.001), and there were no significant differences between the two middle groups (U17 and U19)

Summary

Introduction

Physical abilities monitoring has always been an important part in better understanding of each sports’ characteristics [1]. Such results offer a representation of the physical abilities level necessary in each step of athletic development [2]. Physical abilities modelling has a profound connection with long term athlete development and talent identification [3,4], because it can help with the detection of those athletes who are better than the majority of their peers in a particular sport [5]. Shortcomings in physical abilities, detected early enough, could help in injury prevention. Abilities selected for modelling should be the ones correlated with the actual game performance, and the testing should have high reliability when performed on different types of subjects.

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