Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to develop a stroke effectiveness test in table tennis based on the temporal game structure to assess the ball speed and ball placement of the players, with a purpose to analyze its reproducibility and validity.Methods: Nineteen male table tennis players participated in this study. The test was performed twice during the first session and once during the second session to assess the intrasession and intersession reproducibility, respectively. Moreover, the test was examined on its ability to discriminate between regional (n = 10) and local performance-level (n = 9) players and on the relationship between the test results and the table tennis performance to assess the discriminant and concurrent validity, respectively. In general, the test consisted of 11 simulated rallies of 2–5 balls with the effort and rest ratio of 0.5, and focused on attack with offensive strokes at defensive balls delivered by a robot randomly between the left and right positions on the table.Results: Ball speed, ball placement, and ball speed-ball placement index showed satisfactory reliability (ICC range 0.78–0.96, P < 0.05) and agreement (CV range 2.7–16.2%) outcomes. Additionally, the Bland–Altman plots show the systematic error of the analyses closer to 0, and that most values were within the limits of agreements. Concerning validity analyses, regional players had higher scores of ball placement (+51.3%; P = 0.01, ES = 1.33) and ball speed-ball placement index (+56.1%; P = 0.0009, ES = 1.87) as well as made fewer errors (-25.4%; P = 0.017, ES = 1.20) than local players. Moreover, ball placement (r = -0.79, P = 0.04), ball speed-ball placement index (r = -0.78, P = 0.04), and percentage error (r = 0.88, P = 0.01) presented a strong and significant correlation with table tennis performance. However, ball speed was slightly different between the regional than local players (+1.7%; P = 0.78, ES = 0.13) and this variable was not related to table tennis performance (r = 0.32, P = 0.49).Conclusion: Our findings show evidences that the test is reproducible. Moreover, discriminant and concurrent validity are confirmed for ball placement and ball speed-ball placement index.
Highlights
Table tennis is an intermittent sport comprising periods of effort and rest (Lees, 2003)
Discriminant and concurrent validity are confirmed for ball placement and ball speed-ball placement index
On the basis of the aforementioned statement, this study aims to develop a stroke effectiveness test based on the temporal structure of table tennis matches that may be able to assess the abilities of the players to perform ball speed and ball placement, with a purpose to assess the reproducibility [i.e., the results of the test are consistent when the players perform the test repeatedly (Hopkins, 2000; De Vet et al, 2006)] and validity [i.e., the test measures what it purports to measure (Impellizzeri and Marcora, 2009)] of the test
Summary
Table tennis is an intermittent sport comprising periods of effort and rest (Lees, 2003). Zagatto et al (Morel and Zagatto, 2008; Zagatto et al, 2008, 2011; Zagatto and Gobatto, 2012) developed a number of specific table tennis tests to assess physiological parameters, which in general comprised incremental (e.g., intensities incremented every 2–3 min – effort periods – interspersed with pauses of 30 s until voluntary exhaustion) and constant (e.g., 3-4 effort periods from 2 to 10 min, separated by a minimum break of 2 h) protocols In these studies, balls were sent systematically at 2–4 fixed areas on the table. Le Mansec et al (2016) developed a technical test characterized by 45 continuous topspin strokes at balls sent every 3 s (2 min and 15 s of effort) in only one position to the center of the table
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