Reactive Agility Research Articles

Povezanost morfologije, brzine, snage i agilnosti kod mladih tenisača

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of anthropometric variables and motor abilities in change of direction speed and reactive agility performance in young tennis players. 50 tennis players (age 12.3 ± 1.2 years, height 156.7 ± 12.8 cm, body mass 45.9 ± 8.9 kg), who were ranked within the top 50 ranking places of the National Tennis Association, as well as within the top 300 on the international "Tennis Europe" rankings, participated in the study. The sample of anthropometric variables in this study comprised the measurement of participant height, body mass, body mass index and percentage of body fat. Also, participants performed tests assessing speed (5, 10, and 20 m sprints), agility (20 yards, 4x10 yards, T–test, TENCODS, and TENRAG), and explosive power (countermovement jump, single-leg countermovement jump, squat jump, standing long jump and single-leg triple jump). The results showed that there is a statistically significant correlation of agility with anthropometric characteristics, running speed tests and horizontal explosive power variables, whereas there was no significant correlation with vertical explosive power variables. In conclusion, the results of this research confirmed the hypothesis that there is a significant correlation in almost all anthropometric variables and motor abilities in change of direction speed and reactive agility performance in young tennis players. Thus, our findings provide useful information for coaches to create a wide range of tennis-specific exercises to develop performance, especially in a players neuromuscular fitness.

10-14 Yaş Tenisçilerde Core Antrenmanlarının Çeviklik, Kuvvet Performansına ve Tenis Becerilerine Etkisi

This study aims to determine the effect of 8-week core training on agility, strength performance and tennis skills in tennis players aged 10-14. 25 tennis players studying tennis at EA Tennis Academy participated in the study voluntarily. First of all, vertical jump, pro-agility agility and ITN Tennis skill tests were applied to all participants, then, in addition to tennis training, the experimental group of 11 people was given core training 3 times a week for 8 weeks in a row in line with the literature. The tennis players in the control group continued only their tennis trainings. In order to examine the effect of core training on strength, agility and tennis skills, the tests applied in the pre-tests were applied to all participants again at the end of 8 weeks as post-test. Using the pretest-posttest measurements taken in the study, the effect of 8-week core training on the strength, reactive agility and tennis skills of 10-14-year-old tennis players was determined. According to the results, a statistically significant improvement was observed in the ITN numbers, ITN scores, agility of the tennis players in the experimental group. Also, within limited aspects, a statistically significant difference was found in ITN numbers, ITN scores in the control group. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference in vertical jump and counter movement jump test scores in both groups. As a result, it has been concluded that core training has positive contributions to agility, balance and tennis performance in tennis players aged 10-14. It is thought that core training to be applied in addition to tennis training in training programs will contribute to the development of athletes.

Comparison of Speed, Agility and Reactive Agility Performance in Soccer Players

Futbolun talepleri son zamanlarda önemli ölçüde değişmiş ve artmıştır. Günümüzde bir futbol müsabakası sırasında, oyuncuların daha fazla güce sahip olmaları, yüksek şiddet gerektiren hareketleri daha sık ve sayıda yapmaları ve daha uzun mesafeleri kat etmeleri gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı futbolcuların sprint, çeviklik ve reaktif çeviklik performansları arasındaki farklılıkları araştırmaktır. Çalışmaya toplam 59 erkek futbolcu (14-19 yaşlar arası) gönüllü olarak katılmıştır. Oyuncular yaşlarına göre 15 yaş altı (U-15; n = 20), 17 yaş altı (U-17; n = 20) ve 19 yaş altı (U-19; n = 19) oyuncular olarak 3 grupta değerlendirilmiştir. Katılımcılara 10-30m sprint, çeviklik t testi ve reaktif çeviklik testleri uygulanmıştır. Tüm verilerin normallik testi varsayımını karşılayıp karşılamadığını doğrulamak için Kolmogorov-Smirnov testi kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonuçlarının karşılaştırmaları ise tek yönlü ANOVA ile yapılmıştır. ANOVA sonuçları, anlamlı bir grup etkisi gösterdiğinde, gruplar arası farklılıkları belirlemede post-hoc Bonferroni testi kullanılmıştır. Anlamlı farklılık tespit edilen tek yönlü varyans analizi deseninde değişkenler arasındaki ilişkinin gücünü hesaplamak için eta-kare (etki büyüklüğü) (η2) katsayısından faydalanılmıştır. Grup karşılaştırmalarında, katılımcıların 10 m sprint (F= 6,29, p

Brain Endurance Training Improves Physical, Cognitive, and Multitasking Performance in Professional Football Players.

Brain endurance training (BET)-the combination of physical training with mentally fatiguing tasks-could help athletes adapt and increase their performance during sporting competitions. Here we tested whether BET completed after standard physical training improved physical and mental performance more than physical training alone during a preseason football training camp. The study employed a pretest/training/posttest design, with 22 professional football players randomly assigned to BET or a control group. Both groups completed 40 physical training sessions over 4weeks. At the end of a day of physical training, the BET group completed cognitive training, whereas the control group listened to neutral sounds. Players completed the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test, repeated sprint ability random test, soccer-specific reactive agility test, and Stroop and psychomotor vigilance tests pretraining and posttraining. Mixed analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. In the posttest (but not pretest) assessments, the BET group consistently outperformed the control group. Specifically, the BET group was faster (P = .02-.04) than the control group during the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test, the directional phase of the repeated sprint ability random test, and the soccer-specific reactive agility test. The BET group also made fewer errors (P = .02) during the soccer-specific reactive agility test than the control group. Finally, the BET group responded faster (P = .02) on the Stroop test and made fewer (P = .03) lapses on the psychomotor vigilance test than the control group. The inclusion of BET during the preseason seems more effective than standard physical training alone in improving the physical, cognitive, and multitasking performance of professional football players.

Predictors of Reactive Agility in Early Puberty: A Multiple Regression Gender-Stratified Study.

Reactive agility (RAG) is a crucial factor of success in sports, but there are practically no studies dealing with RAG among children. The main aim of this study was to identify predictors of RAG among early pubescent boys and girls. The participants were primary school boys (n = 73) and girls (n = 59) aged 11-12. The criterion variable was the originally developed "Triangle" test of reactive agility (Triangle-RAG). Predictors included anthropometric/body composition indices (body height, seated height, body mass, and body fat percentage) and motor abilities (10 and 20 m sprint, broad jump, squat jump, countermovement jump, drop jump, and two tests of change of direction speed-CODS (Triangle-CODS, and 20 yards)). The results of the univariate analysis showed that anthropometric/body composition indices were not significantly correlated to TRAG (0-4% of the common variance), while all motor abilities were significantly associated with TRAG (7-43% of the common variance) in both genders. Among boys, 64% of the TRAG variance was explained by multiple regression, with TCODS as the only significant predictor. Among girls, multiple regression explained 59% of the TRAG-variance with TCODS, countermovement jump, and drop jump as significant predictors. Differences in multivariate results between genders can be explained by (i) greater involvement in agility-saturated sports (i.e., basketball, tennis, soccer) in boys, and (ii) advanced maturity status in girls. The lack of association between anthropometric/body built and TRAG was influenced by the short duration of the TRAG (3.54 ± 0.4 s). Our findings suggest that pre-pubescent and early pubescent children should be systematically trained on basic motor abilities to achieve fundamentals for further developing RAG. Since in this study we observed predictors including only athletic abilities and anthropometric/body composition, in future studies, other motor abilities, as well as cognitive, perceptual, and decision-making parameters as potential predictors of RAG in children should be investigated.

Evaluating the performance of non-reactive and reactive agility tests in elite and average soccer players under the age of 14

Evaluating the performance of non-reactive and reactive agility tests in elite and average soccer players under the age of 14

The Effect of Using Reactive Agility Exercises with the FITLIGHT Training System on the Speed of Visual Reaction Time and Dribbling Skill of Basketball Players.

The study aimed to determine the effect of reactive agility with the FITLIGHT training system on the speed of the visual reaction time and dribbling skill of basketball players. Participants were divided into an experimental group (n = 10; age, 14.80 ± 0.79 years; height, 163.80 ± 3.46 cm; weight, 55.90 ± 0.99 kg; training, 4.50 ± 0.53 years) and a control group (n = 10; age, 14.60 ± 0.70 years; height, 163.30 ± 3.47 cm; weight, 56.10 ± 0.74 kg; training, 4.30 ± 0.48 years). Reactive agility was assessed through a modified t-test, visual reaction time was assessed using the Li Lafayette instrument Visual Reaction Time Apparatus 63014 response panel, and dribbling skills were assessed through dribbling testing. The results showed improved agility through the modified agility t-test (11%; p = 0.001), an increased speed of visual reaction time for both the right and left hands (23-31%), and improved dribbling skills (19%; p = 0.001) for the experimental group using the FITLIGHT reactive agility software. The results also showed increased skills of the experimental group when compared to the control group. Differences in variability emerged between 6 and 14.1% in favor of the experimental group. Therefore, the researchers recommended that attention should be paid to activating the role of the FITLIGHT reactive agility training to improve and develop the physical, visual, and skill capabilities of basketball players. The researchers propose that FITLIGHT can be effectively used in the basketball training process.

Effects of Acute Beetroot Juice Ingestion on Reactive Agility Performance

Beetroot juice (BRJ) is high in inorganic nitrate (NO3) which has been shown to enhance vascular function, cognition, and physical performance. Acute BRJ supplementation has been reported to enhance explosive resistance exercise performance and simple reaction time in diseased populations. However, it remains unknown if acute BRJ supplementation can enhance agility and reactive drills in healthy individuals, which are relevant to many sports. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acute BRJ supplementation on simple reaction time and reactive agility performance. In a counterbalanced double-blinded manner, physically active males completed two trials each with a differing single-dose treatment: (1) Placebo (PL), (2) BRJ. Each treatment was consumed 2-hrs before experimental testing. Plasma Nitrate (NO3) and Nitrite (NO2) were measured via capillary blood sampling and colorimetric assay. Reaction time was assessed using a simple reaction time light test. Reactive agility was measured via a semi-circle drill and a get-up-and-go drill. All tests used FITLIGHT LED sensors to record response time. Each visit was separated by a 72-h washout period. Acute BRJ ingestion resulted in significantly greater plasma NO3 (p < 0.001) and NO2 (p = 0.008) compared to PL. BRJ significantly improved response time during the semi-circle drill (p = 0.011) and get-up and go drill (p = 0.027) compared to PL. No differences between treatments were observed for simple reaction time (p = 0.279). Collectively, these findings suggest that acute BRJ ingestion may improve reactive agility performance likely mediated by systemic increases in NO3/NO2. Future research is needed to investigate how these findings translate to game-play and sports competition.

Reliability and Validity of a Novel Reactive Agility Test with Soccer Goalkeeper-Specific Movements.

The purpose of this study was to develop a reactive agility test with soccer goalkeeper (GK)-specific movements (G-RAT) and to examine the reliability and validity of college-aged GKs. We designed a five-branch star-shaped course with diving and ball-catching movements under reactive conditions. In the setup, a start−goal line was set on the top of a branch and 3.5 m away from the center of the star-shaped setting. Content validity was assessed by six experts, and the item-content validity index (I-CVI) was calculated. Thirty-three male GKs performed the test trial twice. One test trial of G-RAT consists of three shuttles from the start−goal line to diving and ball-catching. For the reactive condition, GKs were instructed on which ball directions should dive when their body trunk reached 1.5 m away from the start−goal line. GKs were classified into regular (R) or non-regular (NR) groups. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to assess the reliability and predictive power as convergent validity. The I-CVI was 0.83, which was greater than the acceptable level of 0.78. The ICC value was 0.94 (p < 0.01; 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 0.88−0.97). The GKs completed the test 14.3 ± 0.7 and 15.3 ± 1.0 s in the R and NR group (p < 0.01; Cohen’s d = 0.89), respectively. The area under the curves of G-RAT was 0.80 (95%CI, 0.64−0.96). These results show that a GK-specific agility test under reactive conditions would have sufficient reliability and both content and convergent validity in college-aged GKs.

Reliability, Validity and Sensitivity of Newly Developed Tennis-Specific Reactive Agility Tests

Agility is one of the motor skills on which success in tennis performance depends, and the aim of this research was the development and validation of a new test for assessing preplanned and reactive agility in young tennis players. The sample of respondents comprised 50 young competitors with an average age of 12.34 ± 1.22 years who were ranked up to 50th in the national tennis association ranking and up to 300th in the international Tennis Europe ranking. Agility variables were measured with newly constructed tests for the assessment of preplanned agility (CODS) and reactive agility (RAG), which were constructed in such a way that subjects imitated specific movements in tennis. It can be concluded that the newly constructed tests of preplanned agility (CODS) and reactive agility (RAG) have a high degree of reliability. Additionally, the assumption that the reliability will be slightly higher for preplanned agility tests (CA = 0.92 and 0.92; ICC = 0.86 and 0.82) than for reactive agility tests (CA = 0.90 and 0, 89; ICC = 0.74 and 0.72) was proven to be accurate. The results also showed that the tests have satisfactory validity. Thus, the results of both tests show a good correlation (p = 0.6 and p = 0.55) with the T-test of agility. It can be noted that all measurements, that is, all results, are normally distributed and that the values of skewness and kurtosis are within acceptable limits. We can confirm satisfactory sensitivity and their applicability to the sample of young tennis players. In conclusion, the results of this research confirmed the hypothesis and showed that the newly constructed agility tests have extremely good metric characteristics, especially the reactive agility test. Thus, this paper proposed a new procedure for the assessment of preplanned and reactive agility in young tennis players, which will significantly improve and advance the existing procedures, and make the results more reliable and precise.

Contributing Factors to Sensorimotor Adaptability in Reactive Agility Performance in Youth Athletes.

Sensorimotor adaptability facilitates adjusting behaviour for changing environmental stimuli to maintain appropriate goal-directed motor performance. Its effectiveness is associated with perceptual-cognitive modulation. As the factors affecting it are still not completely known, the aim of our study was therefore to analyse the association between selected variables (demographic, training, anthropometric, genetic) and sensorimotor adaptation in reactive agility tasks in youth team-sport athletes. The study group consisted of 85 youth athletes (aged 12.61 ± 0.98 years). Based on an initial evaluation, participants were divided into faster and slower agility groups. The resultant differences between change of direction speed tests and reactive agility tests provided the REAC-INDEX as a dependent variable. The independent variables were as follows: gender, calendar age, body mass, height, BMI, maturity offset, training status and the BDNF rs6265 polymorphism. Multiple linear regression showed that the maturity offset (ß = 0.269; p = 0.012) and calendar age (ß = -0.411; p < 0.001) significantly contributed to the REAC-INDEX of all participants (R2 = 0.13). In the slower group, the c.196G BDNF allele had a significant influence (ß = -0.140; p = 0.044) on the REAC-INDEX. The best predictive model comprised female gender (ß = 0.799; p < 0.001), maturity offset (ß = -0.586; p < 0.001) and training experience (ß = -0.225; p = 0.009), contributing to 49% of RA variance. Sensorimotor adaptability is mainly dependent on gender and age, and can be improved through systematic sports training. The BDNF rs6265 polymorphism may be considered a contributing factor to SA variability in the initial stages of training, although polymorphism-related differences blurred as the effect of participation in sports training increased.

Application of a Reactive Agility Training Program Using Light-Based Stimuli to Enhance the Physical and Cognitive Performance of Car Racing Drivers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundThere is a need to develop strategies that could contribute to the physical and mental preparation of motorsport athletes. A common method used by experienced motorsport athlete physical trainers is flashing light devices to train or assess reactive agility, despite limited evidence. Therefore, in the present study, we determined the effects of a 6-week reactive agility training program using light-based stimuli on the physiological and cognitive abilities of car racing drivers.Materials and MethodsThe CONSORT guidelines for randomized controlled trial were used. In a single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 24 car racing drivers (EXP, n = 12; CON, n = 12) performed a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests marketed specifically at motorsport athletes from Vienna test system (VTS) at rest or during moderate intensity exercise on a bicycle. Physiological abilities were determined via a maximal incremental cardio-respiratory treadmill test. Baseline and post-intervention tests were performed on three consecutive days. Participants in EXP underwent a 6-week intervention consisting of 60-min training sessions twice a week using the Witty SEM light stimulus.ResultsParticipants in EXP but not in CON performed some of the VTS cognitive tasks with higher accuracy and/or shorter reaction time after the intervention at rest and during exercise. Car racing drivers performed the STROOP word-reading condition more accurately when the task was performed during the exercise vs. rest, regardless of group. In addition, the intervention induced beneficial changes in peak heart rate (HR), HR at gas exchange threshold, ventilation, and relative maximal oxygen consumption (rVO2 max). In contrast, body mass and fat mass increased, while peak HR and rVO2 max decreased in CON. Finally, participants in EXP improved their reactive agility performance and reaction time throughout the training program.ConclusionOverall, the reactive agility training program using light-based stimuli appeared to be efficient to induce beneficial effects on some physiological and cognitive performance measures; therefore, it may have the potential to contribute to car racing drivers’ physical and mental performance.

Examination of the effects of reactive agility and planned change of direction skills on Self Defense techniques in private security and protection program students

The purpose of this study is investigate the impact of reactive agility, reaction-based planned change of direction training on the practice of self defence methods among students enrolled in the Private Security and Protection program of Vocational Schools. Twenty male volunteer students, 21.20±1.28 years, height 177.37±6.18 cm, weight 75.56±5.50 kg, voluntarily participated in the study. While the volunteer research group received reactive agility, response speed training for 2 hours 4 days a week for 8 weeks, the control group continued to receive self defence skills instruction as usual. Measurements of body composition Body analyzer Inbody 270 (Japan), reactive test Fitspeed (Turkey) gadget for measuring agility performance, as well as other agility planned change of direction tests Fusion Smart (Australia) with an integrated system of photocell doors, T Test digital integrated system stopwatch (Belgium), Reaction time Speed test was measured using a Performanz Spark test equipment (Turkey). The SPSS 22 software was utilized to analyze the data. First, the data distribution was evaluated using the Shapiro-Wilk test, it was discovered that it did not have a normal distribution. Mann Whitney U Tests were used in this manner to find the difference between the pre-test and post-test results of the nonparametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test across groups in order to determine the difference between the pre-post-test data within the group. The level of significance in the study was determined at p&gt;0.05. According to the statistical analysis, the 8-week planned change of direction, reactive agility training improved the response speed, agility performance of the work group students (p&gt;0.05).

Reactive-Agility in Touch Plays an Important Role in Elite Playing Level: Reliability and Validity of a Newly Developed Repeated Up-and-Down Agility Test.

Successful athletes are better at performing efficiently than the inferior in particular sports scenarios, while most existing performance tests in the field do not cover the sport-specific context fully. There were two purposes in this study: 1) to evaluate the reliability and validity of a novel Sector Reactive Agility Test (SRAT) which mimicked a reactive-agility defensive scenario in Touch, and 2) to determine the relationships between Touch players' agility and sprint performance. Twenty male Touch players from the elite division and another 20 from the amateur division were invited to participate in this study. They performed SRAT and a 20-m sprint test in two days. Excellent reliability and high precision were found in SRAT (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.97) and 20-m sprint test (ICC = 0.91). The time of completion in SRAT of the elite Touch players (23.93 s) was 2.95 s significantly shorter than that of the amateur players with a large effect size. Elite Touch players also demonstrated moderately faster (0.11 s) than the amateur Touch players in the 20-m sprint test. SRAT demonstrated high test-retest reliability and accuracy in measuring reactive-agility performance in Touch. The minimal detectable changes in SRAT and 20-m sprint test were 1.04 s and 0.13 s respectively. Furthermore, the speed of the 20-m sprint test and playing experience were associated with the time of completion of SRAT, explaining 56% of its variance (p &lt; 0.001). Other factors, such as cognition and the ability to control own central gravity, are deemed possible to influence Touch players' agility. Therefore, SRAT should be adopted in Touch player selection and training monitoring.

A Review of Reactive and Non-reactive Agility Tests Concerning Neurologic Aspects

: Agility is an essential component of sport performance, especially in ball sports. It is also a significant indicator of sport skills under competitive conditions. Agility is one of the most critical factors in the sport performance of soccer players. Agility and coordination of the nervous-muscular system to produce maximum force, as an important factor of function and physical fitness, which is considered along with perception and decision making in unpredictable situations. Assessment tests for assessing agility are divided into two general areas called non-reactive agility as well as reactive agility test. Although non-reactive agility tests are superior to reactive agility tests in terms of reliability, reactive agility tests are more similar to the movement and skill pattern in soccer and can distinguish players from each other well. In reactive agility tests, the movement path of the experimenter is not predictable and not all changes in path are predetermined and exactly the movement pattern in the soccer game where the movement path of the player is not predictable and the movement path of the ball as well as the prevailing conditions in the game that determine and change of direction player at any moment. The results showed that non-reactive agility had a higher relative validity and reliability than reactive agility. This small difference was acknowledged by researchers related to the reactivity and complexity of reactive agility tests. finally a review of the above studies and findings confirms that the use of reactive agility tests is necessary to evaluate athletes

Design and Validation of a New Tennis-Specific Reactive Agility Test-A Pilot Study.

Agility is an important ability for tennis players, but there is an evident lack of studies focusing on the applicability of tennis-specific agility tests that capture a combination of the physical and cognitive agility performance. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to design and test measurement properties of the tennis-specific reactive agility test that would be feasible and practical for regular implementation. A total of 32 youth tennis players (21 males and 11 females; 10.85 ± 1.50 years) participated in this study. The measurement characteristics of the newly designed reactive agility tennis-specific (TS-RAN) test have been established by comparing it with two generic agility tests and with two tennis-specific pre-planned agility tests. The overall reliability of the new TS-RAN test can only be considered “moderate to good”, as although the results of participants showed good internal consistency, the within-subject reliability of the test proved to be unsatisfactory, since the participants showed a lack of performance consistency. This is not unexpected considering the very young age of the participants who performed the test for the very first time. The new TS-RAN test was highly projected (0.91) on the same single latent dimension, with the variance predominately explained by the tennis-specific agility tests. The test’s greatest strength is its high feasibility, since the test does not require any special set-up nor technical equipment, and that makes it practical for regular implementation in a practical setting. Further research studies are needed in order to confirm the test’s potential to be widely accepted and used.

Alternatives to common approaches for training change of direction performance: a scoping review

BackgroundResearch focuses heavily upon the effect of strength and power training on change of direction performance. The objective of this scoping review is to highlight alternative approaches to training change of direction.MethodsFour databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and SPORTDiscus) were searched with no date restrictions. To be included studies must (i) investigate change of direction performance following an intervention or investigate the relationships between variables of interest and change of direction performance; (ii) recruit participants > 18 years old; (iii) recruit participants involved in competitive sport. The majority of included studies investigated the effect of strength and/or power training, or, relationships between strength and/or power variables with change of direction performance.ResultsDespite fewer studies, alternative training methods resulted in greater improvements (compared with strength and/or power) in change of direction performance, with smaller training durations. Few studies included reactive agility as an outcome measure.ConclusionDespite much of the literature focusing on strength and/or power, there are alternative training modalities that demonstrate merit for improving change of direction performance. Future studies should investigate the effect of alternative training interventions on reactive agility performance, to provide a more valid indication of transfer to competition.

Reactive Agility Instruments in Karate Kumite: Aiken Validity

Background: Reactive agility test has become one of the most important issues in improving karate skills. Therefore, an instrument is needed to develop the reactive agility test for karate. This study aimed to develop the construction of a reactive agility karate instrument. Methods: This research used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. The participants are ten experts determined by the evaluation expert and a karate expert or both criteria. The research procedure was divided into three stages. The first stage, document analysis (international journals), was used to develop the construction of reactive agility karate instruments. The second stage was expert validation using the Delphi technique. The third stage was qualitative analysis. It consisted of the suggestion from the expert judgment. Then, the expert analyzed and revised those results until there was no revision of the reactive agility karate instrument, resulting in a coefficient value. This research instrument uses a questionnaire scale of 1 to 4, namely very relevant, relevant, less relevant, and irrelevant. Then, the data analysis used the Aiken formula. This research resulted in the construction of reactive agility karate instruments, namely, the suitability of the test material with foot movements in the karate game has a coefficient value of V 1. The relevant construction for each element of karate agility has a coefficient value of V0.962. The implementation procedure has a coefficient value of V 0.851. The relevant cone distance to the karate foot movement has a coefficient value of V 1. Conclusions: Those items above resulted in a coefficient value of more than 0.70. Indeed, it can be concluded that all experts have very high agreement on the reactive agility karate test items.

Absolute Reliability, Relative Reliability, and Criterion-Related Validity of Two Reactive Agility Tests Using Two Types of Stimuli in Elite Male Volleyball Players

Abstract Introduction. Agility is an important physical quality required in team sports including volleyball. The aims of this study were to quantify the reliability of two reactive agility drills: (a) the arrow reactive agility test (ARAT) and (b) the square upper body reactive agility test (SUBRAT). Their relationship was assessed with the T-Test, lower limbs’ power was evaluated using sprint and vertical jump performance, while lower and upper body maximal strength was evaluated with the back squat and bench press, respectively. Material and Methods. A total of 14 elite male volleyball athletes participated in this investigation. All subjects performed three trials for each reactive agility test on two separate days. All assessments were conducted at the same time of the day and in the same order. Data was analysed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), SEMs, SWCs, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. The heteroscedasticity coefficient for the ARAT and the SUBRAT was r = −0.103 (95% CI, −0.728-0.523; p = 0.727) and r = 0.08 (95% CI, −0.55-0.70; p = 0.80), respectively. The systematic bias ± the 95% LOAs were of −0.02 ± 0.10 seconds for the ARAT and 0.03 ± 1.15 seconds for the SUBRAT. Conclusions. The main findings of this investigation showed that the ARAT is a reliable and valid test to assess the lower limb reactive agility component of elite male volleyball athletes. The SUBRAT, on the other hand, is not as reliable as the ARAT and, therefore, might not be a recommended test to assess upper body reactive agility.

Return to play in elite rugby players after severe knee injuries.

BackgroundMedical professionals working in an elite sport environment have the challenging task to balance the athlete’s readiness to return to the playing field after severe injury with other stakeholders’ (coaches, sponsors, teammates) opinions and objectives.ObjectivesOur study aimed to evaluate differences in the physical profiles of elite rugby players at return to play (RTP) after a severe knee injury, compared with their pre-injury profiles and matched controls.MethodBefore the injury, participants performed four performance tests during their preseason screening. These tests were repeated and compared to baseline once a player was declared fit to play.ResultsSignificant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found in the injured players’ group who were slower over 10 m speed, in their decision-making time and the total time of the reactive agility tests at RTP, whilst controls were significantly faster over 10 m and 30 m speed tests. The countermovement jump outcomes showed significant improvement in the uninjured participants (p ≤ 0.05).ConclusionOur study highlights that injured players’ running speeds and decision-making times are slower after injury. The uninjured players have a positive outcome to training and match stimulus by improving their running speed and lower body explosive power during the season.Clinical implicationsOur study provides insight into the RTP profile of elite rugby players, and a novel finding was the decision-making time deficit. This highlights the importance of cognitive training during injury rehabilitation as athletes make numerous decisions in a pressured and uncontrolled environment during a match. Speed training development is recommended as the athletes were slower after severe knee injury.