Sprint Performance In Athletes Research Articles

A High-Intensity Warm-Up Increases Thermal Strain But Does Not Affect Repeated Sprint Performance in Athletes With a Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

To compare the effects of typical competition versus high-intensity intermittent warm-up (WU) on thermoregulatory responses and repeated sprint performance during wheelchair rugby game play. An intermittent sprint protocol (ISP) simulating the demands of wheelchair rugby was performed by male wheelchair rugby players (7 with cervical spinal cord injury [SCI] and 8 without SCI) following 2 WU protocols. These included a typical competition WU (control) and a WU consisting of high-intensity efforts (INT). Core temperature (Tcore), thermal sensation, and thermal comfort were recorded. Wheelchair performance variables associated to power, speed, and fatigue were also calculated. During the WU, Tcore was similar between conditions for both groups. During the ISP, a higher Tcore was found for SCI compared to NON-SCI (38.1 [0.3] vs 37.7 [0.3] °C: P = .036, d = 0.75), and the SCI group experienced a higher peak Tcore for INT compared with control (39.0 [0.4] vs 38.6 [0.6] °C; P = .004). Peak Tcore occurred later in the ISP for players with SCI (96 [5.8] vs 48 [2.7]min; P < .001). All players reported a higher thermal sensation and thermal comfort following INT (P < .001), with no differences between conditions throughout the ISP. No significant differences were found in wheelchair performance variables during the ISP between conditions (P ≥ .143). The high-INT WU increased thermal strain in the SCI group during the ISP, potentially due to increased metabolic heat production and impaired thermoregulation, while not impacting on repeated sprint performance. It may be advisable to limit high-INT bouts during a WU in players with SCI to mitigate issues related to hyperthermia in subsequent performance.

Effects of Skill Training on the Sprint Performance of Secondary School Athletes

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of skill training on sprint performance of secondary school athletes. Purposive sampling was used to select Model Secondary School, Nsukka. Thirteen (13) athletes of the chosen secondary school participated in the study, eight (8) male and five (5) female athletes. The quasi-experimental research design was adopted for this study. The instruments for data collection were a training schedule prepared by the researchers and a stopwatch. The analysis of the data was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) batch system version 21. The data collected were analysed and presented in tables. The statistical tools used were mean, standard deviation and the null hypotheses were tested using ANCOVA. The subjects recorded a residual score of 0.75s for the return time and 0.655ms-1 for speed which indicates an improvement on the return time and the speed respectively. There was a significant difference in the mean pre-test and post-test scores based on gender.&amp;nbsp; The study concludes that skill training improved the sprint performance of athletes, it is considered paramount for successful performance and further recommends that student-athletes should be properly trained before enrolling in any competition.

Farklı Isınma Protokollerinin Eklem Hareket Genişliği, Sıçrama ve Sprint Performansına Etkisi

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of three different warming types on joint range of motion, jumping and sprint performance. 30 male students from the Faculty of Sport Sciences attended the study (age; 20.15 ± 2.71 years). Three different warm-up programs including jogging (J), jogging + dynamic stretching (JD) and jogging + static stretching (JS) exercises were applied to all athletes in random order on non-consecutive days. Then hip flexion, vertical jump test and 30 meter sprint test values were taken respectively. Repeated measures and post-hoc tests were used for statistical analysis. Hip flex value was significantly higher after JD and JS stretching than J (p<0.05). The jumping height values measured after the J and JD warming protocol were found to be statistically higher than those measured after the JS warming (p<0.05). 30 m sprint time when warming performed with JS protocol was found to be longer, compared to warming with J and JD protocol in statistical ratio (p<0.05). As a result, JD and JS warming protocol are more effective than J on joint range of motion from three different warming protocols. The jump height and 30m sprint performance are lower in JS protocol than in J and JS protocols. Static stretching applications reduce jumping and sprint performance of athletes.

Passive Recovery Promotes Superior Performance and Reduced Physiological Stress Across Different Phases of Short-Distance Repeated Sprints.

Scanlan, AT and Madueno, MC. Passive recovery promotes superior performance and reduced physiological stress across different phases of short-distance repeated sprints. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2540-2549, 2016-Limited research has examined the influence of recovery modalities on run-based repeated-sprint (RS) performance with no data available relative to the sprint phase. This study compared run-based RS performance across various sprint phases and underlying physiological responses between active and passive recoveries. Nine students (21.8 ± 3.6 years; 171.3 ± 6.4 cm; 72.8 ± 12.2 kg) completed 2 bouts (active and passive recoveries) of 10 × 20 m sprints interspersed with 30 s recoveries in a randomized crossover fashion. Sprint times and decrements were calculated for each split (0-5, 5-15, 15-20, and 0-20 m) across each sprint. Blood lactate concentration ([BLa]), heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at various time-points. Passive recovery promoted improved performance times (p ≤ 0.005) and decrements (p ≤ 0.045) across all splits, and lower post-test [BLa] (p ≤ 0.005), HR (bout 3 onwards) (p ≤ 0.014), and RPE (bout 4 onwards) when compared with active recovery. Performance differences between recoveries were less pronounced across the 0-5 m split. Temporal analyses showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in sprint times and decrements primarily with active recovery. The present data indicate that passive recovery promoted superior performance across run-based RS, with earlier performance deterioration and greater physiological load evident during active recovery. These findings can aid the manipulation of interbout activity across RS drills to promote physiological overload and adaptation during training. Further, coaches may develop tactical strategies to overcome the detrimental effects of active recovery and optimize sprint performance in athletes during game-play.

Does amputation side influence sprint performances in athletes using running-specific prostheses?

BackgroundFor athletes using running-specific prostheses (RSPs), current Paralympic guidelines for track events are generally based on level of amputation, not side of amputation. Although 200- and 400-m sprint races are performed in a counterclockwise direction, little is known about the effects of amputation side on race performance in athletes with unilateral lower limb amputation. The study aim was to test whether athletes using RSPs on their left side have slower race times than those using RSPs on their right side.FindingsAthletes with unilateral lower limb amputation (N = 59 in total) participating in elite-level 200-m races were analyzed from publicly available Internet broadcasts. These races included the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Paralympics, and the International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships in 2011 and 2013. For each athlete the official race time and amputation side were determined. There was no significant difference in number of participants and race time between left and right side amputees in T42 men, T44 men, and T44 women.ConclusionThe results of the present study suggest that sprint performance of athletes using RSPs is not affected by amputation side on a standard 400-m track.

The validity and reliability of a global positioning satellite system device to assess speed and repeated sprint ability (RSA) in athletes

There is a limited understanding of the validity and reliability of commercially available global positioning satellite (GPS) devices for assessing repeated sprint performance in athletes. The aims of this study were to assess the convergent validity and the test–retest reliability of a GPS device for measuring repeated sprint ability test (RSAT) variables. Two groups participated in this study, a group of 21 physical education students (age: 20.2 ± 2.3 years, stature: 1.75 ± 0.42 m, body mass: 68.0 ± 6.8 kg) and a second group 14 elite junior soccer players (age: 14.5 ± 1.2 years, stature: 1.60 ± 0.09 m, body mass: 57.7 ± 3.8 kg) volunteered to participate in this study. Convergent validity was assessed as the correlation between sprint performance (15 and 30-m) using both timing lights and a portable GPS device during a RSAT (7 × 30-m sprints with 30-s of active recovery). The 7 × 30-m RSAT test–retest reliability using GPS device was assessed in elite junior soccer players repeating the test 1 week apart and expressing reliability as a coefficient of variation. Results showed a strong correlation between peak speed measures with the GPS device and RSAT performance measured with timing lights for the 15-m ( r 2 = 0.87, p < 0.001, N = 147) and 30-m ( r 2 = 0.94, p < 0.001, N = 147) splits, respectively. There was a low coefficient of variation for summated maximal speed (1.7%) and peak speed (1.2%) during the 7 × 30-m RSAT, but high variation for the percentage decrement score (36.2%). These results provide evidence to support the use of the GPS device as an alternative measure to assess repeated sprint performance but suggest a percentage decrement score is not a reliable measure of RSAT performance.

Cooling strategies improve intermittent sprint performance in the heat of athletes with tetraplegia

BackgroundPrecooling has been shown to enhance performance in repeated sprint exercise in able-bodied subjects in a hot environment. Spinal cord injury causes thermoregulatory impairment with a detrimental effect on performance....