A simplified approach for estimating the ventilatory and respiratory compensation thresholds

This study aimed to investigate whether ventilatory (VT) and respiratory compensation (RCT) thresholds could be derived from percentages of maximal running speed (Vmax). During the model building phase (1), VT & RCT of 31 competitive level athletes were identified with respiratory gas exchange. During the cross-validation phase (2), 20 subjects performed a treadmill test to identify Vmax and then they performed 30-min runs at velocities 2SE below or above the velocity at VT and RCT derived from (1), with measurement of blood lactate [BL], RPE, heart rate (HR), and speech comfort. Phase (1) revealed that VT and RCT were reached at 67 ± 9% and 84 ± 6% of Vmax. In (2) sustained running 2SE below VT (64% Vmax) was associated with the ability to finish 30-min, with low and constant [BL] (~2.5 mmol.l(-1)), moderate RPE (~3.0-3.5), a small HR drift, and ability to speak comfortably. Conversely, running at 2SE above RCT (86% Vmax) was associated with the inability to finish 30-min (18.5 ± 2.5 min to fatigue), increasing [BL] (end-exercise = 11.9 ± 0.9 mmol.l(-1)), high RPE (end-exercise = 8.9 ± 1.0), large HR drift (end-exercise = 98 ± 3% HRmax), and inability to speak comfortably. Simple percentages of Vmax (≤64% and ≥86%) obtained from a treadmill test without gas exchange, may be useful for prescribing exercise training intensities. Key pointsSimple performance parameters can be used to provide indications of physiologic thresholds.64% and 86% of the maximal running speed produce conditions consistent with ≤VT and ≥RCT.The combination of technology free feedback techniques such as the Talk Test and RPE and the simple %Vmax can be used as available and easy methods for the performance evaluation.Training prescription can be better addressed to the improvement of the aerobic or anaerobic capacity.

Notational Analysis of Elite Men's Water Polo Related to Specific Margins of Victory

The present study aimed to analyze the water polo matches of the men's World Championships, comparing technical and tactical aspects of winning and losing teams, during closed (≤ 3 goals of margin of victory at the end of the 4(th) quarter; winning, W; losing, L) and unbalanced (>3 goals; winning, MW; losing, ML) games. Therefore, 42 of the 48 (6 were draw at end of the 4(th) quarter) matches were considered. According to each game situation (i.e., even, counterattack, power-play, transition), a notational analysis was performed in relation to the following aspects: occurrence of actions, action outcome, execution and origin of shots, and mean duration. In addition, the occurrence of the offensive (and role) and defensive arrangements of even and power-play were analyzed. To show differences (p < 0.05) in terms of margin of victory, an analysis of variance was applied. Although ML (74 ± 11%) performed more even actions than W (68 ± 7%) and MW (69 ± 6%), the latter teams (W = 9 ± 6%; MW = 13 ± 6%) performed more counterattacks than L (3 ± 2%) and ML (5 ± 5%). Power-play is more played during closed (W = 20 ± 3%; L = 22 ± 3%) than unbalanced games (MW = 17 ± 4%; ML = 16 ± 7%). Moreover, differences in terms of margin of victory emerged for mean duration (even, power-play, transition), action outcome (even, power-play), zone origin (even, counterattack, power-play) and technical execution (even, power-play) of shots, and even and power-play offensive (and role) and defensive arrangements. Divergences mainly emerged between closed and unbalanced games, highlighting that the water polo matches of the men's World Championships need to be analyzed either considering the winning and losing outcome of match and specific margins of victory. Thus, coaches can advance their knowledge, considering that closed and unbalanced games are largely characterized by the opponent's exclusion fouls to perform power-play actions, and by a divergent grade of defensive skills regardless of game situation, respectively. Key pointsThe water polo matches of the men's World Championships need to be analyzed considering successful/unsuccessful teams as well as specific margins of victory.Closed matches are mainly characterized by a high occurrence of the opponent's exclusion fouls to perform the power-play actions.For the unbalanced matches, a divergent grade of defensive skills between teams has been highlighted.Coaches can improve their training, considering the opponent's exclusion fouls to perform the power-play actions towards a closed match, and caring the defensive skills of each game situation towards an unbalanced match.

Agility assessment in female futsal and soccer players

Agility is the player's capability to perform rapid whole-body movement with change of velocity or direction in response to a stimulus. The aims of this study were as follows: 1) to assess the reliability of a reactive visual stimuli agility field test (RVS-T); and 2) to evaluate differences in RVS-T and planned (PVS-T) agility performances between female soccer and futsal players.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Sixty-six female players belonging to Italian teams of regional level were recruited to the study. The experimental apparatus consisted of four lighted spherical visual stimuli connected to a computer able to randomly generate three different sequences. Differences between RVS-T and PVS-T performances were calculated to evaluate the decision-making time (DMT) of players.

RESULTS

The intraclass reliability coefficient for RVS-T was 0.80. Significant (P<0.05) differences emerged only for RVS-T (futsal, 17.3±0.5 s; soccer, 18.8±1.1 s) and DMT (futsal, 2.6±0.6 s; soccer, 4.1±1.2 s), whereas similar performances between groups resulted for PVS-T (futsal, 14.7±0.6 s; soccer, 14.6±0.6 s).

CONCLUSIONS

The RVS-T proved to be a reliable tool to evaluate agility in field conditions. Futsal players showed better RVS-T and DMT performances with respect to soccer counterparts, probably due to the higher velocity of actions and faster decision-making of their sport. The lack of difference in PVS-T performances confirms the importance to evaluate agility capabilities of players in both planned and reactive conditions.