Effects of adding a preceding run-up on performance, blood lactate concentration and heart rate during maximal intermittent vertical jumping

Physical and physiological demands of U-19 basketball refereeing: Aerobic and anaerobic demands

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the physical and physiological demands of basketball refereeing.

METHODS

16 elite-level basketball referees were studied during U-19 basketball games (n=8) for time-motion analyses, exercise heart rates (HR) and blood lactate concentration [La]. Game activities were considered as time spent and distance covered in five locomotors activities (standing, walking, jogging, running and sprinting).

RESULTS

Referees spent more time (p<0.01) walking (63.72±2.02 min) than jogging (3.10±0.29 min), running (4.24±0.46 min) and sprinting (1.69±0.24 min). Referees covered more distance (p<0.01) walking than jogging, running and sprinting across the quarters (Q). Mean HR (74.89±6.86 %HRmax) was not significantly different across the game Q (Q1 to Q4) and halves. [La] did not show significant changes (p=0.221) when comparing the half-time (4.30±3.92 mmol.L(-1)) and the end of the game (6.70±4.90 mmol.L(-1)).

CONCLUSION

In light of this study, we conclude that U-19 basketball refereeing is a moderate intensity activity where referees spent 81% of total game time at low-intensity with bouts of high-intensity activities throughout the game.

'Aerobic' and 'Anaerobic' terms used in exercise physiology: a critical terminology reflection

The purpose of this Current Opinion article is to focus on the appropriate use of the terms 'aerobic'- and 'anaerobic'-exercise in sports medicine, in order to try to unify their use across coaches/athletes and sport scientists. Despite the high quality of most of the investigations, the terms aerobic/anaerobic continue to be used inappropriately by some researchers in exercise science. Until late 2014, for instance, 14,883 and 6,136 articles were cited in PubMed, in the field of 'exercise science', using the words 'aerobic' or 'anaerobic', respectively. In this regard, some authors still misuse these terms. For example, we believe it is wrong to classify an effort as 'anaerobic lactic exercise' when other metabolic pathways are also simultaneously involved. It has extensively been shown that the contribution of the metabolic pathways mainly depends on both exercise intensity and duration. Therefore, it is our intent to further clarify this crucial point and to simplify this terminology for coaches and sports scientists. In this regard, several research articles are discussed in relation to the terminology used to describe the predominant metabolic pathways active at different exercise durations and the oversimplification this introduces. In conclusion, we suggest that sports scientists and field practitioners should use the following terms for all-out ('maximal') efforts based on exercise duration: (a) 'Explosive Efforts' (duration up to 6 s, with preponderance of the 'phosphagens' metabolic pathway'); (b) 'High Intensity Efforts' (efforts comprised between >6 s and 1 min, with preponderance of the 'glycolytic pathway'), and

Impact of Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test versus soccer match on physiological, biochemical and neuromuscular parameters

The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) versus soccer match on heart rate (HR), muscle damage, redox status, blood leukocytes and neuromuscular function throughout 72 h recovery. Sixteen male soccer players (21.3 +/- 1.1 years; 175.0 +/- 6.0 cm; 70.7 +/- 6.3 kg) completed LIST and performed a soccer match separated by 2 weeks and data were collected before, 30 min, 24, 48 and 72 h after LIST and match. HR, plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, myoglobin (Mb), uric acid (UA), protein sulfhydryls (-SH), malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, total antioxidant status (TAS), blood leukocyte counts, delayed onset muscle soreness, 20 m sprint and jump performances, and maximal isokinetic knee extension and flexion were analyzed. HR after LIST was significantly lower than after the match. Post-match TAS was lower and UA was higher than after LIST. Thirty minutes and 24 h after soccer MDA was higher and -SH was lower than after LIST (P < 0.05). LIST and soccer match induced elevation in total leukocytes and a reduction in lymphocytes at 30 min. This reduction in blood lymphocytes 30 min after match was lower than after LIST. In conclusion, the impact of both exercises did not differ regarding the observed muscle damage markers and some neuromuscular parameters, although soccer requires higher cardiac demand and induced higher changes on redox status, adenine nucleotide metabolism and on lymphocyte counts than LIST, which should be taken into account when using LIST to simulate a match to study these type of physiological and biochemical-related endpoints.